# Woodworking Bench made from Cedar?



## Wil_Bloodworth (Apr 7, 2017)

Hi Guys,

I have the occasion to pick up cedar fairly cheaply and was wondering if there is anything wrong with building a workbench using cedar? I know it's mostly used for fences, chests, and closets but is there anything wrong with using for pretty much anything?

Thank you!

- Wil


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## Techsniffer (Feb 19, 2017)

I dont see anything specifically wrong with it, but for the top you might want to opt for a more solid/stable wood that can withstand more use and abuse. I don't have a lot of experience with Cedar aside from my privacy fence.

I built a workbench from 2x4's and a 3/4 MFD top. The 2x4's I got for free all I paid for what the MDF and rubber locking caster wheels, I think all in I was at about $60 give or take. I was worried if it would be solid enough but it has been rock solid and should has easily moved around with about 500lbs on top if it.

Picture below, I have since put poly on the MDF (for spill/glue protection) and I put in some 1/2 plywood for a bottom storage area


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

I'd say its too soft if you want your bench to last. That said though, if the price is right go for it, the worst thing that happens is the top gets banged up faster than a maple top would


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## Catpower (Jan 11, 2016)

It would work fine if the price is right, then you wouldn't have to worry about moths eating holes in you shop rags LOL

It is a little soft,but as long as you don't beat on it you would be okay

My bench is made from yellow pine, and it has stood up pretty well, I just wish I hadn't built the bench so big, it is 6x12, very handy for gluing up large pieces, but also too easy to become the catch all. I just got done building cherry counter tops on it, almost 10 feet long, it took longer to clear off the bench than it did to make the counter top


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## WhoWoodHaveThought (May 21, 2017)

Cedar is good, but IMO it does tend to scratch easily. It would be great if a hardwood board was put on top of them. Otherwise, I don't see anything wrong with it.


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## Masterofnone (Aug 24, 2010)

Nothing wrong with cedar for the beginner. I have a workbench 12 ft long topped with Hemlock. A good hard maple top is something you'll want to step up to when you start getting really serious.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

epicfail48 said:


> I'd say its too soft if you want your bench to last. That said though, if the price is right go for it, the worst thing that happens is the top gets banged up faster than a maple top would


I agree that Cedar is too soft for a workbench top. 
I would pass regardless of the price.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I don't think I would care for a bench made out of cedar. The wood is too soft and light in weight. I think a heavier bench is better. If you are needing it for exterior use I would rather use pressure treated yellow pine.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Toolman50 said:


> I agree that Cedar is too soft for a workbench top.
> I would pass regardless of the price.


Yo each his own i guess. Personally, if i had the option of hard maple at $5 per BF or cedar at $1 a BF, id buy enough cedar for 4 tops and still come out ahead


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

epicfail48 said:


> Yo each his own i guess. Personally, if i had the option of hard maple at $5 per BF or cedar at $1 a BF, id buy enough cedar for 4 tops and still come out ahead


Lots of wood choices between Maple and Cedar. Lots of choices between $1 and $5. 
One bad table would be enough. You wouldn't need four. >


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## 35015 (Nov 24, 2012)

Hello Wil,

Nothing wrong and all...

And...depending on culture, it is the only wood used for workbenches and tables in workshops.

Folks too often forget here in the US that the Japanese (as just one cultural example) have unbroken woodworking lineages going back over 1000 years...and what do they use almost exclusively for their work (and work surfaces)...???...Softwoods.

Since we don't really have "Cedars" here, what you are getting is either a Cypress or Juniper species (most likely) but any wood will work for a workbench for the most part...

As others have mention it will mar up and scratch much easier than a hardwood. It also wont be as heavy and may move around more...if...you don't lock it down and/or place another hardwood slab on top of the primary support work surface...which now can be thinner than a full depth hardwood top...

Good Luck!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*research woodworking workbench" and you'll find this:*

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workbench_(woodworking)
It is a synopsis of the history, the various types including construction materials. The references at the bottom include some very well known woodworkers and furniture makers.

What would be a useful student research project would be a pictorial /historical study of the various cultures who worked in wood from the Egyptian , the Japanese and Europeans and the style and construction of their "work benches", including the shaving horse. After all a workbench's primary function is to secure the "work" while it is being worked on....the various clamps, holdfasts, vises, etc. are also part of the history.

Advances in metalurgy are another important part of woodworking, and again the Japanese have a deep cultural heritage in this area and are among the finest metal crafters known. Do NOT look into the Japanese methods of wood joinery, it will hurt your brain to see the complexities they have come up with.... all done by hand! :wink2:

I can see the first woodworker wedging a piece of wood in a crack between 2 rocks. :nerd2: Which reminded me of using wedges as clamps or hold downs. 

