Best Material for a Workshop Bench?

[Ryan Mooney]

A work surface for sanding, glueing and assembling.

I guess I'd prioritize whatever is easiest to get flat and level for that use case. Layered plywood or maybe a torsion box would be on my short list.

Consider waxing it (avoid silicone because contamination can cause fish eye's in finish.. but plain old paste wax like Butchers works well) if you're doing a lot of glue up, it does make glue removal sometimes a bit easier.

 

[Bill Satko]

I guess I'd prioritize whatever is easiest to get flat and level for that use case. Layered plywood or maybe a torsion box would be on my short list.

I agree that in your case, plywood would be the easiest way to proceed for a top surface.

 

[Ted Calver]

My general purpose bench is an old solid core door on 6x6 legs left over from a fencing project. The working top and sacrificial/easily replaceable surface is a piece of 1/4” Masonite hardboard held in place by a maple skirt . I put a coat of shellac on it and it’s worked great. Just something to consider.

 

[Jay Kasmerchak]

This topic is so wide open. My last two workbenches have been two slabs of 3/4" BB ply and two slabs of 3/4" MDF all fully laminated. The result has been sag-proof, adequate to hold dogs and resilient as can be.
Circa 2010:
View attachment 138107
Circa 2015. A dacade of daily use and still hard at it.
View attachment 138106
I gave the first bench to a friend of my father's after 10 years of hard use. I realized I needed a smaller footprint. As far as I know it is still in use.

Impre

This topic is so wide open. My last two workbenches have been two slabs of 3/4" BB ply and two slabs of 3/4" MDF all fully laminated. The result has been sag-proof, adequate to hold dogs and resilient as can be.
Circa 2010:
View attachment 138107
Circa 2015. A dacade of daily use and still hard at it.
View attachment 138106
I gave the first bench to a friend of my father's after 10 years of hard use. I realized I needed a smaller footprint. As far as I know it is still in use.

Impressive!

 

[Jay Kasmerchak]

Thanks for all of the input. Whatever I do will be an upgrade. It's a basement "L" shaped space. Nowhere near large enough. I've got the space all torn apart. One pic is the existing bench - an old kitchen counter, The other Pic is the new bench location. I just finished waterproofing the wall.