MDF for router table top

[Jason Morgan]

Im getting ready to start on the router table to house the M12V and Plungelift and I have a question about material choice. I originally thought I would construct the top out of 2 layers of 3/4" MDF and laminate top and bottom with formica counter top material. However, I realized that the piece of laminate I have is not big enough to to both the top and the bottom, leaving me three choices:

1. Go buy more laminate. At ~$50/sheet, this is my least favorite option

2. Only laminate 1 side. I would try this, but Ive read a few places where they go out of their way to laminate both sides.

3. Go 'nekkid. Just go with the MDF and a few coats of wipe on poly to seal the surface. I have an outfeed tale that I have done this with, and although its not seen a LOT of use, its holding up really nicely.


Option 3 is the most appealing, except for two things

1. The color, it would match my outfeed table , but the gold of the plunge lift and the brown of the MDF arent as flashy as the blue formica that I have

2. Not sure how to edge it. The hardwood edge + formaica with a chamfer works really well. Not sure if I can line it up that well with just the hardwood edging.

Advice?

[Dennis Peacock]

Jason,

Been there and done that.

Make the top from 3/4" MDF. Glue 2 layers together, clamp and let dry.
Trim it up, square it up.
Apply your laminate to the TOP.
Find you some scraps and laminate the BOTTOM. Many times, you can buy a broken sheet of laminate from many places for less than 50% of the selling price.
Wrap the edges with some scrap Oak or other hardwood and put some poly on the wood edging and call it done.

I made one like this and it has lasted at least 11 years.

[Peter M. Spirito]

Jason that blue and gold sounds real pretty to me. I know how I am and whenever I start to think cheap or easy the project grinds to a halt and I just wander around the shop for days until I go back to "plan-A" and do right.:) I am building one now using Incra gold track and dark red Formica.

[Andy Fox]

Jason, I did your original plan with Formica x 2 sides and oak edging (applied before Formica). It's held up well for 3 years now, and my mobile router cabinet (24" x 34" top) is an important work surface and table saw outfeed in my small basement shop.

If I had just done bare MDF, I'd be really disappointed by now with all the gouges, scratches, stains, and glue drips. But, if your router table will be strictly used for routing, bare MDF would be an acceptable option. Just do the hardwood edging like you would have if you were installing Formica. Use some dowels or biscuits, and trim the edging down with a trimming bit after the glue has dried for a few days.

[Mike Sheppard]

Jason
What I would do, have done, is go to HD or lowes and find a sheet of lamintate that is damaged, but you can get what you need out of it, you can get it for 1/2 price or less.
Mike

[Jim Becker]

My router table tops have both been two layers of 3/4" MDF glued together and surfaced both sides with high-pressure laminate. This provides a good, flat surface (when properly supported) with a durable material for long life. BTW, many of the home centers sell laminate in 2' x 4' sheets which are obviously more convenient if you don't plan on using a whole $50 sheet of the stuff. And the layer on the bottom can be any ugly color they have...including one that might have a chipped corner that you can bargain down the price on. (Been there...done that!)

I used mitered hardwood edges (walnut on my current table) that are applied to the MDF substrate first and made level with the same. Then the plastic laminate was applied to the whole surface, including the edging. It was trimmed with a laminate bit at a slight (15 degree, I believe) angle flush with the edging.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I used the same method described by Jim Becker and my top has stayed dead flat for several years. I have a document that describes the process I used to build the top. If you are interested, email me at:

daviddubya(at)qwest.net

[Tom Jones III]

I built my router table with a single sheet of MDF. The apron is 4/4 maple that I surfaced to make as thick as possible, then added 2 stretchers running from front to back that are on the immediate left and right of the router. The router is bolted directly to the mdf itself. The table works great, although it is a little bit light. Certainly no problems or regrets with the top.

[Allen Bookout]

Building a router tabletop and trying to get it level is ticking me off.

First try I laminated a 3/4" piece of MDF and turned it upside down and screwed it to two 1/4 s running lengthwise and four 1/4 s running crosswise to keep it from saging. Then I used two part epoxy to glue another 3/4 piece of MDF to the top. Held it in place until it dried by laying four 2x4 s (jointed and checked for flatness)lengthwise and clamping it over night. Laminated it by using two part epoxy once again and laying another piece on MDF on top and clamping with the four 2x4 s lengthwise. Cut the hole for the plate and coated the opening with epoxy. The table was high in the middle.

To correct the problem I decided to take the whole thing down to the bare MDF on the top. Used two straight edges screwed to the sides and routed it flat. Checked to be perfectly flat. This time I used regular contact cement as I though that the epoxy must have penetrated the material and caused the problem. Used the same process again for clamping except that I added two 2x4 s crossways over the four 4x4 s to make sure that the center would not come out high and left it overnight. Sure enough it was not high but .009 of and inch low in the middle over thirty two inches.

I do not know what to do next. I would have been better off just ordering one from Woodpeckers and put it on my cabinet. I assume that Woodperkers is much flatter than that.

Is .009 to much to be out of level? What now?

Allen

[Steve Clardy]

I've got a dual router table that the top is just MDF. Has worked well.

[Allen Bookout]

Steve,

I am starting to think that you have the right answer. That way you can just chuck it if something happens to it and slap on a new one.

Allen

[Bob Nazro]

Most of the store bought tables are made with 1" MDF. I went to a local cabinet shop and they sold me enough to make the top I wanted. It was high quality and didn't need to be layered. It's hard to find 1" MDF in local lumber yards or box stores. The guys at the cabinet shop gave me a piece of laminate big enough to do the top so all I needed was a 2'x4' piece from HD for around $20.00 for the bottom. I will never again try to glue up panels to make a table top. The time invested just wasn't worth the disapointment, and truth be told the cost of purchasing a premade top is worth it to me. I have a table top from Rockler and it's really great.

[JayStPeter]

I used the same method as Jim with great results. If/when I build another router table, I'll do the same thing.

To keep the glueup flat, I clamped one slightly oversized MDF piece to my TS, then glued and screwed the other piece to it. The side that met the TS was marked to be the top.
My router table top has one little high spot on it. I assume it is a piece of sawdust that got between the MDF and laminate. Fortunately it's a spot that's usually behind the fence and rarely comes into play. If it was a real problem, I'd just grind it flat.

Since my top is very large and flat, I screwed some angle iron to the underside to keep it from sagging (though that's probably unlikely anyway as it's pretty strong).

Jay

[Steve Clardy]

Steve,

I am starting to think that you have the right answer. That way you can just chuck it if something happens to it and slap on a new one.

Allen

Yes. Simple, easy. The KISS method.:eek: :D :D
6-7 years on it now, running rail and stile material for doors.

[Larry Fox]

My router table is a piece of 1.75" thick MDF and it has held up for years. It is just unfinished, unlaminated MDF and remains flat and I have no problem with things not wanting to slide around easily on it.

[Roger Fitzsimonds]

I built my router table out of 2 3/4 in MDF pieces. and just flooded the top and bottom with Boiled Linseed oil. let it soak for about 20 minutes and then wipped it down. That was 4 years ago and it still holds up ok. Stuff doesnt stick to it much either.

Roger

[Pete Harbin]

Jason,

Mine is two layers of MDF with laminate on top and hard board on the bottom, trimmed in some extra cherry I had in the scrap bin.

Pete

[Allen Bookout]

What is the accepted tolerance for flatness? Say over a thirty inch top - .001", .003", .006" ?