I'm going to build a new workbench (low-end) and was considering laminating plywood, thick MDF, or using a solid core door as the top.
What is inside a solid core door? The door is 30" x 80". I only want
30" x 60". If I lop off 20" off of the end, what will I have?Thanks.
Solid stuff:) Generally, particle board.
A shorter piece.
Technically, two shorter pieces.
Dave Hinz wrote in news:2ps0jlFoqj2mU4@uni- berlin.de:
And one of them will likely be an acceptable, quick and dirty work table top.
I built mine from laminating three layers of good grade plywood. By making the top 32" wide, I got three layers from two sheets.
While it's not the fanciest in the land, it was an excellent starting place, sturdy, and I knew what I had. Prior to that, my assembly table was a hollow core door, pulled out during a remodel.
Patriarch
Why not build a cross-lapped lattice frame, 3/4 [1"] old lumber will do, depth 1.5" Then attach a decent 3/4" plywood top [and bottom if you want.]
You might even scrounge the plywood at a home construction site. I built my basement walls that way; stuff they thought of as scrap. Times might have changed though.
Bill.
The thing that has changed is the "plywood". More often than not it will be OSB these days but they still throw plenty away. You could still laminate up several layers of OSB with a top coat of plywood or some other material. The advantage of a door is the top will already be finished. My hobby table is a door with several coats of poly on it.
Most solida are a fairly low density particle board under the veneer. In a humid shop, these will bow over the years Some doors include gypsum or lead sheeting (radiation rooms).
Doors make excellent desks and tops. Hollow doors work well for desks. You can reuse prefinished doors. Most door shops and lumber yards will give you deep discount on scratched and blemished doors.
Most current production solid doors are particle board with veneer on each face. Cheap doors have "other wood" rails and stiles. High grade doors have rails and stiles that match the face veneer. When you cut off one "end" you will expose the core. If it ends at a wall, you're finished. You can install a wood cap if the exposed core is objectionable.
Be aware: Old high quality solid doors can be stave core (glued up multiple "other wood" strips). Actually better for your application.
Some are fire doors (lined with a mineral core/ used to be asbestos). These typically have small colored plugs on the edges where they injected the liquid slurry. Probably not conducive to your project.
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