# Douglas Fir for a workbench top



## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

Hi All,
I've come across a couple 9"x9" resawn douglas fir beams on CL and thought they might make a nice workbench, probably a roubo design. I think there is close to 200 BF of wood so there should be enough for the top and legs. How would douglas fir hold up for a top? Would there be any problems flattening the DF? I've only ever seen 2x4 DF and am not sure what else DF could used for.

The wood appears to be stored outside, uncovered. Would i have to think about drying the wood?

Thanks


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

It was a popular timber in the 80ies for structural purposes in Australia. Rafters and beams etc. I have seen it used in traditional style work benches with a tool well. I had one and it was quite fine. If it is green / wet it can bleed a lot of sap and is very sticky. 

I would recommend you let it dry out a bit before you make a bench if you have an option. Otherwise my bexh was very good, wish I still had it.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

Can the wood covered with a tarp and dried outside?


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

See what others have to say but I would say so long as the tarp is not touching the timber it should be fine. It wants to be protected from the elements but allowed to have air circulate around the pieces. Not sure mow many pieces you have but it should have fillet sticks between the layers and if you paint the end grain to control moisture release.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

There are two beams 9"x9"x14.5'. Would there be any problems cutting the beams to rough dimensions and then drying? 

Thanks for all the info.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

That should help it dry faster, don't trim the length if you can help it, otherwise try to leave at least 6 " at each end.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## nblasa (Nov 29, 2011)

I've seen lots of recommendations for douglas fir as a workbench top


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

DF is a resinous wood. It does not absorb water readily. Used in boat building a lot. A week in the shop should dry the beams. What will be the primary use of your bench? Doug Fir is a fairly soft wood so it will dent and distort with heavy objects and pounding.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

nbo10 said:


> Hi All,
> I've come across a couple 9"x9" resawn douglas fir beams on CL and thought they might make a nice workbench, probably a roubo design. I think there is close to 200 BF of wood so there should be enough for the top and legs. How would douglas fir hold up for a top? Would there be any problems flattening the DF? I've only ever seen 2x4 DF and am not sure what else DF could used for.
> 
> The wood appears to be stored outside, uncovered. Would i have to think about drying the wood?
> ...


Being from the Northwest where doug fir grows I come across the wood often. Glu-Lam beams are made from d-f generally. It works fine for a top and is soft and forgiving but should be laminated from thinner pieces. 

I would caution you when trying to use timbers of d-f. It can get large and long splits and checks. I've seen d-f timbers simply fall into two pieces once cut to length. If it was me I would cut the timbers into approx. 2 x 4 size and then glue them all back together face to face to create a top that is 3 -4" thick with the 1-1/2" laminations showing on top. That would be by far more stable and stronger than using solid timbers..

The little bench in the photos has a fir top from glu-lams. But I don't use it much because it's too lightweight. If you build one make it much heavier.

Bret


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Both previous comments are good to consider. My old work bench was a large plank down each side and a chipboard well in the centre. Not sure if the chip board was original or a retro fit. 

The advantage of a softer top is that it will dent before your projects do. As an extreme imagine a stone or steel work bench. If you drop your work, no damage to the bench but a dented project. I would rather a dent in my work bench.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Glu-Lam is the way to go with Dougfir. Adds substantially to the dimensional stability. Dave is right = better a ding in the bench than a ding in the project.

Further, it isn't particularly resinous, as a conifer, when compared with Spruce, Pine or Fir. All the same, I don't like it for anything. My summer house was built 100% Df back in 1912 and now as hard as aluminum to work in. I don't like the splintering when cut or drilled and I don't like the extra work to shave off the fuzzies after any kind of finish. Don't even like it for wood carving, even knowing that it won't hold any detail.
Personally, I would not use Dougfir for anything.
If those beams had been birch, I might have already bought them for myself.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I don't know what kind of wood it is that they sell at home depot, but my new bench is 100% from that, all 2x3 or 2x4s. People use dimensional lumber for workbenches all the time. IMO, softer wood like pine is actually better for a workbench because it is softer so it grabs the pieces you put on it better and they don't slide as easily, which is good for me because I do most of my work by hand (planing and stuff) so it is easier to secure my workpiece to the bench.

the 2x4s have a definate red tint to them, like those in lola's pics, so they might be DF.


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## nblasa (Nov 29, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> I don't know what kind of wood it is that they sell at home depot, but my new bench is 100% from that, all 2x3 or 2x4s. People use dimensional lumber for workbenches all the time. IMO, softer wood like pine is actually better for a workbench because it is softer so it grabs the pieces you put on it better and they don't slide as easily, which is good for me because I do most of my work by hand (planing and stuff) so it is easier to secure my workpiece to the bench.
> 
> the 2x4s have a definate red tint to them, like those in lola's pics, so they might be DF.


The response I got when checking in to higher grade soft woods at Home Depot was, "well, some of it could be fir, some could be pine, some could be..." Hard to tell what your getting and its hard to find a sales person who is especially knowledgeable in those stores unless you're just really lucky. I've got no problem with Home Depot, just relaying what I was told while looking into this myself


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

Thanks for all the responses. For the price, DF from HD or lowes would be cheaper.


