Best Material for an Outfeed Table

[Eric Roberge]

Ok... Just purchased my Ridgid 3660 and want to add an outfeed table ASAP. I've seen some good designs on previous posts and I know what I'm going to do, but what is the best material to use for the work surface? Birch ply, Melamine, Standard ply with a coating, etc...? I haven't been able to find this in past posts.
(I'm afraid the Melamine being pressboard underneath will not hold up over time and add unnecessary weight)
Thanks for your input!

[Alex Shanku]

Ive had melamine side tables and outfeed tables for years and never had an issue. Slicker the better, imo

[Jim Becker]

I prefer plastic laminate over ply or MDF for these surfaces. Melamine is nice looking and slick, but it can also be damaged a lot easier since the coating is whisper-thin. That said, Melamine is just fine for general use and would "likely" hold up fine for most folks. And honestly, I also have some work surfaces that are just raw MDF with BLO on them and they have held up just fine.

Regardless of how you do the top, you need to insure you do a good support structure under it to keep it from sagging over time.

[Robert Parrish]

I use Phenolic Coated Baltic Birch Plywood and I have it connected to my work bench and the entire length of my PM2000. This gives me a large surface to work on and is great for handling sheet goods.

[Matt Meiser]

I previously had melamine and it worked fine. But it did look pretty bad with all the scratches, spills, etc. Now I have laminate over MDF.

A tip to make laminate inexpensive--go to Home Depot or Lowes and look for a sheet with a broken corner. Find the department manager and ask him/her for a deal. I've heard of people getting them 75% off and I've gotten them for 50% off.

My previous table was really a bank of cabinets so it had great support, but it was too big. The new one is has a welded steel frame.

[Scott Wigginton]

Would Hardboard fastened to MDF work well?

I know my future outfeed table will inevitably become overflow for my workbench. So when it gets damaged, replacing hardboard would be quicker and cheaper than fixing some of the other options I've seen out there.

[Jim Becker]

Scott, that's not a bad idea at all. Just do it the same way you might for a workbench with a replaceable top. Have an apron edge around the table surface that is proud of the substructure by the thickness of the hardboard. Just drop the hardboard into it. No fasteners or adhesives necessary. The weight of the topper will keep it in place.

[Neal Clayton]

i just frame up the bottom of a sheet of MDF, and screw masonite to the top. cheap, easy, and the top is disposable when you need a new one.

[Prashun Patel]

My outfeed table is a lattice of 1x2's topped with 1/4" hardboard. Plenty stable and light enough to be moved out of the way, which is important for my small shop.

If you can afford it, get some phenolic ply. It's light and slick and awesome.

[Alan Schaffter]

I used melamine for my first extension table. It was ok but sagged a little and needed support and the wear layer was not as thick as high pressure laminate.

What was:



I completely rebuilt my tables from the mobile base up to and including the table frame (new angle iron) and tables. I added to, and enlarged the tables also. I used a hardwood grid (half of a torsion box) and covered it with 1/2" MDF then high pressure laminate.

Grid for right extension sitting on new frame, legs, and mobile base:


Finished: new mobile base (moved step caster, eliminated rails along floor, etc.), new right extension, new fixed, outfeed, new folding outfeed (hinged with single hinged leg):



I painted the exposed oak edges black to match my other benchwork. It looks lightweight and is- but it is flat and sturdy!! The only trouble with laminate is you are stuck with scratches if once you get them.

[glenn bradley]

I'm at the extreme opposite end from Alan. I "temporarily" put a piece of used particle board on top of an old workbench stand and routed miter slot grooves in it. I ran the ROS over it moving from 150 to 220.

For awhile I rubbed it with the shellac pads after I was done doing whatever I was doing. You know, just to rub out the excess before tossing the pad. It eventually got a good film on it. I wax it when I wax the saw and it is still "temporarily there. Plenty slick. Low tech.

[Bill Arnold]

I made the tables on both sides and the outfeed of my table saw with MDF. I sealed it with a couple of coats of Sealcoat, then topped that with a couple of coats of Johnson's wax. It's slick and glue won't stick to it.

[Lee Schierer]

I guess I'm the odd man out. My out feed table is half a sheet 3/4" plywood with about 3 coats of polyurethane. Glue won't stick and the surface is pretty slippery.

[Rick Gooden]

I recently built an outfeed table out of MDO, seal-coated and waxed, liked it so much I used MDO in the same manner on a router table. MDO is MDF over plywood and is available at Mennards.

[Rob Cunningham]

I guess I'm the odd man out. My out feed table is half a sheet 3/4" plywood with about 3 coats of polyurethane. Glue won't stick and the surface is pretty slippery.

No Lee, your not the only one. My outfeed table is 1/2" plywood on a frame with legs. It's not pretty but it works for now. Someday I'll build one like Alan's.
Alan, that's a work of art, and your shop is way too clean