work bench advice

[tonysands]

Hi, Im just about to build my first work bench and neede some advice.

I was wondering if it would be better to have a MDF top or i have some left over oak engineered floor boards which i could use.

Which do you think would be best.

Im thinking of using pine for the base as money is tight at the moment.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

Tony

 

[Steve Maskery]

If you use oak you will have to make sure you never leave any of your tools on it overnight, they will rust.
S

 

[Benchwayze]

In your position, would use the oak and get it dead-flat. Then cut a sheet of 18mm MDF to place over the top, as a renewable work surface. You will need to raise your vice 18mm above the oak, to get it level with the top.

Another economical alternative is to buy ready-made hardwood tops (As for kitchens and usually in beech.).

http://www.betterkitchens.co.uk/prod6.a ... rod_id=213

Example: WS3/620/40PB 3m x 620mm x 40mm Prime Beech Worktop
£ 159.17
(ex Vat)
(£ 135.46)

There are other suppliers.

If you can get by with a shorter bench, you could cut one of these in half and glue together for thickness.

If you bought two of these, I'd estimate that for around £180.00 you could have a nice 6 foot top that way and you'd have a square metre or so left over.

The finished top might look a bit like a dance-floor, but it makes a sound bench. Softwood is fine for the under-works, as is good quality soft wood for the top if you make it thick enough.

HTH John

 

[PAC1]

MDF is much under rated as a bench top. Yet it is flat, heavy, hard waring and cheap. I had an MDF bench top for at least 10 years it was excellent. If you do make a mess of the surface by way of chisel marks, glue and other accidents you can simply turn it over and use the other surface.

If you oil or varnish the surface glue will not stick to it!

 

[Benchwayze]

Somehow I contrived to 'double-post'. Sorry folks!
John

 

[Boz62]

I went the kitchen worktop route here with a pine base. Happy with both. The pine base gets more bashed about as it's such a soft wood, but then it is only a bench . I'd go with 2 or 3 layers of 18mm MDF as a worktop if I was really on a budget however.

Good luck

Boz

 

[Paul Chapman]

Another vote for MDF

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[RogerS]

If you use oak you will have to make sure you never leave any of your tools on it overnight, they will rust.
S

Green oak, yes. Engineered floorboards - no - they are dry as anything.

 

[chingerspy]

I went with the softwood base and made the top using torsion box construction - 2x4' frame sandwiched between two bits of 18mm plywood. I then have a 3mm hardboard surface ontop of that. Gives me nearly a 4" worktop. Lots of weight once you start filling the shelf up with tools too

There are some construction pics here

 

[tonysands]

Thanks for ther advice guys.

Think i will go for the MDF. Cant really justify a work top at the moment.

Will let you know how i get on.

Tony

 

[hivisvest72]

For what it's worth, I built the workbenches in my garage from pine, then used white conti-board for the top. Heavy enough to take a good few years of use, and easy to wipe clean. Plus the way I built the workbench means as others have suggested, I can simply turn them over or replace them with a new one.

To make that part easier I made my workbench the same depth as one of the standard widths of these boards from B&Q.

It's lasted 4 years already with just a few pencil marks and some dried glue on it - works a treat for me.

 

[chingerspy]

If you want the MDF top to last a bit longer give it a coat of varnish if you can. I will definately do this on the next bit of hardboard I fit. I had this advice given to me, after it got it's first marks though unfortunately. It will make clearing up spills of oil, glue, paint, drinks, etc easier or even possible