base cabinet tops - what material

[Bob Cooper]

I'm building a garage and a workshop. Along the back wall of the garage i'm planning on putting in a bunch of cabinets and am wondering what to use for the top. Same question kind of goes for many of the cabinets in the shop.

Do you guys normally put a layer or two of 3/4" material (plywood or MDF) and put a laminate on top? I know phenolic plywood would be great but that may not be practical.

The cabinets in the garage will be used for all types of household stuff -- working on cars, repotting plants, etc.

[Larry Frank]

I just built some cabinets in my shop. I used some 3/4" plywood with a hardwood edging. I left the top of the edging 1/3" above the ply and then put in some 1/4' masonite. I used a couple of coats of shellac and wax on the masonite. It looks pretty good and if it gets to ugly, I can replace the 1/4" masonite. For the back of the top, I planned the best 2x4 that I could find and finished it.

I really like the idea of having a top that can easily and cheaply be replaced. The wax on it makes it hard for most things to stick to it.

[Jim Neeley]

For dirty, oily items and those likely to ding wood, a piece of sheet metal is an option. That's wgat you commonly see in mechanics shops. It could still be trimmed in wood, if desired.

One 4x8 sheet, ripped, would give 2'x16' of tough countertop.

YMMV..

[phil harold]

solid core slab door
get them cheap from the lumber yard bull pen or a used lumber store
or you can buy new ones
fast cheap durable

[Joe A Faulkner]

I think it depends on what type of use they are going to see. For me, sheet metal would be way over the top - I'm not going to overhaul an engine, or do any substantial metal working on my counter tops. I currently have about six different work surfaces in my woodshop - hardboard/masonite laminated on 3/4" ply; bare 3/4" ply; an old office desk with the "walnut" colored formica. On one parts table, I have luan over 3/4" ply. Dried glue, finish, etc. comes right off the formica top surfaces. The untreated wood surfaces show some signs of wear. I have a friend who routinely covers masonite/hardboard with a few coats of high-gloss poly - these make durable counter tops for office use. Personally, I'm not found of the high-gloss finish. For some operations it is nice to have a wooden surface that you don't mind if it gets scratched, dinged, or cut. I've been very pleased with how well poly holds up on 3/4" cabinet grade ply for interior applications, and I wouldn't hesitate going that route in my shop for "counter tops" used for assembly, storage or outfeed tables.

[David Thompson 27577]

I'm building a garage and a workshop. Along the back wall of the garage i'm planning on putting in a bunch of cabinets and am wondering what to use for the top. Same question kind of goes for many of the cabinets in the shop.

Do you guys normally put a layer or two of 3/4" material (plywood or MDF) and put a laminate on top? I know phenolic plywood would be great but that may not be practical.

The cabinets in the garage will be used for all types of household stuff -- working on cars, repotting plants, etc.

Formica, or any generic equivalent, on top of particle board.

Beef up the edges of the particle board with another layer of particle board, then fasten the particle bard to the cabinets. Add contact cemtent, then the laminate. Trim it up with a router, and say "Miller Time".

[Kent A Bathurst]

I made a 1-3/4" thick, 28" x 14' hard maple top for my shop cabinets, which is my back bench along a wall.

If you were to say "THAT is NUTS" you would get my vote. Just something I wanted to do. Has held up perfectly over 13+ years.........as you would expect.

[Gary Curtis]

1" baltic birch ply. Sold in 5x5 sheets. That's a metric standard, since the stuff comes from Russia. Plain varnish to seal out stains and dirt.

[David G Baker]

1/4" tempered Masonite over 3 ea 3/4" OSB or plywood setting on top of a 2"X6" box frame.

[Bob Cooper]

For you guys that put Masonite on your tops...Do you envision needing to replace that at sometime? if so, would you just glue another layer on top of your existing top?

I'm leaning toward masonite or formica....at least for the stuff in the garage. Formica woudl be good in that glue would easily come off.

3x.75 thick seems pretty beefy. Any reason not to use particle board vs. plywood -- one's a good bit cheaper and very flat.

[Bill Huber]

For you guys that put Masonite on your tops...Do you envision needing to replace that at sometime? if so, would you just glue another layer on top of your existing top?

I'm leaning toward masonite or formica....at least for the stuff in the garage. Formica woudl be good in that glue would easily come off.

3x.75 thick seems pretty beefy. Any reason not to use particle board vs. plywood -- one's a good bit cheaper and very flat.

My bench is framed with 2x4s on 12 inch centers and then one sheet of 3/4" plywood on top of that. For the top I use Masonite, it is not as slick as Formica and is much cheaper.

The Masonite on my bench, it just lays there I did not attach it to the plywood under it. My edge does come up to the top of it so I don't have to worry about catching it. After awhile it gets looking kind of bad, scraps, glue, finish, cuts and the like. So when it gets looking to bad I just pull it off and put down a new top, takes all of about 20 min. to cut the new one, take the old one off and lay a new sheet down.

Here you can see what it was starting to look like the before I replaced it last time, last image. In the first shot you can see what it looked like afterwards.

134869112_HfLdaSWP_P5205775.jpg129752398_6FHM1Jv7_PA254756.jpg

[David Thompson 27577]

For you guys that put Masonite on your tops...Do you envision needing to replace that at sometime? if so, would you just glue another layer on top of your existing top?

I'm leaning toward masonite or formica....at least for the stuff in the garage. Formica woudl be good in that glue would easily come off.

3x.75 thick seems pretty beefy. Any reason not to use particle board vs. plywood -- one's a good bit cheaper and very flat.

If you plan to use Formica, DO NOT use plywood. The grain patterns in the pine are not smooth enough to hold the laminate properly. Use particle board instead.

[Bruce Wrenn]

If you plan to use Formica, DO NOT use plywood. The grain patterns in the pine are not smooth enough to hold the laminate properly. Use particle board instead.

Instead of SYP, use the Aurcco from HD @ $24.99 a sheet for the 3/4. I have built a bunch of tops using this stuff.

[johnny means]

I like melamine coated particle board. Durable, cheap and nothing cleans up easier. Then when it does start to scar up a little all I need to do is flip it for a fresh clean surface

[Robert Malone]

Bob, I'm in the process of building new garage cabinets now to replace 30" deep with 24".
I used 3/4" A/C plywood from Big Blue and was NOT very happy with the ply.

We should get together soon. I hope I can send you a PM or mail.