What material would you use for a workbench top?

[CSR Performance]

In the process of converting some very heavy duty Costco racking into a workbench, so all the frame etc is already there, just need the actual bench top.

This is just for assembling parts and working on RC cars, light duty stuff. Cutting/grinding/welding etc done elsewhere so I would like this to look nice.

Ply is the obvious choice, but wondering if I have missed any other options? Phenolic faced plywood is lovely but fairly strong money, even for a 6' x 2' piece!

[RedWhiteMonkey]

MDF?

Relatively cheap, quick to replace and perfectly flat.

[CSR Performance]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

MDF?

Relatively cheap, quick to replace and perfectly flat.

It retains moisture more than I would like though.

[Whitefly Swatter]

one inch steel plate?1

[anonymous-user]

Id also have suggested thick MDF, could always prime and paint it...

Or what about Ply? And frame around it or sink it into the frame of the bench?

[RedWhiteMonkey]

CSR Performance said:

It retains moisture more than I would like though.

Erm, moisture resistant MDF is not much more than normal MDF. A quick coat of liquid wax or similar wouldn't do any harm either.

[mgtony]

If it's assembly type duties, use a piece of matt finish laminate or solid wood kitchen worktop. Should be able to find a cheap clean used or an off-cut/leftover piece.

[Liamjrhodes]

I've always gone with ply for basic usage benchtops, its pretty hard wearing and easy to replace if needed

[CSR Performance]

Ste-EVo said:

Id also have suggested thick MDF, could always prime and paint it...

Or what about Ply? And frame around it or sink it into the frame of the bench?

Liamjrhodes said:

I've always gone with ply for basic usage benchtops, its pretty hard wearing and easy to replace if needed

Ply is my go-to and what I was leaning towards, just looking for other suggestions I had not considered.

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Erm, moisture resistant MDF is not much more than normal MDF. A quick coat of liquid wax or similar wouldn't do any harm either.

I have no experience of moisture resistant MDF, does it do ok in cold and potentially damp conditions? This winter has been particularly grim for humidity, my garage is not heated or dehumdified, so I want to make sure whatever I use lasts reasonably well.

[RGG]

Whatever top surface is used, have a sacrificial layer on top - possibly 25mm MDF.

[Furbo]

CSR Performance said:

In the process of converting some very heavy duty Costco racking into a workbench, so all the frame etc is already there, just need the actual bench top.

This is just for assembling parts and working on RC cars, light duty stuff. Cutting/grinding/welding etc done elsewhere so I would like this to look nice.

Ply is the obvious choice, but wondering if I have missed any other options? Phenolic faced plywood is lovely but fairly strong money, even for a 6' x 2' piece!

The last time I did one I used chip board. Well supported and with angle bar along the edge. I have previously done similar with a luxury ply top, either thick or thin over chip board.

[MDT]

2' deep. I would strongly suggest that a chunk of kitchen worktop would work well for this and your "light-ish" use.

[Shnozz]

I used an old kitchen worktop.

Mate had an off cut but I’d imagine v easy to source via Facebook.

[LooneyTunes]

MDT said:

2' deep. I would strongly suggest that a chunk of kitchen worktop would work well for this and your "light-ish" use.

Not expensive from the likes of B&Q for basic stuff.

Or OSB? Better moisture resistance than MDF.

[DD3566]

Built a workbench out of scraps over the weekend, had the same concerns about MDF soaking liquid so I used some leftover waterproof laminate flooring for the top surface, over the top of 18mm MDF. Makes for a really nice, smooth finish!

[JoshSm]

Any sort of solvent based varnish will seal & harden MDF, can take a coat or two before it stops soaking in especially if you thin it down a little. Can't remember which one I last used, might have been Ronseal Diamond floor varnish, doesn't really matter as long as it's not a water base.

Then a quick sand and it'll polish up.

[sjg]

CSR Performance said:

I have no experience of moisture resistant MDF, does it do ok in cold and potentially damp conditions? This winter has been particularly grim for humidity, my garage is not heated or dehumdified, so I want to make sure whatever I use lasts reasonably well.

I used an offcut of MRMDF to "temporarily" hold together a fence when there was high winds. It's been on there a couple of years, it's barely starting to come apart on the edges after that.

My garage workbench is regular MDF (also been fine, for 10+ years, in an unheated garage) with 3mm hardboard over the top. I used some strip wood around it plus a couple of nails to hold it in place. If it gets too damaged then a new sheet, enough for two tops, is about £8. About double that if you want nice wipe-clean white faced hardboard.

[Crafty_]

scaffold boards?

[Promised Land]

18mm ply in my workshop with 2-3 coats of cheap indoor varnish, occasionally they get a wax on top, it doesn’t matter too much what you use as long as it’s well supported to keep the top true and flat, one of these previously had a sheet of chipboard flooring on, the other a sheet of mdf as they were just left overs from a job, mdf was soaked in alsorts including oil and petrol when I stripped my generator on it.

It stayed fine after, but then I had a sheet of 18mm ply left over from a job so used that. 2 years on with weekly use they still look like this.

[CambsBill]

Do Ikea still do the wood-batten table tops? We've had one for years & it's given us good service with no more than an occasional oiling. Wouldn't even need to buy the legs . . .