Best work bench top thickness?

[richard poitras]

I am looking at making a new butcher block top for a work bench and from looking around I see they range in different thicknesses. What size is most generally used? And why are some so thick? And do they really need to be that thick?

Thanks Richard

[Jamie Buxton]

The thickness may depend on what you intend to do on it, and what the structure is underneath the top. For me, the two primary requirements for the top is that it is reliably flat all the time, and that it doesn't move if I pound on it. So mine is three layers of 3/4" ply, laminated carefully to be flat, supported by a structure that has three banks of drawers for storage. The structure below helps make the top sturdy, and to not move when it gets a big load. As much as I love the looks of solid lumber, I wouldn't use it for a workbench. It moves too much, so manmade materials are functionally better, not to speak of less expensive.

[Prashun Patel]

There's no right answer. The thicker, the more stable.

Stability is more of an issue if you do a lot of hand work.

When I was doing my research, the Holy Grail was in the 3" range of thickness. However, most people (incl me) end up with tops based on what they have ready access to. My maple top is just under 2" and i find it massive enough.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I found that the thickness will depend on your accessories. How thick is your vise face? How long are your bench dogs? How long is the drill bit reach for said bench dogs? IMHO, to support bench dogs 1 1/2" min. through which you should be able plunge route the dog holes.

[David Kumm]

It depends somewhat on the type of bench you plan to build. A roubo bench uses a thicker top and dispenses with the sub structure underneath it. Take a look at Chris Schwarzes book on benches. It is a must read. The roubo is typically 4", an english bench is much less. The modern bench varies across the width. The types of vises also determine what is necessary. Dave

[Mark Conde]

Here is the skinny on bench top thicknesses. It has to be at least 3" thick (solid wood preferred). This thickness is best so the top can work well with bench dogs and hold fasts and most importantly the chop on the vice. Anything over 4.25" is too thick and the accessories like hold fasts will not work as well.

[Chris Tsutsui]

My dream work bench will have a 3.5 to 4" thickness, made of a decent hardwood if I ever come across a bunch of maple, birch, oak, or whatever for cheap.

If the bench is thick and heavy, it will be more stable and won't rock on you or walk.

Check out this work bench by david marks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch8SFQJsR2E

About 20" wide, laminated walnut top and bottom, 3-3/4" thick top, bandsaw dovetails, asian style pedestal base.

If I do attempt something like this in the future, I will probably take the top of the work bench to a shop and use their wide belt sander to flatten the top.

[Prashun Patel]

You've probably got more experience than I, but I respectfully disagree with this statement. The dogs on my 2" top work just fine. I don't use holdfasts, so I can't comment on its holding ability for those, but there are plenty of other ways to secure stuff to the top. Just my 2c.

[Russell Sansom]

For me, the thicker the better. I am cursed with the engineer's sensibility to "low pass" filtering. The more massive the bench, the lower the natural frequency. For chopping and sawing, I'd rather my work were attached to a rock than to a trampoline, if you see what I mean. Also, I don't know from experience, but I suspect a bench thicker than 4 or 5 inches starts to be impractical to build, and difficult to move around the shop.

But in the interest of full disclosure, I've built a score of harpsichords and clavichords on an 8/4 maple bench with a home-made tail vise.

[Eric McCune]

Mine will be about 4 inches thick. I'm using Ash to build the BenchCrafted Roubo (http://www.benchcrafted.com/plans.htm). I just bought the 8/4 lumber today. I hope to get started in the next couple weeks.

196063

[Stephen Cherry]

As mentioned, the use of the bench will dictate the thickness required. For an assembly table, it really would not need to be super massive. I've got an antique woodworking bench, which is 2 1/2 inches thick. This is the same as the Lie Nielsen traditional benches. Unless you are doing hand tool work, this would really not be required.

As with everything else, I would try to buy a used bench, or used lumber. If you keep your eyes open, these things will pop up. My worst miss was a ulmia bench that was posted at a yardsale within driving distance from me. It went for less than what the vises would have been worth.

[johnny means]

One of my old shop mates had an end grain butcher block bench top that was over a foot thick and about four feet square. It was from a shoe factory and was used to pound rivets for decades on end. If I ever have the time and the play money I would like to make something with that sort of mass.

[richard poitras]

One of my old shop mates had an end grain butcher block bench top that was over a foot thick and about four feet square. It was from a shoe factory and was used to pound rivets for decades on end. If I ever have the time and the play money I would like to make something with that sort of mass.

The top would be going on top of a Noden Ajusta Bench leg system so I think a foot thick would be a bit thick to lift up and down.

[James White]

Mine will be about 4 inches thick. I'm using Ash to build the BenchCrafted Roubo (http://www.benchcrafted.com/plans.htm). I just bought the 8/4 lumber today. I hope to get started in the next couple weeks.

196063

Eric I built my bench out of 3.5" Ash. I love it. One word of caution. Take the time to orient the grain so that the entire top can be planed in one direction without tear out.
How much was the Ash?

