Shop Counter Top Construction question

[Sean Troy]

Hey all, I was thinking of making a couple of counter tops for the shop along a couple of walls using Kitchen Base cabinets for the bottom I got from a remodle job. Any reason I can't or shouldn't use 3/4 " MDF with a second 3/4" MDF/Melamine top laminated to each other? If it's an ok idea, what would be the best way to secure the laminated top to the base cabinets? Also, I was thinking of using 1x2 oak for the edging. Do I just glue the edging to the MDF? as always, thanks. Sean

[Todd Burch]

My shop cabs are MDF and pine. My counter tops are 3/4" birch plywood with a 1.5" genuine Mahogany bullnose edging, lathered in varnish. Good looking. Easy. Cheap.

I don't secure my tops. I let the overhanging edging hold them in place. Anytime I want to rearrange, no biggy - slide the top off, move, slide it back on. Lightweight too.

No, I don't drill or screw into them for jigs. I have other surfaces for that.

Todd

[Jim O'Dell]

I think whether you use MDF or plywood for the tops, I'd do as Todd suggested. If you plan far enough ahead, my big problem, you could counter sink some T-nuts in the middle facing down so that you could bolt it on to the cabinets, but get it off if you needed to. This might lend a little more to the structure if that is what you were thinking about. Just cut both pieces, but drill the mounting holes in the bottom, mount the T-nuts, then glue the 2 pieces together and edge band with your oak. Should work very well.
Hey Todd...hadn't seen you post in a while. Good to see you back paddling around the Creek! Jim.

[Bert Johansen]

Sean, sounds like you're on your way to a major upgrade to your shop. I know you will appreciate the additional work and storage space afforded by the new cabinets. Seems like we can never have enough storage space!

I've attached a couple photos of one of my shop cabinets because they illustrate solid wood edging on a top of MDF with melamine laminate. The edging (jatoba in this case) is just glued on, and has been rock solid. I've used the same technique on my router table, drill press table and stand, and assembly table, and they all continue to perform flawlessly--i.e., no glue failure.

Good luck, and let us see photos of the final product(s)

[Sean Troy]

Good info. Just what I was looking for. thank you all.

[Jeff Bond]

Sean,

To attach your tops to the cabinets simply run some 1 and 1/4" screws through the stretchers in the cabinets to the countertop. If there are no stretchers then put a few pocket holes on the inside of the cabinets and screw the ctop down with these. On a couple of my large assembly tables in my shop I have used two sheets of 3/4" particle board with a sheet of 1/4 mdf on top of this that can be easily replaced if it gets damaged. 1/4" white melamine would also make a good material for a replaceable top. Good luck.

[Sean Troy]

Sean,

To attach your tops to the cabinets simply run some 1 and 1/4" screws through the stretchers in the cabinets to the countertop. If there are no stretchers then put a few pocket holes on the inside of the cabinets and screw the ctop down with these. On a couple of my large assembly tables in my shop I have used two sheets of 3/4" particle board with a sheet of 1/4 mdf on top of this that can be easily replaced if it gets damaged. 1/4" white melamine would also make a good material for a replaceable top. Good luck.

Does MDF need to be pre drilled before screwing?

[Jeff Bond]

Sean, if you're just screwing into the mdf face to hold it down to the cabinets then no you do not need to predrill. If you're going all the way through a sheet of mdf, or going into the edge of mdf you definitely need to predrill.