Myself, I have a traditional 2 x 6 frame "L" with a 2 x 8's glued up on top covered with plywood and loaded with heavy toolboxes and other stuff on the shelf underneath, which I use only for metal working. It doesn't move at all and requires a car jack to move it.

My woodworking "bench" is simply 2 leagl size file cabinets with a 2 1/2" laminated Maple top and a Craftsman woodworking vise on either end facing Towards the shop. This allow for holding a long board for plaing, router or other operation OR just using one vise , the normal stuff like drilling and chiseling.

My woodworking assembly table is also my outfeed table on the multiple table saw set up and works real well for both, but requires a clean up every so often .... :wink2:

Some here may remember the workbench mock ups I made to work out the construction of the frame and legs:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f9/i-am-planning-building-workbench-22874/index2/


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The use of Cedar for the bench*

I never addressed the use of Cedar for the bench in the reply above, but I wouldn't use it for the top, maybe the legs. :|
It's a tricky wood to work with ...Red Cedar. It has knots that are harder than stones, where the rest of the wood is quite soft. My entire house is sided with it and for decoration, it's a great looking wood. Cypress would be a better choice, it's of medium density and a joy to work with. Yellow Pine is another good choice, strong and very durable. Even Pressure Treated YP would be good.

Of course Oak for the structure and Maple for the top would be best. For the top you want a close grained wood so glues, solvents and oils don't seep in, and Oak wouldn't be best for that. Personally my laminated Maple top is so "pretty" I cover it with thin cardboard when working on it to prevent stains and gouges.... :surprise2:

On my assembly table, different than the workbench, I have a 3/4" sheet of high density particle board with a shellac finish that works really well. The glue just pops off and stains wipe off fairly easily.. I just turned it over this year to expose a fresh surface after 4 years of projects. I like a replaceable top, but if vises are mounted that gets problematic.


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

Other than the fact Cedar is not that hard. Nothing. :smile3:


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## Wil_Bloodworth (Apr 7, 2017)

Thanks everyone. Lots of great advice here!


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

A workbench is meant to be worked on, and using it is going to cause it to get dinged up. If it is so "beautiful" that you are afraid to work on it because you might mar it, then I submit to you that you have created something that doesn't perform the function it was built for.

Why is the hardest wood you can get more desirable? I would rather have a bench that is softer than the pieces I make on it. Then it won't ding up the pieces that I am building on it. If the workbench gets dings in it, who cares? Just get your plane out and clean it up again.

Is cedar the hardest wood you can get? Of course not. That said, cedar is certainly harder than pine. "Spanish Cedar" has a Janka rating of 600, while "Aromatic Cedar" is at 900 (the same as Soft Maple). 

Similar to owning a "garage queen" for a car. If you are afraid to drive it, then why have it in the first place?

I say go for the cedar, assuming that budget is a factor and you are able to get it at a good price.


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## WesTex (Jan 5, 2014)

"Cedar is certainly harder than pine." A quick look at a Janka scale indicates that some cedar is harder than some pine, and some pine is harder than some cedar. SYP (longleaf) is rated at 870, near the cedar listed above. 
My bench is SYP. I find it quite satisfactory. I would expect the cedar would work out fine. 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

> it took longer to clear off the bench than it did to make the counter top


This is an ongoing issue with me too..
Sometimes I'm convinced it would take longer to clean off the bench than it would be to take it apart, burn it, grow all new trees, mill them and rebuild the darn thing, but nobody ever accused me of not exaggerating things to make a pointless point.. lol
IDK.. a cedar bench might be ok depending on what type of work you do. For a sewing table, great, but for banging things with a heavy mallet chopping mortises lengthwise into maple, well...probably not a great idea.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

woodnthings said:


> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workbench_(woodworking)
> It is a synopsis of the history, the various types including construction materials. The references at the bottom include some very well known woodworkers and furniture makers.
> 
> What would be a useful student research project would be a pictorial /historical study of the various cultures who worked in wood from the Egyptian , the Japanese and Europeans and the style and construction of their "work benches", including the shaving horse. After all a workbench's primary function is to secure the "work" while it is being worked on....the various clamps, holdfasts, vises, etc. are also part of the history.
> ...


WOW! That is a huge plane. Do you have much of a problem lifting it? Or is it one of the modern 2 person models?

George


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

How it is built is more important than what it is built from, use good solid joinery and it will serve you just fine, cover the top with hardboard that you can replace when necessary and get to work. :smile3:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*"garage queens" are unlike workbenches*



Chris Curl said:


> A workbench is meant to be worked on, and using it is going to cause it to get dinged up. If it is so "beautiful" that *you are afraid to work on it* because you might mar it, then I submit to you that you have created something that doesn't perform the function it was built for.
> ..........
> 
> Similar to owning a "garage queen" for a car.* If you are afraid to drive* it, then why have it in the first place?