As to the OP's question. If the bench were 6' long I would recommend 2.5" minimum thickness. But an 8' bench in my opinion needs 3" min. The trampoline analogy being appropriate.

James

[Mark Conde]

Agreed. The dogs will work satisfactorly on a 2" top. I too have done that in the past with no problems. But the holdfasts which are a woodworking wonder become an issue on thin tops. And the front vice, let alone an end vice will surley suffer from poor performance.

[Chris Fournier]

I can't see any useful reason to make a butcher's top woodworking bench. Endgrain laminations are resistant to chopping and pounding but not required in our craft. A really thick benchtop will not be more stable or less prone to moving than an appropriately thick top. Good joinery and a well thought out base are far more important than laying up a stoopid thick top.

I've made three benches for myself, from 2 1\2" thick to 3 1/2" thick all were stable and good benches for woodworking. Ask yourself how much money you want to put into that thick hardwood bench top, then ask yourself if that money could be better spent elsewhere!

Now my kitchen island is a 6" thick endgrain top and this format makes sense in this application.

[Eric McCune]

How much was the Ash?
James
Hi James,

I paid $2.72 a bf for the 8/4 ash. Thanks for the tip on tear out.

[Gary Curtis]

My 2007 benchtop was made of laminated European Red Beechwood. 2", of 8/4 as it's called in the trade. The lower structure was made of 4x4 laminated Maple. It was certainly heavy enough and does the job well. I thought at all.

But, after working on it and subsequently buying the Christopher Schwarz book, I'm not satisfied. The mass of my bench is adequate, but holdfasts aren't secure. And a new feature would be useful — a planing stop. As Chris explains it, most planing activity is best held with the planing stop. And that requires a 4" top. That's the prime reason for a bench.

You know I doubt that more than a few of this in the WWing community know or have spoken to a lifelong journeyman. Especially one trained in the European tradition. So we lack what engineers refer to as "tribal knowledge." Those older folks knew about key fixtures and jigs such as a planing stop on a bench. In our 'tribe' of woodworkers it is important that we share and pass along our skills.

[Ken Moran]

What do you people build on your work benches? Aircraft carriers? Why in the world anybody would need a table more than an inch thick is beyond me. Mine is made from 3/4" MDF with 1/4 inch ply screwd to the bottom to actually hold the below mentioned T-Nuts in place and then laid on 2x4 supports 12 inches apart. It is encased in a 2x4 border and screwed down at each corner to stabilize it. I built the table with the sole purpose of it being replaceable when needed. I also have installed 24 1/4-20 T-Nuts 4 inches apart in each direction under it to screw my clamps into and also run T-Track side to side and end to end 12 inches from each edge. It is only 24x48 inches big so I really don't do any heavy duty work on it to begin with. Boxes, Clocks and Birdhouses are my forte and that is about it.

[Stephen Cherry]

What do you people build on your work benches? Aircraft carriers? Why in the world anybody would need a table more than an inch thick is beyond me. .

The big woodworking benches are needed for hand tool work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8xZSk_Pfus

[Zahid Naqvi]

I would never make a WWing bench out of butcher blocks, imagine having to flatten a 6ftX2ft surface all composed of end grain. Plus I don't see any benefit to using BB for a bench top. BBs are popular in the kitchen because they are gentle on the knife edges. For WWing a flat and serviceable top is priority number 1.

[Neil Brooks]

What do you people build on your work benches? Aircraft carriers? Why in the world anybody would need a table more than an inch thick is beyond me.

One reason: weight/mass adds significantly to stability. When you start putting a lot of muscle into .... whatever it is you're working on ... you really don't want your bench sliding across the shop floor.

Another reason: unless you put a sacrificial top on your bench ... it's GOING to get dinged up, over time. If you've got a fairly thick bench, you can just plane/sand it down, and have a brand new bench ... for decades.

Which can be pretty tough when your starting point is only an inch of thickness.....

[Jamie Buxton]

...One reason: weight/mass adds significantly to stability......

If you're looking for mass, why are you using lightweight materials like wood? Concrete has much more mass per cubic inch, and much more mass per dollar. You could build a bench with a relatively thin wood top over concrete (or gravel, or sand). You'd get high mass, low cost, and more storage space under the top.

[Neil Brooks]

If you're looking for mass, why are you using lightweight materials like wood? Concrete has much more mass per cubic inch, and much more mass per dollar. You could build a bench with a relatively thin wood top over concrete (or gravel, or sand). You'd get high mass, low cost, and more storage space under the top.

I'm a woodworker.

