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Author Topic: MDF Workbench - help please  (Read 8522 times)

spike

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MDF Workbench - help please
« on: September 15, 2014, 09:55:13 am »

at is best stuff to use on mdf please i am using it fo my bench top thanks
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Seaspray

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Re: help please
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2014, 10:06:54 am »

Don't like MDF If gets wets it falls apart. You may try 5 coats of oil based outside varnish if you're doing light work and it won't get wet . I put it on chipboard flooring so far it's holding up.

No chance of something stronger like ply or better still an old worktop?
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dougal99

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Re: help please
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2014, 10:08:16 am »

I would give it several coats of varnish to protect the surface from stains etc. Preferably satin or matt. Gloss would probably be a little slippy. Don't forget to rub down between coats.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: help please
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2014, 10:15:29 am »

Apart from the advice above, (you will definitely need to really seal the MDF well against spillage), I buy sheets of white faced hardboard to lie on my worktop. When they get scarred. stained and damaged I just replace them.
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wingaard

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Re: MDF Workbench - help please
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2014, 09:31:27 pm »

Buffalo Ply is often used for engineers work-bench tops.
http://www.advancedtechnicalpanels.co.uk/products/buffalo-board-birch-plywood
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essex2visuvesi

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Re: MDF Workbench - help please
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2014, 09:16:47 pm »

this stuff is good on MDF.... I painted my shelving units with it as well as the shed floor
http://www.ronseal.co.uk/products/diamond-hard-floor-paint
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RAAArtyGunner

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Re: MDF Workbench - help please
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2014, 09:39:40 pm »

Have you considered covering it with a laminate, known as Laminex, Formica, etc here in OZ.

Which in essence is compressed cardboard but hardwearing, available in non slip, cleans up well, eg, kitchen bench tops.
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tr7v8

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Re: MDF Workbench - help please
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2014, 10:00:42 pm »

mine have always been kitchen work surface, very often able to get a damaged one for sensible money.
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Re: MDF Workbench - help please
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2015, 08:35:12 pm »

Often builders merchants like Covers will have offcuts of kitchen worktop 'in the back' for sale. I bought a piece a few years back for a reasonable price.

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kinmel

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Re: MDF Workbench - help please
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2015, 09:17:25 pm »

I  always just leave the MDF bare, once it is truly ruined I just replace it with a new one.
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tigertiger

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Re: MDF Workbench - help please
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2015, 02:19:43 am »

Merging what Kinmel and Colin have suggested. I have a sacrificial surface on top of my bench. You can use another piece of thin mdf or hardboard.When it is ruined, throw it away.
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