# best material for workbench top



## brucet999 (Feb 23, 2019)

I need to replace the splintery top of my workbench; 81" x 30". What is the best material to use?

Is there any reason not to use plywood with formica laminate?

Thanks


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Yes, that's too slippery ......*

You want a smooth surface that's not too slippery because everything you use pressure against will move away from you too easily. I use 3/4" countertop particle board with 2 or 3 coats of shellac. It's stlll easy to pop off the glue drops, but not so slick I'm chasing my projects around on it. I also needed it 30" x 120" long, so it was a perfect fit. It's also been flipped over one time to refresh the surface, although it wasn't really all that buggered up....


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## GuitarPhotographer (Jun 26, 2015)

I put 3/16" tempered Masonite (hardboard) on my workbench top. That way when it gets too buggered to use, I just remove the screwed-down top layer and replace only that.


My $0.02 worth


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I built my workbench using construction lumber 2x6s. It is very heavy, but also very soft, and dings easily. I covered mine with hardboard (masonite). that helps alot.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I use leftover laminate flooring, it just lays on top of the bench.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I normally use 3/4" birch plywood for a bench top with the exception of a carving bench where I hammer on it often which has a 2" thick ash top. It needs to be more solid.


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## justdraftn (Feb 20, 2019)

I built a new bench top w/const grade 2x4. Jointed w/3/8" dowels.
It is really heavy and stands up to most any kind of pounding.
Put a piece of T track in the middle and made some hold downs.
Works very well.
If the top get too gnarled I'll just put a piece of Masonite on it.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

GuitarPhotographer said:


> I put 3/16" tempered Masonite (hardboard) on my workbench top. That way when it gets too buggered to use, I just remove the screwed-down top layer and replace only that.
> 
> 
> My $0.02 worth



I do the same.



George


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

I have always used 3/4" plywood on my workbench, with no finish, no nothing. I dont ever use a finishing product on it and I certainly don't want any oil on it. In addition to the normal power tools for woodworking, there are thse times that I need to use my workbench for whatever. when I need to hold things in place I dont think twice about using a brad nailer to nail stuff down. "

I also always had assembly tables and they were always covered with laminate. With laminate, I could make a quick sketch or notes with a marker or a dry erase marker. Glue, epoxy, stain, and just about everything else will quickly come off of plastic laminate with the help of a little lacquer thinner on a rag.


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## Larry42 (Jan 10, 2014)

The ideas of using a replaceable material seem valid. Particle board, MDF are cheap and readily available. I personally wouldn't use plywood, voids, splinters. A lot depends on how you use your bench. I have a German made cabinet makers bench that has a lot of advantages for work holding. The top is laminated beech. I got it used and it was pretty beat up. I did some repairs and it works well. It has the traditional waist and end vices plus bench dogs.


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## Brian T (Nov 3, 2018)

I drew a grid of black felt marker lines on the lid of my white deep freezer. That's my assembly bench.
My 96" "work" bench is just construction 2x6, unfinished. Lots of dings and cuts and bolt holes.
I made a ladder frame of 2x4 and screwed the 2x6 to that. Expedient? Exactly.


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## pots43 (Dec 2, 2013)

I have a very heavy steel roll around that I glued some southern pine 2x4 together to fit on top.
Tom


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## bhud35 (Mar 9, 2019)

Mine is 1/4" particle board on top of 3/4" plywood. Works great and has handled all the abuse I've thrown at it. 

Brian

For Step-by-Step Designs, I use Ted's Woodworking: http://bhud35.tedsplans.hop.**************?tid=tracking


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## 35015 (Nov 24, 2012)

brucet999 said:


> I need to replace the splintery top of my workbench; 81" x 30". What is the best material to use?
> 
> Is there any reason not to use plywood with formica laminate?
> 
> Thanks


Hi Bruce,

I do not see why you couldn't use a plywood material. I don't (for the most part) think there is a "wrong material" for a bench top. Choose what works for what you want it to do. Formica is really smooth, but it can work well for some types of work, yet may not hold up as well to scratching and digging as other materials, so may only be applicable to certain types of liter (less abusive?) projects...

I like traditional bench types the most...and as such...I just "resruface" tops when they actually need it. 

Does your bench have enough thickness to yield a new top surface if you take away 3mm to 6mm from it?


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## brucet999 (Feb 23, 2019)

Jay C. White Cloud said:


> Hi Bruce,
> 
> Does your bench have enough thickness to yield a new top surface if you take away 3mm to 6mm from it?


I'd say so. It is made in about 1940, of 2x10 doug fir nailed with 10d commons. Might be a little difficult to plane smooth with those big nail heads, but certainly substantial enough to support something like hardboard or MDF to make a smooth, non-splintery surface.


