New bench top--Finish top or not?

[Herbie]

After getting kicked out of the dining room and shooed to our basement, I built a 3' x 6' bench to work on. This new bench will go along with a 52" Husky variable height table.  Being very new to leatherworking, I am wondering if you would suggest finishing the AC plywood top with varnish or stain or something else? Or should I just leave it alone?

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

 

[Mulesaw]

29 minutes ago, Herbie said:

After getting kicked out of the dining room and shooed to our basement, I built a 3' x 6' bench to work on. This new bench will go along with a 52" Husky variable height table.  Being very new to leatherworking, I am wondering if you would suggest finishing the AC plywood top with varnish or stain or something else? Or should I just leave it alone?

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

 

I would give it at least some varnish. It will add some protection if someone spills a cup of coffee or just some water. I don't think it will matter much to the leather work that you do on the table, but it will look nice and be much easier to wipe over with a damp rag to remove any dust etc. 

You could also give it a coat of stain first, to darken the colour a bit. And then varnish it afterwards. But the staining won't have any practical use except for making it look nice, and that is also important. Especially since you have been "shooed" into the basement :-) Might as well make it enjoyable to go down there and work. And if your workplace looks good, I think it is easier to maintain since it just looks nice.

The edges of plywood can often fray and look ragged, so if it was my bench I think I would glue on a strip of wood to all edges of it. It can also be secured with some finishing nails. If you have access to a router with a rounding bit, I would round the upper edges of the table after mounting the strips. That will lessen the chance of scratching the surface of any large piece of leather that you scoot around on the surface.

Good luck, brgds Jonas

[toxo]

A couple of large cutting mats.

[Hags]

I wrapped my table with 1x2s and router's the edges 1/8in. I left a 2 in overhang to clamp stuff (like a straight edge),, then finished w/ stain and varnish. All covered with a 36x60 cutting mat.

[Ddat]

Finish with polyurethane. Easier to get glue and whatnot off. If you don't finish it it will probably warp over time.

[Northmount]

As above, and finish the top and bottom side to help prevent warping.  So the wood all comes tot he same moisture content.  When one side is drier than the other, it warps.  That's nature.

[tsunkasapa]

I left mine raw wood. But I have 24x32 marble slab and a 24x36 cutting board, so very little wood shows.

 

[TXBob]

I use 1/4 inch tempered Masonite, attached with screws not glue. When it gets worn, turn it over for a fresh surface. When that side gets worn, replace it. 

[Mulesaw]

54 minutes ago, TXBob said:

I use 1/4 inch tempered Masonite, attached with screws not glue. When it gets worn, turn it over for a fresh surface. When that side gets worn, replace it. 

That's a really good idea. Do you just put the screws in the corners?

Brgds Jonas

[Herbie]

Thank you all for all these good ideas!  And your time and consideration.

Now I need to decide which path to take and get to it!  I still have to do something with the walls and get shelves etc. But that will be Phase 2. 

[TXBob]

On 3/5/2024 at 3:55 PM, Mulesaw said:

That's a really good idea. Do you just put the screws in the corners?

Brgds Jonas

Yes. Maybe in the middle of a long side too. Every 3 or 4 feet. Flat head screws to.keep the surface smooth.

[Handstitched]

On 3/5/2024 at 6:28 AM, toxo said:

A couple of large cutting mats.

HS