Workbench Tops - What's your preference?

[MikeinLA]

I'm looking to redo my workbench which is comprised of 4 kitchen base cabinets (6' wide X 24" deep). I was looking at the Ikea beechwood countertops, but then I started thinking about 3/4" particleboard. What do you think and what's your preference?

Mike

 

[Daniel Dudley]

If you are laminating with formica, particle board is fine. Bare particle board doesn't really hold up. I like plywood tops, and I have had masonite tops that were good when polyurethened. Have used the white finished Masonite as well, and just replaced it when it got old.

 

[Kevin54]

If you are laminating with formica, particle board is fine. Bare particle board doesn't really hold up. I like plywood tops, and I have had masonite tops that were good when polyurethened. Have used the white finished Masonite as well, and just replaced it when it got old.

For a laminated top you actually want to use at least 3/4" MDF board. Some will call this particle board but others also call OSB particle board. You DON'T want to put laminate on OSB as it is not smooth enough.
Personally for a countertop in a garage I like laminate. Easy to keep clean but it will scratch easy if not careful. You can always keep a 1/2" piece of OSB around to toss on top of it if doing any major work to absorb spills or to prevent scratching.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

1 1/2" Hard Maple with 4 coats of varnish.

p.s. Ignore the gross looking cabinet hardware. I took that all off, sandblasted and powdercoated it. It's much less obnoxious now. (what can I say? The cabinets were free.)

Phil

 

[P.Allan]

I used an 1/8" sheet of Aluminum -- if I spill something nasty I can scrape it with no problem in my case it might be Epoxy that leaked over night and hardened. I also weld nearly every day and with top conductive the whole thing is ground -- easy place to lay out some weird shape. Yes my shop really gets used

 

[chad pickens]

my benches are old cabinets and counter tops.I bought some thin roll of stainless sheet. and bent it to fit tightly .It works great weld doesnt stick easily and it wipes off reall easy. I bought it extra wide and did a 10" backsplash all in one

 

[BoostAddiction]

I think there are as many answers to this questions as there are garages. Some garages have more than one...

Mine has several surfaces, each optimized for the intended purpose.

For example, I have Corian on a surface that is used for fine assembly and office-related things.

I have another two surfaces with a stainless top, for more aggressive work. The stainless gets a patina of wear eventually and looks good.

I have a move-around toolbox with a rubber top.

And I have a welding table with an unfinished, mill surface that is used for welding (duh) and heavy assembly or disassembly.

For certain kinds of jobs, I'm sure wood might be a great surface.

It just depends on the tasks most frequently performed in the shop. Mine stores cars to be sure, but also sees a lot of fabrication, including cutting, grinding, welding and some painting.

Work surfaces are like hammers- you need several, each optimized for a specific task.

At least that's what I tell my wife...

 

[Abbott]

I use 2"x6" and cover it with Masonite (hard board). After a few years it is an easy chore to replace the Masonite cover if need be. On cabinet bases I would use 3/4" MDF (double the MDF if need be)and Masonite. I also built a movable all steel table that is about 20"x36" with a 3/8" steel plate top for metal work. It's easy enough to slide around on my slab to use it where convenient.

 

[Featherweight]

1 1/2" Hard Maple with 4 coats of varnish.

p.s. Ignore the gross looking cabinet hardware. I took that all off, sandblasted and powdercoated it. It's much less obnoxious now. (what can I say? The cabinets were free.)

Phil

This Top is awesome....where could i get something like this at? i want it for my kitchenette counter in my shop....

 

[walrus]

I biscuited 4 red oak planks for my top. Its extremely dense stuff, weighs a ton and looks good. I may cover with steel at some point

 

[Stephenw]

IKEA countertops make excellent work bench tops. Particle board may start to crumble.

Here is an older photo of mine (before the walls and cabinets were painted). I'd go out and take a new photo, but my garage is a mess right now. I finished the countertop with tung oil. Also note that there are two different IKEA countertop lines. The more expensive line is thicker.

 

[1991Syclone]

I just bought an IKEA counter top for the office and it's very solid. I could see it for a workbench. Personally, I have a solid core 3x8 door for mine.

 

[Steve from Socal]

For most work other than welding and grinding I prefer hardwood. I have two maple top benches and two steel top benches, the steel top are relegated to hot or dirty work. It is important to have at least one surface that can take abuse and clean up from a grease bomb.

Steve

 

[rhastings80]

+1 on Ikea,

We put one in the laundry room.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rv6Kl8VMjnYP99UXNB7rrQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCLWg372ooJiBQQ&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_gyA2MJjiLlg/S0nrM22OKAI/AAAAAAAAAM4/RMnjjoUdNGQ/s800/IMG_4394.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mike.4324/Ikea?authkey=Gv1sRgCLWg372ooJiBQQ&feat=embedwebsite">Ikea</a></td></tr></table>

IKEA countertops make excellent work bench tops. Particle board may start to crumble.