Being *afraid* to drive a "garage queen" could have many reasons depending on the individual and their location.* I'm not afraid to drive any car/truck I own* or any including 2 frame off restorations OR any of the 4 Harleys, BUT I don't want to spend 4 hrs cleaning of the the dirt and chloride from driving on the rural roads I live on. Chloride is a salt which makes metal rust and to keep a car from rusting you need to wash the underbody and all the nooks and cranies where it just spit up into.

Keeping a nice workbench top is different. You could just beat on it with a chain and leave all sorts of dents to "condition" it before you actually use it, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If I want to keep my work surface "nice" by covering it, I think that's my choice and I'm not afraid to admit it. I still work on it using the wood vises, but I am a lot more careful with this one. I have another work table where I can apply stain and glue where it won't make any difference. I've even sawed and drilled into it and cut paper with a Stanley knife.... just sayin.


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## Larry42 (Jan 10, 2014)

I suspect he is talking about western red cedar, not juniper (aromatic "cedar")
Western red cedar is very soft and will get stuff imbedded in it that can scratch your work. 
Almost any tight grained reasonably hard wood would be better. 
Putting labor into something that won't last is false economy.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

woodnthings said:


> Being *afraid* to drive a "garage queen" could have many reasons depending on the individual and their location.* I'm not afraid to drive any car/truck I own* or any including 2 frame off restorations OR any of the 4 Harleys, BUT I don't want to spend 4 hrs cleaning of the the dirt and chloride from driving on the rural roads I live on. Chloride is a salt which makes metal rust and to keep a car from rusting you need to wash the underbody and all the nooks and cranies where it just spit up into.
> 
> Keeping a nice workbench top is different. You could just beat on it with a chain and leave all sorts of dents to "condition" it before you actually use it, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If I want to keep my work surface "nice" by covering it, I think that's my choice and I'm not afraid to admit it. I still work on it using the wood vises, but I am a lot more careful with this one. I have another work table where I can apply stain and glue where it won't make any difference. I've even sawed and drilled into it and cut paper with a Stanley knife.... just sayin.


Then my comments do not apply to you.  

Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*there are many types of benches ...*



FrankC said:


> How it is built is more important than what it is built from, use good solid joinery and it will serve you just fine, cover the top with hardboard that you can replace when necessary and get to work. :smile3:


The traditional Roubo style with it's thick top, mortised aprons and legs relies on the joinery to prevent racking and the heavy top to add mass to prevent movement and resist deflection.

A second type would be a frame of 2X s and a top which is attached, more of a home craftsman or home owner's style, cheaper and easy to make. The top could be laminated 2 X s or several layers of particle board for mass and rigidity The legs are typically bolted together and then top is attached with fasteners up from the bottom

A third style is a full cabinet, with a solid back, drawers and partitions, also with an attached top. The solid back prevents racking and the weight of the stuff in the drawers add mass to prevent movement.

Another style, sort of a hybrid, would have a torsion box top for strength, flatness and ease of construction, eliminating hand planing of laminated stock. It can be made any thickness within reason. It can be supported by individual cabinets or one large one or on a frame made from 2Xs or hardwood, mortised or bolted. Not much is mentioned here about torsion box construction. It is the way in which my 10 ft x 30" outfeed and assembly table is constructed.
When planning a torsion box top, you can add reinforcing block in the areas where vises would be attached. Bench dogs hole would have to be planned out before drilling and again reinforcements could be added or long holdfasts that go all the way through both the top and bottom would would work.

The prevention of racking and having sufficient mass are the critical things for me. Mass can be "built in" or added, I don't think it really matters. The top does need to be stiff and flat by whatever construction method you use. The material on the top should not be so slippery or slick that your work is difficult to clamp or hold in place. The torsion box top I have is shellacked high density particle board. The shellac seals it and prevents glue from sticking and stains wipe up readily. I like that surface to work on although it is just a bit too slick. The top has an add on layer of another 3/4" particle board that can't be flipped over when it it becomes too used up.


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## WhoWoodHaveThought (May 21, 2017)

woodnthings said:


> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workbench_(woodworking)
> It is a synopsis of the history, the various types including construction materials. The references at the bottom include some very well known woodworkers and furniture makers.
> 
> What would be a useful student research project would be a pictorial /historical study of the various cultures who worked in wood from the Egyptian , the Japanese and Europeans and the style and construction of their "work benches", including the shaving horse. After all a workbench's primary function is to secure the "work" while it is being worked on....the various clamps, holdfasts, vises, etc. are also part of the history.
> ...


Is that a huge planer or a tiny workbench? Either way, it looks great.


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## WhoWoodHaveThought (May 21, 2017)

Also, a thought popped into my head. Maybe you could use extra hardwood floorboards to put on the top of the softer cedar. Many already have a nice poly-coating on top that protects them, and just sand off one side to laminate to the top of the workbench (and then maybe use screws or nails to fix it down further). Just a thought. . .


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