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

Lola Ranch said:


> Being from the Northwest where doug fir grows I come across the wood often. Glu-Lam beams are made from d-f generally. It works fine for a top and is soft and forgiving but should be laminated from thinner pieces.
> 
> I would caution you when trying to use timbers of d-f. It can get large and long splits and checks. I've seen d-f timbers simply fall into two pieces once cut to length. If it was me I would cut the timbers into approx. 2 x 4 size and then glue them all back together face to face to create a top that is 3 -4" thick with the 1-1/2" laminations showing on top. That would be by far more stable and stronger than using solid timbers..
> 
> ...


This looks nice. How did you square up the top edges? Did you use a hand plane?


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

Robson Valley said:


> I don't like the splintering when cut or drilled and I don't like the extra work to shave off the fuzzies after any kind of finish. Don't even like it for wood carving, even knowing that it won't hold any detail.
> Personally, I would not use Dougfir for anything.
> If those beams had been birch, I might have already bought them for myself.


Really? I love old growth DF. I once had a home with all natural CVG DF cabinets, doors and trim. It was beautiful. Fir gets a wonderful red-wine patina with age. I built many a door and quite a few cabinets with the stuff. Once you get used to the working characteristics it's a pleasure to use, just watch out for splinters! 

Bret


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

My guess is that top you are aski g a bout is a glu lam, a laminated beam made up of all those pieces glued together. It would be a manufactured beam and already be nice and flat.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

nbo10 said:


> This looks nice. How did you square up the top edges? Did you use a hand plane?


The bench top is 24" wide and 2-7/8" thick. I put two halves through the 15" planer and then glued the two pieces together and touched it up with a hand plane. My table saw will cut 3" so ripping was easy. Used a TS sled to trim ends by cutting from both sides.

Bret


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## Phaedrus (Jan 18, 2012)

Lola Ranch said:


> The bench top is 24" wide and 2-7/8" thick. I put two halves through the 15" planer and then glued the two pieces together and touched it up with a hand plane. My table saw will cut 3" so ripping was easy. Used a TS sled to trim ends by cutting from both sides.
> 
> Bret


On an unrelated note, congratulations on your 1000th post.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Okay, don't mind me....just reading along with nothing else to contribute.:huh::boat:


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

Phaedrus said:


> On an unrelated note, congratulations on your 1000th post.:thumbsup::thumbsup:
> 
> Okay, don't mind me....just reading along with nothing else to contribute.:huh::boat:


Oh wow. I hadn't noticed until you pointed it out. 

I don't know what the significance of that is. Maybe it's an indication that I need to get a life! Ha. It's obvious that WW is a big part of my life.

Thanks, Bret


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

sorry to veer the topic a tad, but this seems like a good place to ask, and it is related ...

for me a workbench is for working, so i am not planning on makeing and keeping it beautiful or anything, but i do want to protect it if a finish would do that.

any if i am going to finish it for protection, it wouldn't hurt to make it look nice as a side benefit ... 

so, should a softwood bench be finished, and if so, with what?


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

How much do glu-lams run?

Bret, I like the house picture you posted. It's the kind of style we're going to be looking for when we buy.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

For a bench, a glue-lam is kind of a DIY thing.
Start gluing pairs of 2x4 together, then drill the cross rod bolt holes.
Glue up pairs of pairs, use Redi rod to keep the thing in register.
At the end, pull the rods and cap the slab with two really interesting-looking 2x4.

I have an SPF bench, the top is 2x6 x 8'. No finish. I thought about some sort of finish but in that day and time, I was so desperate to get off the floor and get a whole bunch of things built. Silicone in the cracks to stop the rain of chips and sawdust on the lower shelf. 
Lots of bolt holes drilled in it. It does show some use. In my next lifetime, I'll float the router over it and take off 1/8".
Bash-worthy in the satisfaction I get from the wood carvings, etc., which get done on that bench.
My 5' x 5' island bench doesn't look so bad = 10" chop saw, 8" drill press, 8" band saw an a router table on the fourth edge.

I have some of those spring-loaded, swing-arm cheap desk lamps. The clamp-on plastic base broke on every one of them. So, I drill 1/2" holes in the benches and move the lights around to suit my needs.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

nbo10 said:


> How much do glu-lams run?
> 
> Bret, I like the house picture you posted. It's the kind of style we're going to be looking for when we buy.


I just pick up scraps or shorts for next to nothing.

Which house? Which post? My own house?


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

Lola Ranch said:


> I just pick up scraps or shorts for next to nothing.
> 
> Which house? Which post? My own house?


I don't know who's house it is. The were in the "My Pictures" link under your name.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

nbo10 said:


> I don't know who's house it is. The were in the "My Pictures" link under your name.


Well, I'm glad you like it, thanks. But I'm still not sure which of the six or so house photos it is you like. 


Bret


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I think glu-lam is a term that refers to laminating pieces together using glue. I don't think it refers to something you can buy at a store.


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## Shutterbugguy (Jan 4, 2022)

nblasa said:


> The response I got when checking in to higher grade soft woods at Home Depot was, "well, some of it could be fir, some could be pine, some could be..." Hard to tell what your getting and its hard to find a sales person who is especially knowledgeable in those stores unless you're just really lucky. I've got no problem with Home Depot, just relaying what I was told while looking into this myself


Yes, there is often a stamp on construction lumber SPF, which represents a mixture of sprice-pine-fir at the sawmill. It is identified for moderate strength and workability. I am making a workbench of 2x6 SPF lumber.


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