Work Bench Top Choice

[JohnnyTK]

My wife bought me a pine work bench kit but the top is pine boards and I want to top it with a flat surface. Should I go with 1/2" MDF or good one side plywood that is the question?

 

[Brent H]

Well....The MDF will be flat - denser so can take a few blows......you will need to coat it with something to avoid spill swelling - like if you set a coffee on it or have a water issue. I thinned out paste floor wax and rubbed that into my table surface - works well.

For a more durable surface I have MDF with a sheet of laminate contact cemented down - like a kitchen counter - takes abuse, easy wipe up, and staining is part of the character.

The G1S ply wood will not have the water/liquid issue - probably need to screw it down to keep from bowing a bit, may not be flat flat but decent. Hard wood will take a better blow without dent, SPF (Spruce Pine Fir) not so much

Other options is a say, 1/8" sheet steel or thicker if your strong.....

 

[DPittman]

3/16" steel over 2x6 base is what I did many years ago and while some thought it was a bit excessive, I have never regretted I did it and I am very glad I did.

 

[Chicken lights]

I use cheap 3/4” plywood, nothing fancy. Heck my first one was an old road sign, scrounged at a wrecking yard. Always kind of wished for a stainless skin for it, as you guys say around here project #532.

 

[JohnnyTK]

As a car is sometimes stored in this shop to be in the winter, would you coat whole assembly with a sealer of some sort? Also going to have to plane the top of this (facing down) to get it level before putting on some MDF.

 

[historicalarms]

If you do use GIS plywood, for goodness sake trim the "cut edges" with a non-splinter/sliver angle of some kind (plastic, alum etc). I didn't with a table I made one time and giving it a swift wipe with one hand to brush off some dust, I snagged a long 3" splinter from the edge into my hand . required a surgeon to remove it & a hand full of stiches to fix that up.

 

[PeterT]

Its really hard to beat plywood or MDF or particle board for tops on a $/area basis. Its basically glue + wood chips which makes it dimensionaly stable. The downside is a major liquid spill so it needs to be sealed. You can buy it prelaminated although the coating varies in thickness & toughness. If you apply paint or something, then it has to be decent paint otherwise any thinner will goo the paint. I've had arborite laminated tops for years for model building & they look almost the same as new. You can wipe them with anything strong including acetone. Depending on the width you are after you can get full length countertops at reno discount paces dirt cheap. The downside is it doesn't like shock like hammering. I've even seen guys laminate sheet metal to MDF. Not for welding but when a metallic surface is otherwise desired.

The problem with raw wood is its never level across the top between the boards. It will always warp & distort, soak in any fluids... Its fine for storage shelves or just plopping things on. Its not great for bolting things down like vises because chances are you are deflecting the end one board or bolt wants to land in between boards. The best way to use it IMO is laminating it together butcher block style. I've seen that done with discount 2x4s. Now you have something thick & solid & much more inert. But that requires some woodworking cutting & planing to get it all trimmed & level. I was thinking about that for a while, just rent a power planer for 1/2 day. Or old school jack plane if you need a workout LOL

 

[Dabbler]

Bert and I built matching workbenches 40 years ago. It probably isn't for everybody, but we put 3/4" maple flooring over 3/4" plywood. Varathane coating. Both have seen hard use over 40 years and they still work fine, and look pretty good. No swelling or warping.

 

[whirlwynds]

how big is your top? You could use brown maple butcher block. 2" thick. beautiful and long lasting.

 

[JohnnyTK]

how big is your top? You could use brown maple butcher block. 2" thick. beautiful and long lasting.

4'x6'