# How thick bench top?? 2"? 3"? 4"?



## TwoThumbBruce (Feb 21, 2010)

I'm building My Last Workshop, and one of my first projects will be a workbench. Most of the workbenches i see on YouTube use 2×4 or 4×4's for the tabletop. Is 4" really necessary? It's not the cost, and just a bit of the extra work, , but wouldn't 2" or 3" (nominal) be enough? I'll have wood vises and dog holes.

Someplace I read that working mostly with power tools, as I'll be doing, doesn't have the same needs as old school woodworking, I don't want a table that'll bounce, but is 4" think tops necessary?


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

Not necessary. But more mass is always better. I'd go with 3" over 2" for sure. 2" is a little thin for holdfasts. Can be used, but 3" is better.


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## jmos (Nov 30, 2011)

Depending on how you'll use the bench, the weight of a thicker top is really useful. Mine is 4" thick and 7' long, and it never thinks about moving when I'm hand planing. The thicker top can also be nice when you're chopping with a chisel, as a thinner bench top may flex a bit. I'd also say a minimum of 3" if you're doing hand work.

As you say, if you're mostly doing power tool work, 2" is probably sufficient. According to a blog on Tools for Working Wood, 2" thick works fine for holdfasts.

If you confident you're not going to take the trip down the hand tool rabbit hole, you should be fine with 2".


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## jdh122 (Sep 8, 2010)

I made mine out of 2×4s and it's very solid. But you might want to check out Mike Siemsen's version of the Nicholson bench, all built out of construction lumber at less than 2 inches thick, with a bit of reinforcement at strategic places. And he's an all hand-tool guy too.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Weight is your friend so a thick top is most desirable, especially since cost is not a factor.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I'm a hybrid guy myself but most of the work done on the bench is hand tool. My bench also doubles as my assembly table for larger projects. My top is about 3-1/4" thick White Oak. My goals for the top were mass and rigidity as others pointed out. I'm happy with my bench as-is but I wouldn't want it any thinner for the purpose of weight. Even with the 3+" top, 4×6 legs and 4×4 stretchers, the dang thing will shift occasionally on my slick, concrete shop floor when I'm scrub planing.

Honestly, even for power-tool work, I'd go as thick as you can practically. If you have some good, stable 8/4 stock you want to use, then go for it. But if you're going the 2X construction lumber route, I'd buy a few extra pieces and go for 3" instead. I've heard guys say they wish their bench was thicker/heavier. Never heard anyone complain it's too thick though. Err on the side of caution when practical…


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

You said "My Last Workshop."

If that's the plan, don't undershoot and wish you'd done better.

It's not much extra work (or money, if using construction lumber as you suggest).


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I think depends on the style of bench you intend to build. For a Roubo, I wouln't go less than 3". The weight and mass is your friend on that style of bench. The other types of benches I'n not familiar with so I'll let others comment on that. Do you have a style in mind?


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## PPK (Mar 8, 2016)

> Not necessary. But more mass is always better. I d go with 3" over 2" for sure. 2" is a little thin for holdfasts. Can be used, but 3" is better.
> 
> - jmartel


+1


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## Bill_Steele (Aug 29, 2013)

I agree with the other posts-you want a heavy solid workbench. If you're not dead set on a wood tabletop-you might consider MDF. It's heavy, flat, and does not change much (if at all) dimensionally. Four layers of 3/4" MDF will get you a heavy and solid work surface.


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## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

> Depending on how you ll use the bench, the weight of a thicker top is really useful. Mine is 4" thick and 7 long, and it never thinks about moving when I m hand planing. The thicker top can also be nice when you re chopping with a chisel, as a thinner bench top may flex a bit. I d also say a minimum of 3" if you re doing hand work.
> 
> As you say, if you re mostly doing power tool work, 2" is probably sufficient. According to a blog on Tools for Working Wood, 2" thick works fine for holdfasts.
> 
> ...


The 2" they cite does work, but it also depends upon the thickness of the stock being held. I've cleaned up my top twice now and it's approaching the 2" thickness. I find thinner stock isn't holding as well. Sometimes I need to give the holdfast another whack or two.


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

Bigger is always better and it suck to build a light duty bench and wish you'd built it bigger. Mines going to be a 5"-5 1/2" top.


