Workbench Top Material?

[hcoles]

Tapping the brain trust.

Any ideas on what material should be used for a garage workbench top?
Bench used for misc. small projects. I want to mount my vice on one corner. Size about 3'x6'.
Ideas out there:
- Formica covered counter top
- butcher block
- 2" x 6"s stacked together
- get Ikea reject counter top
- solid core door

-Thanks

[KFC911]

I probably did it "wrong", but I just used (3) 2x8s butted together..... rock solid it is!

[masraum]

Most wood working types that want to build a more traditional top will glue a bunch of wood together with the cheapest option being southern yellow pine, and more traditional and expensive options being maple and other hardwoods.

I've seen plywood used. I'd recommend using multiple layers for heft/rigidity. I've also seen folks build a bench and then use MDF as the top. I think the pros are that it's very dimensionally stable and flat, and I think it's usually screwed down as a top layer over something else so that when it gets beat up, it can be easily replaced.

Butcherblock (edge grain) is great (essentially the traditional)

Jack O has a couple made from solid core doors.

[herr_oberst]

3/4 ply, MDF or waferboard and a 3/16 or 1/4 " piece of HARD masonite as a sacrificial top.

[70SATMan]

I’d say it’s highly dependent on the support structure for the rest of the bench. I prefer the butcher block style. Hate the Formica style myself.

[masraum]

There are a bunch of posts on workbench stuff here.
Woodworking and carpentry thread

Paul Sellers is the man. He's got videos about making more traditional and less traditional.
Plywood


more traditional

[devodave]

You want some heft to that bench if you are mounting a vise on it. Second the yellow pine (if you can get southern yellow pine. I cant readily in western New York - got mine in VA where my mom lives). Use 2x4s or 2x6s , but glue them face to face versus edge to edge (unless you use three layers with offset seams, then 2x12s). That will give you the mass you need. 2x6s usually tend to have better grain than 2x4s, you can glue 2-3 layers for the four legs. Add some 2x 8 to 2x 12 stringers to the for sides and you should be set! Popular Woodworking and Fine Woodworking magazines have plenty of designs, from simple to elaborate and you can find them online.

[hcoles]

Thanks for the ideas to this point. Now watching the videos.

[scotricker]

Here's mine. I searched and thought about it way too much. Finally done with 2x6s , and a big ole beam for vise mount. It's been working fine for a year or so, now

[Dantilla]

Bear Mountian Builds has videos and free plans for several projects

https://youtu.be/3SQlaoUbQDo

[Captain Ahab Jr]

You need Ferrari F1 workshop spec.

Solid beech worktop protected by a 5mm clear flexible PVC sheet

PVC protects the wood, if fixed only at the back of the work top, the PVC can be peeled back so drawings can be kept in place protected from pasta/Lambrusco spillages, greasy finger prints or being ripped

Kept this idea for myself but you can have it for free, just don't tell anyone

[Evans, Marv]

When I decided to make mine, I was looking around a H.D. At the time they had sheets of 1 1/8 inch flooring plywood in 4x8. You can imagine how heavy that was. I bought a sheet & cut it up for the work bench. Nothing can beat it. I haven't seen it at H.D. or anywhere else since. If I was building a work bench, I'd use two layers of 3/4 inch plywood probably glued together.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

You need Ferrari F1 workshop spec.

Solid beech worktop protected by a 5mm clear flexible PVC sheet

PVC protects the wood, if fixed only at the back of the work top, the PVC can be peeled back so drawings can be kept in place protected from pasta/Lambrusco spillages, greasy finger prints or being ripped

Kept this idea for myself but you can have it for free, just don't tell anyone

That's pretty cool. I could maybe see that at one end. You may not want to pound on something laying on the plexiglass sheet.

[island911]

Polycarbonate then.

[john walker's workshop]

16ga galvanized. If you're a mechanic. 1/8th inch aluminum on my toolbox.

[MBAtarga]

You are a few days late - 2 days ago HD had a workbench top on special for $115! It's back to $230 now though. Then get a sheet of stainless or galvanized and cover half - or all.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-72-in-Solid-Wood-Work-Surface-for-Ready-to-Assemble-6-ft-adjustable-height-workbench-G7200AS-US/206497844?irgwc=1&cm_mmc=afl-ir-10451-483420-&clickid=THd384Q6PxyNW4mwQuUciSWMUkATBNytrUfGXs0

[Scott Douglas]

Some times you guys make me feel like I really missed out on a lot when it comes to making a work bench.

I got mine from a surplus sale at TRW when I worked there oh so many years ago.

Solid masonite top, which can be flipped over if/when it gets ratty enough to warrant it.

Full depth drawers on both sides (3ft deep), power strip and back board with top shelf all included.

I was a new home owner with a totally barren garage that had an old wobbly door for a top work bench which quickly was discarded.

I was really worried about how much it was going to cost me to build one.

My brother offered to pay for one as a house warming gift to me.

He gladly loaned me his El Camino to drag this home.

It cost all of $40 back in 1985.

[varmint]

lumber is expensive. but old office furniture is cheap on craigslist.

my last work bench i cut the top off something like this and put stronger legs on the thing. works fine.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

When I decided to make mine, I was looking around a H.D. At the time they had sheets of 1 1/8 inch flooring plywood in 4x8. You can imagine how heavy that was. I bought a sheet & cut it up for the work bench. Nothing can beat it. I haven't seen it at H.D. or anywhere else since. If I was building a work bench, I'd use two layers of 3/4 inch plywood probably glued together.

Last time I made a workbench top, I used two layers of 1-1/8” plywood.

[MBAtarga]

Here's my woodworking bench I made about 20 years ago. It took 3rd place in the woodworking show competition that year.