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## 35015 (Nov 24, 2012)

brucet999 said:


> I'd say so. It is made in about 1940, of 2x10 doug fir nailed with 10d commons. Might be a little difficult to plane smooth with those big nail heads, but certainly substantial enough to support something like hardboard or MDF to make a smooth, non-splintery surface.


Go for it Bruce...that sounds like a bench with "great bones" and will last several generations if a new top is added when necessary. You will know soon enough if you choice was a wise one (for you) and there is not reason the additions of a new top can't be reversible in the future, should you chose to do so.

Pictures of the "before and after" would be fun to see...:grin:


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## jld123 (May 12, 2013)

*bench top*

I got an industrial door from a hospital. 1 3/4 thick, very heavy duty formica surface that so far no chemical hurts it. easy to clean,had it for 30 years.


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## Onefreetexan (May 3, 2018)

Probably not much help,,, However my work bench is 2 1/2’ thick of what kind of wood, I don’t know....maybe walnut, maybe beech,,, It is a workbench removed from a WWII factory.....so over 60 yrs olde, I give it a rough sand every few years, holds up great for me.


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## _Ogre (Feb 1, 2013)

Chris Curl said:


> I built my workbench using construction lumber 2x6s. It is very heavy, but also very soft, and dings easily. I covered mine with hardboard (masonite). that helps alot.


i did this too*, my workbench is 2x6 t&g, though i don't cover mine with hardboard. 
i screw, nail and drill into my all the time without thinking about it. 
need a stop? screw one down

*actually my father made this workbench 40 yrs ago, same top in use


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## Cornstalk Wood (Apr 3, 2016)

brucet999 said:


> I need to replace the splintery top of my workbench; 81" x 30". What is the best material to use?
> 
> Is there any reason not to use plywood with formica laminate?
> 
> Thanks


I’ll take the other perspective. In my small basement shop I re-used a large island countertop (laminate) as an outfeed table and workbench. I find that it is adequately slippery enough as an outfeed, while being durable enough for a work surface. When glue or other “stuff” gets on it, it’s easy to scrape, it stands up to most solvents to clean paints, and other coatings off. I like it!


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## ChuckBarnett (Jan 5, 2013)

*ChuckBarnett*



jld123 said:


> I got an industrial door from a hospital. 1 3/4 thick, very heavy duty formica surface that so far no chemical hurts it. easy to clean,had it for 30 years.


Available to me are two massively heavy commercial doors (of wood fiber... osb? not sure what you call it) that I had thought to make into a top. Doubled up that would make 3" plus thickness. There is a laminated surface that should hold up for awhile. I'd add dog holes and vises (or is vise the plural for vouse?? --think mice/mouse, lice/louse... buuut, I've spider-webbed here  )

Any downside to this idea? It isn't a solid hardwood or even softwood top, but it would cost me nothing.

Chuck


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## redeared (Feb 7, 2019)

Mine is a 2" thick maple butcher block counter top 6' lg that I got for nothing many years ago, well actually two, one is in the kitchen still. 

I sand it every couple years and then poly it. When we upgrade the kitchen this year the second counter top will be a another workbench in the basement for me.


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## CharleyL (Jan 13, 2019)

I've used tempered MDF hardboard on several bench tops, either screwed down in the corners with countersunk screws or attached with double sided tape, (not sure yet which way I like best) but the hardboard makes a nice surface to work on, and when installed so it can be replaced some day, it makes a nice wood working bench top that can be replaced whenever you decide that it needs to. 

If you do neander type woodworking on your bench you will want a very solid bench under the hardboard though. I once used a salvaged commercial door as a solid bench top and covered it with the tempered MDF. The legs and framing under the door was made of 2 by _ framing lumber. It was a very nice solid door about 2 1/4" thick, smooth faced, with what I believe was rosewood veneer on both sides of it, and I think it weighed almost 300 lbs. If my memory is correct, I only paid $40 for it. I left it behind when I moved here because of it's size and weight, thinking that I would just build another, but it has just never happened. I use mostly power tools now and my pounding neander type woodworking days are far behind me.

I had built one work bench some years ago with a hp laminate top (old re-purposed coin op shuffle bowler top) and for woodworking I didn't care for it because it was a bit too slippery to suit me. It ended up being used mostly for electronics repair work, but it cleaned up easily if I got grease on it while doing something mechanical, so I used it for that type of work too.

Charley


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## jld123 (May 12, 2013)

i would not double them up. if that door is like mine it just needs a good frame under it. i have 4x4's at each corner connected with 2x6 all the way around and 2 going across for center support. make room from edge for mounting wood vises. i never had a wooden top and this door has worked so nice all these years i would't want wood. hope this helps, joe


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