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## TwoThumbBruce (Feb 21, 2010)

Well, THAT was impressive! You guys chimed in cast my doubts away! Quick! Of course, in retrospective, the answer is obvious with the minimal downside being overwhelmed by the much more substantial benefits or potential benefits.

I have my new Laguna Fusion F2 arriving this afternoon and if the Florida heat eases up a bit I'm going to start on my workshop and I'll try to make a few LJ projects. I hope I don't embarrass myself too much!

Thanks guys!


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

Like others say, It depends on what kind of work you are doing. I love the idea of a 4" thick bench. But that just does not fit my needs. As it turns out, I too for the most part am a power tool woodworker. And with my small shop size, My bench needed to be an outfeed/assembly table as well as a workbench. 
In the end I loosely copied the benches from a local school. The top of my bench is two sheets of 5'X5'- 3/4" baltic birch ply wood. And 4/4 poplar, and 1" ply for the legs and base. Flat, and solid as a rock. And when the top gets worn out. Just a new sheet of plywood. 
Photo was when bench was brand new, had not added the dog holes yet.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

My workbench top is about 3.5" thick, and I like it. Personally, I wouldn't go less than 3" for a classic hand tool or hybrid bench, but honestly, with the right bracing, stability, and a heavy base, you can get by with a 2" top.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

Agree with other posts >> If you want hand tool bench:

2" thick is marginal for using hold fasts. Bench dog holes will also wear faster than thicker top.
3" thick works with hold fast, and allows for 3-4 major top re-surfacing as top gets more experience.
4" thick will allow your kids to use the bench after you die, unless are type who abuses his bench top and needs to resurface it every couple years; then best plan for 6 inch thick.

IMHO - For a classic hand tool use, would not start with less 3.5 inch lumber thickness for a new bench.

Do not forget that you have to flatten the top after glue up. It is easy to make glue mistakes or get some warp after glue up that will require 1/4+ inch removal to get long table top flat initially. Before you know it, 3.5 inch top becomes 3 inches. So best to start at least 1 inch thicker lumber than final thickness you want to end up using initially.

Best Luck.


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## TwoThumbBruce (Feb 21, 2010)

Excellent advice from all of you. Most of you were dead-on with your reasoning too and because the added cost to make it plenty thick is far outweighed by the actual and potential benefits, I'm going to go with 2×8's!!! But I'll rip them in half! I think I can select the better parts more easily.

Thanks for the heads up on future leveling, Capt. K! I had not considered that leveling later would be necessary. I plan to use a jointer and planer to make as precise as possible while gluing up in 10" width sections, and then glue them all together. I plan to level the table using an excellent method I saw on YouTube by The Wood Whisperer 
( 



 ).

Laguna Fustion F2 36" saw arrived a few days ago and I almost have it set up - just the calibration, but I'm very pleased. Their instructions, including their 18 chapter YouTube video to guide you stop-by-step is excellent. Just have to wait for some cooler days but will be reporting and will set up a project blog for the workshop.

More advice will be welcomed! And thanks again to all.

Bruce


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

I used 2×8s to make my workbench (see my profile for pictures and a write up), but in hindsight, I'd actually go with 2×10s. That way I could cut around knots and gnarly spots and still be able to get two 4" boards out of each 2×10. It'll cost a bit more, but you can be choosier in what you use. The main issue with my bench is some unsightly (and annoying) knots that ended up in the top.


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## Breeze73 (Jul 14, 2016)

I would recommend a hard wood. I made mine out of Q/S beech and it is a beast. I know I will have it for the rest of my life. If cost is not an issue, don't use construction grade wood. Go with Maple or Beech!


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## HonestlyMediocre (Jul 15, 2018)

Chris Schwarz wrote a great book on workbench design, I got a copy from my library and really enjoyed it. I had already built my bench, but I used some suggestions in the bench for adding a tail vise and locating holes for my holdfasts and bench dogs.

As far as thicknesses go, it depends. What it depends on are your holdfasts (that is if you are using them). Holdfasts work by binding in the holes and therefore really need to match the bench top. Forged holdfasts tend to be more flexible and can work in thicker (>3") tops, but their max varies between makers. Forged holdfasts are also pricey, so consider that. Cast iron holdfasts, such as you would find at Rockler are much less expensive, but only work in thinner tops because they are more rigid. I use cast iron holdfasts in my bench and they work pretty well.

