Wood workbench Top finish Help pls

[Woody1]

I am building a workbench and I have made the top from 3 laminated 19mm ply with the top being marine A grade plywood (pine). I would like to have a clear finish on it which is hard and will resist scratches.
Can anyone assist me here Please

[Wongo]

1 to 2 coats of polyU

[Woody1]

Thanks Wongo. Is that Polyurathene the 2 Pack stuff

[Wongo]

Thanks Wongo. Is that Polyurathene the 2 Pack stuff


Not necessarily. I’d use the Wattyl Satin PolyU. It is cheap, easy to apply and relatively strong. I’d thin the first coat by 20%, sand lightly and apply the second coat.


But remember it doesn't matter what you do. The surface will get scratched eventually. :)

[Woody1]

Many Thanks

[Milty]

Wongo
Your advice is sound and on the button

[Milty]

Howzit Woody
Where in the world are you?

[Dusty]

Woody, here's my suggestion, ring up one or two floorsanders in your area and ask them if you can have a small jar or two of two pack.
I'm sure they will be more than happy to help you out. And what you'll find is that when the floor guys mix up their brew to coat a floor they always mix up more than they need and this extra normally gets thrown out, so if your organised, you might be lucky enough to have someone drop off the left overs on their way home or something like that.

My own bench is coated with two coats of Wattyl Estapol 7008, with a final coat of Wattyl moisture cure floor finish in Satin. Looks great.

[Bodgy]

Like Dusty, I too coated my brand new, hand built, beautiful (to my eyes anyway) work bench with Estapol two pot floor epoxy.

I used a soft timber for the top (all I had around) and its been tears before bedtime ever since. Despite the 4 coats of Estapol, the slightest brush with a fret saw, the merest feather of a nick with a plane leaves the Grand Canyon stretching across the surface.

It seems to me there's bugger all you can do. If your top ply is pine then you're in the same boat.

I have coped with my distress by imbibing copious amounts of Single Malt, a rationalisation that a hard benchtop would have damaged my tool's edges and coming to grips with the fact that a bench is there to be used - battle scars show its doing its job.

Did look nice tho, sob

Bodgy

[Auld Bassoon]

I am building a workbench and I have made the top from 3 laminated 19mm ply with the top being marine A grade plywood (pine). I would like to have a clear finish on it which is hard and will resist scratches.
Can anyone assist me here Please

I've got two benches, one shop made out of carpiata pine and a nice one from Sjobergs (courtesy of MIK) in Beech.

I've left both 'au naturel', as they will get scuffed.

For smaller scuff marks, I periodically take a scraper to the pine bench. The Sjoberg one I try and treat with a bit more respect.

Putting a finish on a bench seems to me to be an almost self-defeating exercise, given that drops of glue, other finishes, and various other graunches are going, by definition, happen to a workbench.

At worst, with the pine bench, I can take a #7 to it, flatten it out, and apply a new layer of crapiata when required...

Cheers!

[Rusty]

True, Steve, but a coat of wax will help repel glue and stuff. Which will help me heaps when I actually build a bench of my own, instead of a door on sawhorses...

Rusty.

[NewLou]

Gidday Woody1:)

The path i go down is Just to use an easily reniewable finish...............helps protect the benchtop provides a moisture barrier & with a bit a U-Beat wax over the top stops the glue from sticking...............This is a wipe on finish that dries pretty fast and gives good protection.........

Recipee:

Mix:

1 cup oil based polyurethane brushing varnish
1/2 Cup mineral Spirits
2 OZ Boiled Linseed Oil

Dries in about an hour.......Give Benchtop bout 5 coats n a top coat a U-beaut wax..........................n theres ya Apples!!!!

REgards lou;)

[Dr Dee]

Woody et al,
I am with Lou here. I am sure lots of people have really nice benches, but surely they are work-benches to be used and the finish should be to stop glue sticking etc. I have a very ugly looking bench top that gets the very occasional coat of Estapol and more frequent rub over with wax or oil when I am doing a glue up. I hammer nails into it when needed - a great work platform not a piece of furniture.

Reminds me of all the 4wds that parade the streets and never get a scratch in anger. Should see mine, never get a good trade in, but it has been places.

cheers

[zenwood]

My beatiful bench top is a sheet of 19mm chipboard sitting on top of an old door covered in peeling blue paint. I put holes, and screw into it without thinking, and spill stuff on it all the time, and it doesn't upset my equilibrium.

I'm almost at the stage where I'll never get round to making a 'proper' bench top.:)

[Neil]

The best coating for a work bench top, is tempered masonite I have used it on carving benches and others and it is fantastic. Takes all you can throw at it and when (after years of abuse) the time comes that it needs to be replaced, take it off and apply some more. It is just about indestructible, looks great, is extremely practical, relatively inexpensive, easy to applyy and easy to replace.

Cheers - Neil :)

[zenwood]

The best coating for a work bench top, is tempered masonite...
Neil: what do you mean by tempered masonite?

[Lignum]

i agree with Neil that tempered masonite`s a great choice. All my work and bench tops are tempered masonite "except" my main bench, that one is 25 @ 35x60x1.8 laminated jarrah. And its finished with the best oil you can get wich is "Livos" Oil is the go because its a "workbench" that gets scruffed, and once a fortnight i get the cabinet scraper out and give it a good clean and then re oil.:)

[Neil]

Go to timber or hardware shop that supplies timber and ask for tempered masonite. It looks a bit darker than the normal masonite and is tough as all get up. Might also be available from Laminex Industries.

