Assembly/Outfeed table and Formica

[Joe Jensen]

I am building a new outfeed/assembly/router table. I will have two layers of 3/4" MDF and formica on top. I will be bolting it to a very robust base with it's own top. Is it necessary to put formica on both sides?...joe

[Phil Pritchard]

If you only face one side with Formica the substrate will eventually bow. A cheaper way to do this might just be to screw/glue two pieces of melamine-faced chipboard together.

Phil

[Peter Stahl]

I've had 3 houses with counter that had 2 layers of particle board with formica on one side and it never bowed.

[Paul Libby]

Formica on the top should be just fine. My outfeed table hasn't bowed yet (7 years). If you are concerned about that, frame under it with a cross brace or two.

[Phil Pritchard]

I've had 3 houses with counter that had 2 layers of particle board with formica on one side and it never bowed.
Don't take up veneering - or living in humid parts of the world.....

In any case MFC is way cheaper :)

Scrit

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

As stated you can reinforce and you can paint it underneath with a good oil

[Joe Jensen]

Should I be using another substrate? I am going to attempt to put two miter slots in the that will align with the miter slots on my tablesaw. I was hoping that MDF would be the most stable, but I'm willing to use something else. Ideas? I need a top that is 40" by 52" which would include a 3/4" strip of hard maple around the outside edge...joe

[Phil Pritchard]

The green MDF, moisture resistant, will be more stable than standard, although it has poor wear characteristics

[Bart Leetch]

Joe you should be just fine make the miter slots slightly over sized & seal them with some form of finish. My old out-feed table was chipboard over a angle iron from made from bed frames & covered with 2 colors laminate I didn't have enough of one color.