I'd actually be more inclined to build my driveway out of dimensional lumber ;)

[Russell Sansom]

What do you people build on your work benches?
I cut lines and joinery to better than 1/64" accuracy ( I know that's insane for some people, it's just what interests me ). It makes sense that my "rock vs. trampoline" analogy doesn't work for everybody. If your table were 1/4" thick wood, you'd finding chopping dovetails or mortises almost impossible because the table would spring away from your mallet blows and absorb all the energy. 3/8" lumber would be a little less springy. 1/2" a little less...and so on, until some thickness where it didn't matter any more. For me, that's something thicker than 8/4 hard maple.


Concrete has much more mass per cubic inch, and much more mass per dollar...
...but would shatter into little pieces very quickly. A 2" slab of stainless steel coupled to 2" of hard maple...now you're talking!

[Mark Conde]

As others have mentioned, Chris Schwarz's two books are a wealth of info. And for anyone that does any amount of respectable work with hand tools, you know that a 1" or 2" thick top pales in comparison to a 3.5" thick top. I have built four benches so far. The first 2 I built I thought I was smarter than the avg bear and wanted to save cash. Bench 1 was a 2" thick maple top that was heavy enough, but I never could get any work holding appliances to work well with it-- bench dogs thats about it. Bench 2 used a layers of MDF. This was good for use as TS extension-- that's about it. The last bench was a variation of the Roubo bench. It is pure sweetness. For anyone really interested in building a bench meant for woodworking and handtools, google the french Roubo bench--- you cant go wrong.

[Jamie Buxton]

....but would shatter into little pieces very quickly...

You must be a very strong man. Look at concrete roads. They take enormous beating, but don't shatter into little pieces. Or, try taking out an old sidewalk with a sledge hammer. It takes huge pounding to break that stuff up.

[Frank Drew]

As Chris explains it, most planing activity is best held with the planing stop.

I prefer bench dogs and tail vise for the purpose.

[Jim Foster]

Depending on the wood you get, it could be impossible to orient the grain to eliminate tear-out from hand planing. (I used air dried construction Fir). I got to speak to Chris Schwarz a while back and I was lamenting the miss-matched grain orientation on my bench and my fear of tear-out when hand planing it and he mentioned he has tear-out all over his Roubo. As long as it's a flat surface, it's good. I suspect everyone has different expectations and standards they like to achieve, but in my mind it was more important to get a functioning workbench as quickly and inexpensively as possible. I suspect I have less than $300 of wood into it.

Also, regarding top thickness, part of the equation is to build up enough weight so the bench stays put when planing an other physical activities that create side to side and front to back forces. Mine is 9' by 24" and has a 5" thick top and it still slides due to the floor surface, so I need to do something with the bottom of the legs to get more friction. My bet is it's close to 300LB



Eric I built my bench out of 3.5" Ash. I love it. One word of caution. Take the time to orient the grain so that the entire top can be planed in one direction without tear out.
How much was the Ash?

As to the OP's question. If the bench were 6' long I would recommend 2.5" minimum thickness. But an 8' bench in my opinion needs 3" min. The trampoline analogy being appropriate.

James

[James White]

196240This is based on Chris's Rubo. I followed most of his rules. The only one I regret was his height rule regarding your pinky. I went higher than that and found my bench to still be at least two inches to short for me(I have a bad back). If you look close you can see my bench is up on blocks.

3.5"x2'x8' I believe the legs are 5"x5"

Jamie,

There is a saying about concrete.
There are two kinds of concrete. Cracked concrete and concrete that is about to crack. Or something like that.

James

[george wilson]

I like to make workbenches,and have made quite a few over the years from the 60's on up. I made the 18th.C. benches we used in Wmsbg. My current bench is 4" thick beech with a 1 piece top(by luck) with just the front piece with the mortises for dogs glued on.

I built a 30" X 8' bench for general use for my present shop too. It has a 2" bowling alley type maple top I bought from the Rand Co. or from Grizzly. Can't recall. Check out Rand. they sell at industrial prices. The 2" thick top is plenty rigid for anything you might do. Most school shop benches were made from 2" maple.

If 2" isn't thick enough to suit your holdfast,you could glue and screw a 4" square block of hardwood under the bench where you drill the holdfast hole,to thicken it up.

[John Nesmith]

I built a 30" X 8' bench for general use for my present shop too. It has a 2" bowling alley type maple top I bought from the Rand Co. or from Grizzly. Can't recall. Check out Rand. they sell at industrial prices. .

I googled Rand co., and did not appear to turn up the company you mentioned. Do you have the url of their corporate website?

[george wilson]

Google Rand bench tops. They seem to be calling themselves randmh now. I'm not sure if their tops are still a bargain. They used to be. They sell direct to companies for their packing and shipping rooms.

[Floyd Mah]

I made a bench which I described earlier (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?97710-Roubo-bench-top-thickness) which used two thicknesses for the top. The front half, about 10", is 4" thick and the rear 14" is 1.25" thick. It followed a design I saw in FWW. I used the thicker dimension in the front for rigidity so that the workbench top would not deflect under the stresses of planing, but kept the rear part thinner since it was there primarily as support, much like the wings of your table saw.