Low cost tank-tough workbench

Step 5 Attach the bench top

With the bench frame complete and anchored to the wall via the sides and some vertical diagonal supports, the next thing to do is attach the top. I used two layers for my bench top. The bottom layer is made of 1/2" thick plywood scrap which is structurally very strong. However, the wood fibers in plywood and regular dimensional lumber will compress and dent under hammer assault and other hard workbench duty. Fiber products like OSB (oriented strand board), MDF (medium density fiberboard), and particle board can handle hammering much better even though they are not as structurally strong in many cases. So the first step is to cut and screw down a layer of plywood or whatever scrap sheet stock you have handy. Use 1 5/8" screws or similar. See pic. I tried to tie the plywood layer to each diagonal and cross brace underneath with at least two screws per member. By boxing this frame securely you add a great deal of strength to the workbench.

Once you have the first layer on, attach your "punishment" layer. As discussed, I used OSB since I had extra piece laying around and because it can handle abuse. Also, in the event that you need to replace the top later, you can strip the cheap OSB and add more or another material of your choosing. Since this top surface is the sacrificial layer, I only used a few screws so that it would be easy to remove if it ever got too ratty. See pic.