First bench build + advice--Attaching Bench top?

Hey all

Recently had our kitchen refitted which left us with a nice thick laminated kitchen bench-top. We also have some 2x4 left over from construction of an extension on the house.

It was decided to set out and build a nice work bench.

I have been researching everywhere to make sure its adequately strong and well built.

Think Ill laminate together some of the 2x4s for the legs, then just make the trestles and attach the stretchers. This part I'm (fairly) okay with, the funny thing is everyone skips how they attach the bench top.

I can screw it into the trestles leaving visible screw heads (can countersink and putty I guess). Most people however seem to put on a sub base of ply. Is this just for strength, then dont mention how they put the final top on the sub-base.

Options I can think of If I have a sub-base are attach sub-base to tressels and drill up from below the SB to attach the kitchen top. Of course I could just glue them together? plenty of surface area and they would both be nice and flat.

So How do most people attach the bench top ( if you don't want to drill down into the trestles and have visible screws)?

Any advice on the build?

Cheers

hellofellow,

You need to fix Stretch pieces around the Frame...hope this PDF helps

Further to my post above, If you do not have the ability to do Pocket Hole screws for a rectangular stretcher....use 40mm x 40 mm Timber stretchers.

Screw the 40 x 40 to the inside of the frame at approx 300 mm spacing then screw up through the 40 x 40 into underside of the Laminate Top evenly spaced between the frame fixed screws.

When you screw the benchtop top down, apply sufficient pressure on top or better still clamp the benchtop to the frame if possible so that it stays tight down on the frame as the screws go in.


Hopes this makes sense.

Scott

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skot

hellofellow,

You need to fix Stretch pieces around the Frame...hope this PDF helps

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Well lol that makes my method seem positively archaic. I simply glued and nailed my bench top down. Mind you, my top is only ply. Haha