Workbench top material.

[RTDavis]

Hello all,

I am currently doing a makeover to my workshop.
I am going to replace the work surface of my workbench.

Choices which I am considering are Pine or Hardwood or MDF or Melamine coated MDF.

Pine.....easy to work but too soft for any heavy dfuty jobs.
Hardwood.....harder to work with but better for heavy duty jobs.
MDF.....easy to get, maybe some downsides re toxicity of dust etc when reworking, questions re exposure to oil & water etc. plus how does it hold up to heavy duty jobs?
Melamine coated MDF....better than MDF as far as oil & fluid resistance but still some questions re heavy duty jobs & dust toxicity.

Your responses re material choice would be appreciated.

Regards,

Richard.

 

[blasto9000]

My workbenches are "butcher block," which I really think is just a glued pine top. It's quite soft. It looks nice, and is pleasant and warm to work on, easily cleaned, but easily scratched. So for the heavy jobs I just lay a sheet of half-inch closed cell foam rubber over top. That way I can drop hard/heavy/sharp-edged objects on the bench without worry of gradual deterioration. And the rubber does a good job of confining cleaning solvents and such.

 

[packet]

Oak butcher block from Ikea. Works great and relatively cheap to replace when it gets chewed up.

 

[Mercy]

I have 3 mdf. 1 was totaled when something leaked on it. The 2 that are in OK shape I might wrap in sheet metal, or replace with IKEA counter top like I was going to do with the trashed one.

 

[Conor]

Sears has maple butcherblock on sale right now for abotu 100.00 or so free pickup in store.

I'm not sure what IKEA's ones sell for as we dont have an IKEA here.

 

[rvr6000]

My bench is 2x4's laid flat with a layer of 3/4" particle board on top. The 2x4's are for strength while the particle board provides a smooth work surface that doesn't dent easily. When the particle board gets too beat up and stained I either flip it over or just replace it for a nominal cost.

I actually have a couple of the Ikea oak butcher block pieces that I use for my computer desk. They would also hold up very well.

 

[DFW-LSX]

Look at the "show me your workbench" thread

 

[akdiesel]

Just how much impact are you planning?
For a wood top that is easy to build, easy to attain parts, and in expensive would be 2x4's layer flat for the support and then screw down some some 3/4" MDF for the top to hold it together, then laminate for stain and water resistance.
Depending on your span you will want to support it approx every 30". I say every 30" because it is a comfortable span for a stool.

 

[USMCdodge]

Hard wood sure.
When I built my workbenches i Used 1.5" angle iron and 2 pieces of oak plywood cut to (almost) the same size of the bench frame. works awesome! looks pretty good too I think. heres the only pic i have at the moment with the bench. ignore the vice.

 

[Maexle]

my first choice is hardwood covered with a sheet of plastic (polyethylene , ABS, or even better Polyurethane) very easy to clean, does not soak up oil / fluids, oil, gasoline resistant, easy to cut to size and of course easily replaceable and the more expensive hardwood stays untouched. If you like the looks of the wood, you can go with acrylic (plexiglass, best choice there is "lexan", almost unbreakable)

 

[blasto9000]

When I built my workbenches i Used 1.5" angle iron and 2 pieces of oak plywood cut to (almost) the same size of the bench frame.

USMCdodge, I really like your idea. Mind if I plagiarize this for my own shop? One wall in my garage/shop needs workbenching, and your solution looks perfect for what I need.

 

[GN4WHLN]

I am in the process of topping my 2'X10' with 3/4 solid oak flooring. I'll varnish it once I'm finished. I bought utility flooring from Lumber Liquidators for .99 sq ft. so I have about $20 into it. It's tongue and groove, glued and brad nailed onto an OSB underlay. Utility flooring has some natural defects in it and is a mixture of oaks, but it is solid oak. I'll probably do my 2"X6' bench that way too. Both of these are for light work and clean assembly. I have a metal topped 2X5 bench that rolls out from under the 2X10 for welding and gnarly jobs.

 

[sirsloop]

I doubled up a sheet of hardwood plywood for my top. 2x8ftx1.5" thi k. It's rock solid.

Particle board ***** cause it warps and breaks up when it gets wet.

 

[Corsario]

It depends on the work you're planning to do on it. The best is to have specific workbenches for each type of work: one for heavy duty, oily tasks, such as disassembling engines; a second bench or table to weld on it, if you weld ( it is disgusting to weld on the floor. Finally, a bench for woodworking and another general purpose, workbench where you can work seated, for desing/computer work. Thats the ideal situation, but if you don't have enough space, money or time you can adapt one bench for all works, as most of us do, and add the other benches in the future, once at a time!!!

 

[Stuart in MN]

Plywood, with a piece of tempered hardboard on top. You can put wood trim around the edge if you want to get fancy. Tempered hardboard is very durable, smooth, and affordable, and when it does finally get beat up you tear it off and put on a fresh piece.

 

[mtwaterguy]

I am in the process of building two new benches. One 8' and one 12'. The 8' will have a top made from a bowling alley, and the 12' will be from 3/16 steel I purchased from our steel yard in Missoula.