It really is the bees knees for benchtops.

Cheers - Neil :)

[hingston]

I have used danish oil on my bench top.

Every bench will get dings, dents and scratches. Danish oil is not realy hard but easily refinishable - this is the key.

What do you want, a bench top that has character from years of use from a budding artisan or a lovely shiny defect free workbench that doesnt get used.

[Woody1]

Howzit Woody
Where in the world are you?

Milty
Sorry I could not get back earlier. I live in the state of Queensland, Australia halfway up the coast in a place called Gladstone.
Where do you live?

[Woody1]

Woody, here's my suggestion, ring up one or two floorsanders in your area and ask them if you can have a small jar or two of two pack.
I'm sure they will be more than happy to help you out. And what you'll find is that when the floor guys mix up their brew to coat a floor they always mix up more than they need and this extra normally gets thrown out, so if your organised, you might be lucky enough to have someone drop off the left overs on their way home or something like that.

My own bench is coated with two coats of Wattyl Estapol 7008, with a final coat of Wattyl moisture cure floor finish in Satin. Looks great.

Thanks Dusty
I seen this product on a shop shelf the other day and am also leaning towards doing the same as you. I think I should have chose hardwood but funds did not allow at the time.

[Woody1]

Like Dusty, I too coated my brand new, hand built, beautiful (to my eyes anyway) work bench with Estapol two pot floor epoxy.

I used a soft timber for the top (all I had around) and its been tears before bedtime ever since. Despite the 4 coats of Estapol, the slightest brush with a fret saw, the merest feather of a nick with a plane leaves the Grand Canyon stretching across the surface.

It seems to me there's bugger all you can do. If your top ply is pine then you're in the same boat.

I have coped with my distress by imbibing copious amounts of Single Malt, a rationalisation that a hard benchtop would have damaged my tool's edges and coming to grips with the fact that a bench is there to be used - battle scars show its doing its job.

Did look nice tho, sob

Bodgy
Thanks Bodgy
I too have built this nice bench (nearly useable) out of plans from the Australian woodworker and already I have marks on it and I haven'e even started using it yet! I am pretty sure I will be using the Wattle two pack stuff then at least I suppose I can say I gave the bench the hardest surface I could with pine. I will also get a few bottles of red wine to soak away the tears as all the battle scars start appearing.

[Woody1]

I've got two benches, one shop made out of carpiata pine and a nice one from Sjobergs (courtesy of MIK) in Beech.

I've left both 'au naturel', as they will get scuffed.

For smaller scuff marks, I periodically take a scraper to the pine bench. The Sjoberg one I try and treat with a bit more respect.

Putting a finish on a bench seems to me to be an almost self-defeating exercise, given that drops of glue, other finishes, and various other graunches are going, by definition, happen to a workbench.

At worst, with the pine bench, I can take a #7 to it, flatten it out, and apply a new layer of crapiata when required...

Cheers!
Thanks Auld I have had so many great replys from my request for help with my bench top and yours is just another one. I am pretty sure I will be using the Wattll two pack.

[Woody1]

Gidday Woody1:)

The path i go down is Just to use an easily reniewable finish...............helps protect the benchtop provides a moisture barrier & with a bit a U-Beat wax over the top stops the glue from sticking...............This is a wipe on finish that dries pretty fast and gives good protection.........

Recipee:

Mix:

1 cup oil based polyurethane brushing varnish
1/2 Cup mineral Spirits
2 OZ Boiled Linseed Oil

Dries in about an hour.......Give Benchtop bout 5 coats n a top coat a U-beaut wax..........................n theres ya Apples!!!!

REgards lou;)
Many Thanks Lou
I am pretty sure I am going to run with the Wattle two pack stuff but in the future I want to build a smaller work bench with a hardwood top and I will most probably use your recipee as it looks great.

[Woody1]

Woody et al,
I am with Lou here. I am sure lots of people have really nice benches, but surely they are work-benches to be used and the finish should be to stop glue sticking etc. I have a very ugly looking bench top that gets the very occasional coat of Estapol and more frequent rub over with wax or oil when I am doing a glue up. I hammer nails into it when needed - a great work platform not a piece of furniture.

Reminds me of all the 4wds that parade the streets and never get a scratch in anger. Should see mine, never get a good trade in, but it has been places.

cheers
Thanks Dr Dee I am pretty sure I will run with the Wattl two pack stuff but as I was saying to lou I will be building a smaller workbench out of hardwood and I will probably use his great recipee

[Woody1]

My beatiful bench top is a sheet of 19mm chipboard sitting on top of an old door covered in peeling blue paint. I put holes, and screw into it without thinking, and spill stuff on it all the time, and it doesn't upset my equilibrium.

I'm almost at the stage where I'll never get round to making a 'proper' bench top.:)

Thanks Zenwood for your great reply. After twenty years of living in the bush I finally got my own shed and I thought it only fitting I build a nice workbench.but alas I believe I should have made the top from hardwood. My next bench will be a smaller one from hardwood.

[Woody1]

The best coating for a work bench top, is tempered masonite I have used it on carving benches and others and it is fantastic. Takes all you can throw at it and when (after years of abuse) the time comes that it needs to be replaced, take it off and apply some more. It is just about indestructible, looks great, is extremely practical, relatively inexpensive, easy to applyy and easy to replace.

Cheers - Neil :)
Thank Neil
I am pretty sure I will be using the Wattl two pack stuff but I think your idea is a great after my top is badly scratched and beyond repair.