Universal Bench Top

[Patrick Willyard]

What kind of material would you recommend to make a top for the universal bench?

[Ben Vincent]

If you're near an IKEA I would highly recommend their beech chopboard table top (it's called Gerton). The only downside is the size, it's 61 x 29 1/2". So the depth is perfect but you have to get creative with the width.

I've built three tables using this top. With the 64" rails I took them to a metal shop and they cut them down for me. It took a while but the end result is awesome. I then built a 44" and a 20" using the other two tops.

Ben

[Ken Darga]

Ben,

What are the benefits, of this material?

Ben Vincent said:

If you're near an IKEA I would highly recommend their beech chopboard table top (it's called Gerton). The only downside is the size, it's 61 x 29 1/2". So the depth is perfect but you have to get creative with the width.

I've built three tables using this top. With the 64" rails I took them to a metal shop and they cut them down for me. It took a while but the end result is awesome. I then built a 44" and a 20" using the other two tops.

Ben

[Ben Vincent]

For the cost ($79) it's hard to beat the quality of the top, it's really hard and the equivalent options cost +$300 for this size. And they look really good. I'll post a picture when I get home.

[E M Hampton]

Hello - new to the community. Purchased Universal Bench Kit (64 x 28). Intended use - general purpose mobile workstation. Contemplating using 36 inch solid core door with a white faced hardboard as the work surface. A few questions for consideration, if you please:

1) Any special brand of double stick tape to adhere the hardboard or is there a strategic placement/quantity one needs to follow?

2) What are your suggestions to attach the top to the Kreg frame?

3) Anyone see any problems with leaving the 10 inch overhang at each end, or would one suggest removing some of the excess?

4) Any other recommendations/wisdom anyone wishes to share?

Thanks in advance!

EMH 

[Ronda McElroy]

Mine is a 3/4" plywood top with a laminate flooring - tile in a roll - glued onto it.  We used a metal banding that you would see on counter tops to finish the edges off.  If it gets too badly messed up, we can always just glue down another layer of laminate.  It is easy to clean up since it is the same stuff you would use for a floor, and with it being in a roll, there are no cracks for stuff to get stuck in.