 

[2manytoyz]

Plywood, with a piece of tempered hardboard on top. You can put wood trim around the edge if you want to get fancy. Tempered hardboard is very durable, smooth, and affordable, and when it does finally get beat up you tear it off and put on a fresh piece.

Same thing I'm using. No good for liquids, but great for woodworking.

I stole the idea from Norm Abram years ago. He put a sacrificial layer of hardboard on top of his workbenches. As they wear out, lift off and replace. I have mine secured with pin nails.

One bench is made from 2x4s, with a 3/4" sheet of plywood on top, skinned with hardboard:

A built in bench in the garage, original to the house, looks like it was made from 2x6s. I also skinned it with hardboard:

I piece of Lexan would be another option. It IS pricey, but will take many years of abuse. Just be sure to chamfer all the edges, or it'll slice ya! Had a piece of this on a workbench at work years ago. Could also slide pictures, phone numbers, conversion charts, etc, under the Lexan. Handy to have it visible under the working surface.

 

[Stuart in MN]

You wouldn't want to submerge tempered hardboard in water, but I've found it stands up pretty well to spills as long as you wipe them up. You can put a coat of varnish on it to make it a little more resistant to stains.

 

[machine_punk]

I don't think I see what you said you were going to use your work top for...

For woodworking, I like a double 3/4 plywood (I prefer Luan or hardwood 'cabinet grade' for the top and I usually use a cheaper construction grade for the bottom). I usually countersink/wood screw the top in place...this gives you up to 4 surfaces before you have to completely replace the top...but I've got one top like this that is going on 15 years old. You can pound on double 3/4" plywood to your hearts content and it will take it. If you do this, make sure you plan a 'clamping' edge into the bench of at least 4". I have an older bench with too narrow a clamping edge and it drives me nuts. I built almost 7" of clamping area into the front of my new bench...
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For engine work, a solid wood top (old solid core door) with a sheet metal cap is ideal.

I do like the sacrificial tempered hardboard top idea too.

 

[JeremyManning]

hardwood gets my vote

 

[sirsloop]

mine is ROCK SOLID... bolted to the wall studs. Adding the hardwood around the back and sides increased rigidity substantially. Having the power strip under the front lip of the table is the hot setup too!

 

[Falcon67]

I used a base layer of OSB plus 3/4 ply good one side, both screwed to the underlying framework. The top is 1/8" hardboard with edge trim to hold it in place. The top is painted with gray porch and floor paint to bead most spills.

 

[zoomzoomjeff]

I use a 4x8 sheet of white melamine MDF, screwed down to my work bench. Spills clean up easy with some brake fluid. If you do woodworking, glue outs clean up easy with a scraper, and because it's white, I can pencil down notes or measurements on the surface, and clean it off when I'm done. It's got a few welding sparks that didn't agree with the melanine and some scratches, but it's held up well for 11 years.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'm using a double layer of 3/4" PT plywood glued and screwed together.

 

[evintho]

When I built mine I used 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood as a base and topped it with 1/4" MDF hardboard then trimmed it with strapping. I bought a full sheet of hardboard and cut it in half. Installed one half on the bench and put the other piece in storage. 10 years and 3 project cars later, I finally replaced the aging benchtop with the piece in storage. Took about 20 minutes! I've had everything on that bench from greasy shortblocks to complete suspension assemblies. Yeah.............it held up pretty good!

 

[Mr onetwo]

I just ordered a box of Armstrong Exelon VCT tile in the color "Greenery".$32.44 to the store from Lowes.45 sq ft in the box.I think this will make a really good workbench surface that is cheap and easily replaceable.

 

[bjaspud]

I use a kitchen countertop from Home Depot. The built in backsplash keeps things from dropping off the back. The formica top holds up great and cleans up nice. I added a 2' x 2' piece of stainless to give me an area to pound on things or weld. It's great.

 

[Outlawmws]

I use a kitchen countertop from Home Depot. The built in backsplash keeps things from dropping off the back. The formica top holds up great and cleans up nice. I added a 2' x 2' piece of stainless to give me an area to pound on things or weld. It's great.

It depends on what you are planning to work on: if general mech, THIS ^^^

If "clean" wood working, Masonite over a good substrate is hard to beat, but edge it with hardwood. NOT oak, it splinters too easily...

I've used the pre-made Formica tops 3 times now. Clean, easy to keep clean and as mentioned, the back splash is a HUGE benefit, (I hate having to dig for a small part that went behind...)

The key to any bench top is it's base I use 2/4's on edge glued and screwed together, use a 2x6 on the back board with the 6" hanging down; this allows the top to be anchored to the wall. use Lag bolts, or if you must use deck screws, make sure they are long enough to actually engage the stud for at least 2"

on the base, glue/screw ply to the ends of the legs, this removes any flex whatsoever in that direction; if a free standing bench, do the same on the back.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

cover it with a sheet of stainless or polyurithane some plywood. maybe even find one cheap on craigslist

 

[5lima30]

I am going to be using yellow pine tongue & groove flooring to recover (2) of my work benches. It's cheap (about .53 linear ft around here) and pretty hard. Southern yellow pine is very hard and pretty durable. I have it as flooring in the upstairs of my home and it is just as durable as the hickory hardwood flooring I have downstairs. YMMV.