What wood is best for a workshop bench?

[liam]

Hi i was after a few ideas of what people thought the best wood for a workbench would be, i have just built a new shed and have moved my old workbench in but it really needs a new top, i have taken the old top off, and it

has a really sturdy metal frame which i have painted so a nice new timber top would be ideal. I have got an chainsaw mill so could mill most things, i have a lot a larch which i planked last year, would that be good or would it splinter too much? i have also got some blue cedar a bit of elm and lots of ash. it's not going to have anything really heavy on it just saws, mowers etc.

cheers liam

[Woodworks]

Beech is the classic workbench top and it's close grain makes it hard wearing. The only downside I have found with beech is it's not the most stable timber so I would look for some well dried stuff and quarter sawn if you can get it.

[Stephen Blair]

I used a thick scaffold board cut in half and put them side by side, 12 years on, still going strong

[mendiplogs]

I used a thick scaffold board cut in half and put them side by side, 12 years on, still going strong

 

HI STEPHEN mate thats very good cheap way of doing it all the best PLOGS

[spudulike]

A slab of old kitchen worktop or two slabs of it bolted together is pretty good and solid - if you know someone is ripping out a kitchen, it is pretty cheap as well:thumbup:

[liam]

Hi Stephen, i had thought about scaf planks but thought they might not last, but 12 years sounds good to me, i hadn't thought about kitchen work top, thats a very good idea, i will be on the look out.

thanks liam:thumbup:

[Rich2484]

I look for the skips outside houses when I'm driving around. Have been lucky in the past and got hold of a 3m length of work top one was throwing out. Havnt needed any in a while. But for 65 quid b and q have some.

[muttley9050]

Fit alot of kitchens and cheapest place by far to get worktop is ikea, pragel range

2460mmx 620mmx38mm £35. Pretty good stuff too comes with all ends finished and extra end strip for cuts. also do it in 1860 for £30 . Wish you luck on finding secondhand. My workbench top is chipboard flooring. had a load left over from big renovation but worktop is far more hardwearing. Need some non-slip mats for working on it though. Wouldnt use larch or cedar(says me with chipboard), elm would be great but a waste.

Hope this helps.

James

Edited January 22, 2013 by muttley9050

[Graham]

Poplar. Traditionally used for cart bottoms. It absorbs shocks and doesn't splinter.

[Sustainable Carpentry]

Ditto Poplar.