Finish for torsion box

[Marc Gélinas]

Hello everyone,
I'm well on my way to finishing up my torsion box and was wondering what you've used as a finish (BLO, wax, varnish, laquer etc.) and how it's worked out for you. My box is built of 5/8" mdf (4' x 8'). Also wondering if I should consider putting a removable top I an exchange when it gets too beat-up.

[Jim Kountz]

Whats the top skin going to be?? You could go over your top skin with an extra layer of 1/8" hardboard making it removable so you dont have to actually remove the top itself to change it out.

[Joe Chritz]

I just soaked mine in BLO. It turns a deep brown and looks good. Toss a coat of wax on every so often and wax pops right off.

Easy, cheap and looks fine for a shop top.

Hardboard that is removable is also a good idea.

Joe

[Marc Gélinas]

Top and bottom are also 5/8" MDF. (Noticed my contributer status ran out, gonna have to fix that!). Also going to add hardwood boards around the perimeter.

[glenn bradley]

I made a removable hardboard top for a rolling worktable over 3 years ago. This is my do everything table so it gets more of a workout than any other surface in the shop. I have yet to swap out the top piece. It was this experience that led me to just BLO and wax my laminated MDF workbench top (a removable HB top was part o my original plan). It has held up great and as stated; wax it a few times a year and glue just pops right off.

[Marc Gélinas]

Thank you for the ideas, I think I might go for BLO and wax, and if I end up abusing the top a little too much I can always add a hardboard top later on. Would a couple coats of furniture wax over the BLO do OK to start?

[Joe Chritz]

The wax will keep the BLO from soaking in as much so I would use that first if you want the darker color. Otherwise just wax should work fine as well.

I use whatever is handy. Johnson's paste wax is my go to, but I have a can of minwax furniture wax that I grab if it is handy.

Joe

[Fred Hargis]

I used the smelliest mixture I've ever dealt with, beeswax dissolved in turpentine, and then mixed with BLO. Took 3 days to air the shop out, but once this stuff is cured, glue pops right off.

[James White]

I went with satin poly. I thought that wax may be too slick. However it seems like thin layers of glue are difficult to remove. I may end up waxing it. I just did a glue up today. Ill see how the glue comes off. Does anyone think that there wax coated table is too slick?

James

[Charlie Plesums]

... Also wondering if I should consider putting a removable top I an exchange when it gets too beat-up.

If your top is removable, you don't have a torsion box. The whole idea of a torsion box is that the top and bottom are securely attached to the grid, so that as it tries to twist (such as a weight in the center) the top skin resists compression (and prevents bending) because it is held firmly by the grid, and the bottom skin cannot stretch, for the same reason. If it is held a constant distance apart, but not glued, the top could buckle up rather than down, and not provide the strength required.

If you want a separate wear surface you can lay one (such as a piece of masonite) over the top of the firmly attached torsion box top skin.

[Marc Gélinas]

Both surfaces (top and bottom) are glued and braded to the framing, I was just wondering if a secondary wear surface was worth it.