I’m planning on using some 2nd hand kitchen units as the base for a workbench in the garage. I can find 2nd hand units, but will need a 2.4m worktop which is much harder to find 2nd hand (most are shorter or have a hole for a sink or hob in them!). I could get a cheap laminate worktop, but I’m not sure how it will cope as a workbench? Does anyone have any suggestions for a cheap, durable worktop? Thanks.

Worktop works ok, do you have somewhere local that does cheap worktop? We have a place in Burnley that does dirt cheap lengths of worktop.

Nip into your nearest Howdens or equivalent and ask if they have any rejects/returns.

I got a 3m length of good quality (50mm) worktop for £25. One end was damaged but I needed to cut it anyway

I don’t know of anywhere local that does cheap worktops, but there is a Howdens local so I’ll pop in there at some point, thanks.

Ikea sometimes have decent bits in their bargain basement section

Or you could go to B&Q and get them to cut a sheet of ply /mdf / chipboard in half and you can then glue or screw the two halves together. Or get two bits of 8×2 chipboard floor and glue together and trim the T&G off

Kitchen worktops are pretty robust but may be a bit slippery for working on and the rounded over front edge might bother you – sometime nice to have a good deep square edge to thing when trying to clamp things in place. Depends what the work you will use it for is of course.

You might find something without a slick laminate finish gives you a bit more friction so the the things you are working on stay put and have something that’s easy to drive screws into, mark on or whatever

I’m currently doing the same thing. My BIL got me some units from a rip out he was doing.

Ive routered and biscuit jointed scaffold boards together £4 per metre.

Not finished yet but getting there. If I can do it anyone can. I’m a printer not a joiner. 🙂

Going to use exterior Matt varnish on it. Don’t want a polished finish shabby chic is what I’m after.

What RikB said. I got a top that was damaged on the corner for peanuts.

Looking good Merak, but for near full 2.4m bench I’d go with maccruiseken and double layer some water resitant ply from B&Q, cut to exactly your required length on the big machine.

Another vote for doubled up ply, I’d glue and nail a trim to it in wood as well.

I’ve got 18mm ply over a 2*4 frame with cheapass laminate flooring on top. Laminate flooring is robust. Even hammering directly doesn’t mark it

Looks mint Merak 👍

Two layers of ply works well IF you can tame it flat. It’s often pretty bowed. The better quality ply tends to be flatter, Birch ply for instance.

Put plenty of supports across the top, insides of your cabinets in timber, lay your first layer of ply and screw it nice and flat to all the supports, then screw the next layer down from underneath through the first one. Hopefully should get a flatter result as it’s fairly difficult to glue something that big together, never mind flat if you’ve not got the equipment.

Depends what sort of work you’re planning to do on the bench, but mdf can actually be ok, providing it has good support and go for two layers again. Tends to be flatter off the shelf too innit. Treat it with varnish after.

Another vote for ply and I also edged it will B&Q angle iron to avoid chunks getting knocked out of it (also provides an occasional extra hard surface for bashing things on).

Scaffold boards for me, biscuit jointed together make a great strong work surface.

I rather like a shabby chic

I use a flush panel fire door as a workbench top where I can/have one available at the right price. They’re solid, heavy, flat, can bolt a vice onto it and will also take a sacrificial ply top

Unfortunately the longest I’ve found is 2040mm and I think you’re after 2400mm?

Either way, try eBay for a secondhand one, maybe?

Mine is made up of 2x layers of 18mm OSB with a thin (4mm?) bit of exterior ply on top.

Under that is a frame of 1×4 timber, with extra frames at about 50cm intervals.

4 legs of 1×4

And then a shelf similar to the top but just with the thin ply and frame.

Square of ply on each end to stiffen it.

Very strong, ive been using it as a platform to stand on and it doesnt give one bit.

Advantage of OSB is its dirt cheap and tends to be less flexible than ply so when I cut each piece and then put then on tresles I could just screw them together without worrying about them bowing (ply on top, then flip over and build the frame and screw that in from underneath, flip over again and build the legs, pull the tressles out and build the legs and shelf).

Didnt varnish the top as if you spill solvents on varnish you just end up with a sticky mess.

Only job to do is fit a soft jawed vice to the edge and some holes for dogs/pegs.