Here is an older photo of mine (before the walls and cabinets were painted). I'd go out and take a new photo, but my garage is a mess right now. I finished the countertop with tung oil. Also note that there are two different IKEA countertop lines. The more expensive line is thicker.

 

[metal1313]

im planning on 2 layers of osb, then a sheet metal cover over that. i like the ikea tops, but they arent in the cards for me right now, im planning to have under $100 into my bench, including a 60 dollar vise

 

[JOHNMAN]

I love my stainless tops!

The only drawback is I don't want to weld on them. I end up welding on portable benches.

One day, I want a 1/2" or 1" thick steel welding table.....

 

[jake00]

I used 3/4" oak flooring, but may make a butcher block style out of maple in the future

 

[TheBanker]

Thanks guys. I have been looking for an inexpensive top. Heading to Ikea tommorrow.

 

[m289271]

I have had masonite tops that were good when polyurethened. Have used the white finished Masonite as well, and just replaced it when it got old.

Agreed. Masonite with a few coats of Spar varnish is pretty durable, and as you stated, easy to replace when needed.

 

[Jack Olsen]

If I had to have one bench top, it'd be a solid-core door. Cheap and durable.

Second to that would be solid steel, a half inch or more. That's even more durable, but noisier and definitely not cheap.

The butcher block surfaces are really nice to look at and nice to work on. But I wouldn't want to get grease or oil all over one or be hammering on it.

In my garage, I've got four steel benches, one solid-core door, two that are doubled up plywood, and two that are butcher block.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I use 2"x6" and cover it with Masonite (hard board). After a few years it is an easy chore to replace the Masonite cover if need be.

I use Masonite as well, it's a good solution. I actually have it on a couple workbench tops, one made of steel and one made of plywood. It's very durable, and when it does finally get too beat up it's easy and cheap to replace.

 

[Stephenw]

Pick up a sheet metal drip pan from any parts store. You can do the messy tear downs in the drip pan and keep your hardwood bench top looking nice.

 

[nolatoolguy]

the one we hav in the barn is steel i beams welded side by side ot works out well but oh is it heavy

 

[[email protected]]

I love all the write ups and questions encountered by fellow "Garage Workshop Members"; I wish I had found this site prior to building my first workbench. To "joe_pinhill1", your idea of a steel top is GREAT, didn't even think of something like that, superb idea if you work on electrical motors; as for the others, the reading will help you make some nice decisions; I was going to buy from Home Depot a solid wood door that can be picked up for under $100.00; however, on my way home I got real lucky and found a solid hard wood door made of 2 x 6 and grooved, I believe it's Oak, a very professional job but FREE, it's actually 31 x 80, I just laid it on top of my bench and it's perfect. The other ideas of using kitchen cabinets and adding your own top is also great idea, it cuts down the build time and designing, just don't forget to add space for an end vise.

 

[A**holes Garage]

steel plate

 

[wrench409]

My son gave me two sold wood executive office doors that are 40" wide x 9' feet long and
1 3/4" thick.

I haven't decided on the finish yet. I'll be watching here for more suggestions to the OP's request. Even if the thread was dredged.

 

[joe_pinehill1]

I use masonite/temper board. For $8 a sheet at Lowes and they cut to with the big panel saw to fit. Replace as often you need for the price.

 

[gerryw]

Very happy with ikea top on my classic96.
I dont worry about stains, and "treat" it with wd40 lol

Gerry

 

[ct01r]

I usually use plastic laminate (Formica). I can clean up spills super easy, it's free to me (last guy that lived here left several sheets), and pretty durable. Curt

 

[Ditch]

I'm looking to redo my workbench which is comprised of 4 kitchen base cabinets (6' wide X 24" deep). I was looking at the Ikea beechwood countertops, but then I started thinking about 3/4" particleboard. What do you think and what's your preference?

Mike

what to use depends on the work you plan on doing but I personally would never use p-board

 

[Plastikosmd]

1" steel plate for my bench with a hole and grid for plasma cutting between the 2 vises

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

What an education. And how timely.

This week or weekend I need to make a top for my two workbenches (bought the Extreme Garage frames from Menards).

I was planning on 3/4" OSB 24"x8'. Two coats of oil based primer and two coats of really good Sherwin Williams latex semi-gloss.

But ... now I'm thinking rather than painting the OSB ... I'll put Masonite on it.

I don't weld. Just want a reasonably priced, quite surface for the benches.

If anyone thinks I'm going down a wrong road, please let me know!

****