My bench is 2 1/2" thick, I made it out of 1 1"x4'x8' sheet of ACX plywood cut down the middle and added another 1/2" with a leftover 2' wide sheet I had from another project (final dimensions are 2'x6'). It cost me $70 and I only had to glue two faces and didn't need to plane anything. Being ACX ply, it's very stable dimensionally. The top itself is very heavy and I don't have any problems with movement with any of my hand planes. To give the bench more heft I've added a storage shelf atop my bottom leg stretchers and the bench is even more stout-not that it needed it.

ACX is made of softwood, but I don't mind the few dings in the top, especially for what it cost me to make.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

> I would recommend a hard wood. I made mine out of Q/S beech and it is a beast. I know I will have it for the rest of my life. If cost is not an issue, don t use construction grade wood. Go with Maple or Beech!
> 
> - Breeze73


+10

Also, White Ash works great too! Hardwoods have less tendency to warp over time. I went with 3in top on mine:
http://horizontalheavens.com/21st_century_workbench_project.htm


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## enazle (May 18, 2018)

I'm of the opinion a bench should be versital and if needed movable. My latestest bench is made of 4' x 8' x 3/4" floor deck with 1 1/2" x 2 -1/2" yellow pine joist spaced on 8" centers, setting on a couple sturdy saw horses. It works for me because I try not to use to many hand planes, draw knifes etc. The floor decking is hard and stiff and using shims under the joist, I level the top in just a few minutes. Yes, I know it is ugly, but it works, and the little spaces between the joist are perfect for stashing pieces of trim and straight edges.


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## TwoThumbBruce (Feb 21, 2010)

I'm always learning from you guys and appreciate your comments. I don't do much with hand planes or draw knives, and I've used a plywood stand with good results in the past. I know, though, that I'll be doing new things and building things in ways I never did before, so I'm going to err on the side of caution as the cost is minimal and the results permanent. I can see the need for a study work table and may have that anyway and use it in different ways, such as an extension to the saw outfeed.

I've decided to build the miter station first and this will give me some quick help. YouTube has a wealth of information and the how-to videos full of ideas. I'll also set up a sheet of plywood on some stands to give me an immediate assembly table. Buying lumber is another ball game and I realize now it's more than going to HD or Lowes on Saturday morning. Amazon is delivering almost daily with new stuff for the workshop!


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## Mr_Pink (May 20, 2017)

I went with the lazy way to get a thick, hardwood bench top. I bought a 12' long Butcher-block countertop that was 1.75" thick, cut it in half, and glued those halves together. The resulting bench top is quite solid and required minimal flattening.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

> I went with the lazy way to get a thick, hardwood bench top. I bought a 12 long Butcher-block countertop that was 1.75" thick, cut it in half, and glued those halves together. The resulting bench top is quite solid and required minimal flattening.
> - Mr_Pink


Hey, I see that you have an image of that in your "Workshop" folder. Suggest adding to your projects also, if you more images of the process. Good job!


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## TwoThumbBruce (Feb 21, 2010)

I entertained the butcher block idea and found a used BB countertop for sale for $70 on CL, found out it was made of maple (so he says), but then two things: First, I realized a 72" countertop cut in half and glued would give me a 36" long bench. Too small. Then, I realized that the reason I do woodworking is for the satisfaction of making my own thing. Much more satisfying to assemble my own.

My lumber yards don't readily carry hardwood, other than red oak boards at HD. Where do other's get maple, beech, etc. at a reasonable price?


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

Where in Florida are you located? 
A quick Google search of hardwood lumber distributors produced a large list all over the state.
In Tampa there is a rugby Lumber wholesaler. I have rugby here in Las Vegas where I live only name I recognized.


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## Woodmaster1 (Apr 26, 2011)

I am going to build one 2 1/4" thick to match the maple Workbench l have. I am going to the club's wood barn and shop for white oak or hickory and pick the one that has the most 2" thick pieces. It could be a combination of both I haven't been in the barn for awhile.


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## TwoThumbBruce (Feb 21, 2010)

I live in Lady Lake, FL, which is in the north central part of the state. I'm sure Orlando has something and I could order things, but I like to take my time and think about what I'm buying and not be forced to make a decision because I've picked that day to rent a trailer and take a half day trip to buy what they have at the moment. 
And I ain't no spring chicken, either.


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