Material for workbench

[Torper]

I'm not sure that I'm right posting this here, but there doesn't seem to be a thread for Tools and Materials.

 

Anyway, my workbench top is now very tatty and too small.  I made it a long time ago  and it comprises a couple of offcut bits of formica glued to a timber base.  The formica is hard and can in itself provide a cutting surface.  Unfortunately over the years I've used it too much for that and it is now seriously pitted and scarred; moreover, the work surface is really too small now and needs to be replaced, albeit on the same base  I'd really like to use formica again for the top, but can't find any suitable local suppliers.  I've thought of kitchen worktop, but it seems too thick and not hard enough, but maybe I'm looking at the wrong stuff - ideally I'd like the worksurface to be as tough as formica.  The workbench is mobile, having been built on an old trolley, and has to fit into a rather confined space when not in use.

 

Any ideas or suggestions eould be very welcome.

 

DT

[hayfield]

Kitchen laminated worktops are both strong and durable, look out for off cuts from kitchen companies or old tops being removed

[Jeff Smith]

From pictures it seems a lot of people, myself included, work on green cutting mats.  These are a few mm thick, are very durable and come in a variety of sizes.  Mine I think came from a sewing/embroidery shop.  They usually have mm or inch grids which can be useful.

[teaky]

I have recently made a simple workbench.

 

Four Ikea adjustable desk legs which screw into a frame bought from eBay.  A 1220 x 610 x 18mm MDF top cut down to the size of an A1 cutting mat.  Some leftover pieces of 9mm MDF for framing.  Some old electrical sockets fixed underneath.

 

Answering your OP more closely though I think I'd go for an off cut of kitchen worktop (possibly scrounged from someone nearby having a new kitchen fitted) with some folding or screw-in legs.

 

[brossard]

For building card kits I use a green (or purple) cutting mat.  When building plastic or brass kits, I use a piece of scrap ply which can be tossed when it gets too decrepit.

 

John

[doilum]

A " disposable" sheet of 6mm MDF. Glue a strip of straight hardwood on the rear edge to keep things square. Add a green mat and a flat metal square. Job done. When soldering and paint spills bring you back to square one: repeat.

[ikcdab]

Kitchen worktops are good, bit heavy and thick. I'd use melamine faced shelving board. Much lighter and thinner but still hard-wearing.

Also a vote for the cutting mats. Wouldn't be without mine.

Ian

[polybear]

My workbench is based on one of these, although the drawer unit is a separate item on castors that can be wheeled out from under the desk:

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/malm-desk-oak-veneer-80214158/

I've covered the top in a piece of sacrificial mdf, cut slightly larger than the desk and with 10mm sq. wood strip glued on the underside on all edges, meaning the mdf is held firm on the desk top without sliding about.  No screws are needed to secure the mdf to the desk top.

 

On the subject of kitchen worktops, they are available in lots of materials and thicknesses, though the DIY sheds seem only to concentrate on the normal (30mm?) stuff.