Solid Core Door For Benchtop Question

[jimwill48]

I want to use a 30"x80" Solid Core Door Slab for a benchtop for a new workbench I'm building and have a couple of questions someone might be able to answer.


I have found at both Lowes & HD, 30"x 80" birch skinned solid core doors, is there any diff in the two stores doors? Does anyone know what is under the skins? (mdf, ply, pine, ecte) this is important because I will be drilling holes for bench dogs and of course need to mount the door to frame via screws.

Thanks for the help!

JW

 

[chris99z71]

Solid core doors make awesome bench tops. They're dead flat and heavy as heck.
Most solid core doors have a particle board type core, similar to melamine. I truely don't know how well bench dogs would work in that. I'm inclined to think that they would not last terribly long.

Check here for a list of habitat for humanity re-use centers near you. I've purchased 4 or 5 solid core doors from the one in Raleigh for bench tops and I've never paid more than $20 or $25 for one. I've gotten them as cheap as $5. New, I know they're alot more than that!
Good luck!

 

[Terry]

Check this site out from lowes. It gives the 3 types of doors. Terry


Installing Interior Doors

 

[toolferone]

I would also worry about the bench dog holes getting messed up. You might think about inlaying a hardwood strip to help take some of the stress on the holes. I have also purchased doors from habitat for humanity reuse center. In fact I am typing this on a door right now. (it is my desk at work and has a oak veener top)

 

[Ozzie-x]

I used a solid core high end commercial grade door for my current "temporary" bench. Like Chris said, dead flat, heavy. Makes a good solid top, quick and easy. Find a jobsite where they're doing demolition, and the contractors are usually glad for you to haul them off for free. You can rip off the hardware holes and hinge mortises, and on a 30" door that will put you in the 24" range that is the traditional width of a workbench top. I banded this one with red oak and it looks nice, plus the banding covers up the particle board core. A simple solution for the dog holes is to drill the holes then epoxy 3/4" copper water pipe in the holes. I filed down a spade bit to closely fit the OD of the pipe and used a portalign in a hand drill to drill the holes, then epoxied the copper sleeves in place. The ID of standard hard copper 3/4" pipe is perfect for the round Veritas brass dogs. I've used and abused the bench for several years now and so far the copper sleeved dog holes have done well, no deformation or failures.

 

[toolferone]

I A simple solution for the dog holes is to drill the holes then epoxy 3/4" copper water pipe in the holes. I filed down a spade bit to closely fit the OD of the pipe and used a portalign in a hand drill to drill the holes, then epoxied the copper sleeves in place. The ID of standard hard copper 3/4" pipe is perfect for the round Veritas brass dogs. I've used and abused the bench for several years now and so far the copper sleeved dog holes have done well, no deformation or failures.

Very cool idea! You got any closeup pics of that?

 

[Ozzie-x]

Nope, no pics so I guess I made it up :lol: . Right now it would take an hour of cleaning up just to find the workbench top! I really need to get some pics of the current bench and some other stuff and get them posted. My new hot-rod dual processor computer is sitting here ready to be hooked up, and that will make downloading pics much easier, it's a pain on this computer.

 

[Gofor]

Hey, a hot-rod with dual carbs. Neat! (Oh wait, that was dual cores, wasn't it). Congrats, but no pics, no suckage! You gonna push that beast with some CAD programs?

:lol:
Go

 

[Ozzie-x]

Hey, a hot-rod with dual carbs. Neat! (Oh wait, that was dual cores, wasn't it). Congrats, but no pics, no suckage! You gonna push that beast with some CAD programs?
:lol:
Go

I'm probably going to run Autocad 2006, might be able to squeak by with that :lol: . The new 'puter is sitting here in the box and I've been dreading setting it up because it's always a PITA and lots of time. Might delve into it tonight. When it's going, might try out the new graphics stuff with some new pictures of the new 'puter.

 

[chris]

I also picked up a commercial solid core door from Habitat...caught it at the right time for $5, weighs a ton and dead flat. It's a perfect choice for an easy, cheap top. I wish I'd picked up a couple extra at that price.

 

[scott hamm]

i've got a few solid core door.
some are 36" and 24".
some have a window cut in them and some don't.
if anyones interested contact me and i'll see what i have and get you a price.
$5-$20 depending on door wanted.
all are new and have never been installed.
scott

 

[Littlejon]

Well, my office used some for desks in our old office way back when. When we moved, we "upgraded" and I took one of the doors (NO windows or anything else on them - except hole to knob - would make a PERFECT top) to our church to make a door for the nursery. Well, someone went out and had one made for the nursery, so the old door is just sitting there. If someone wants it, I will check to make sure no one has spoken for it, but if it isn't spoken for, it is yours. All you have to do is pick it up.

I am in Reidsville, just north of Greensboro, near Madison and Wall Lumber.

Just let me know. IIRC, it is a 3'X8' door and is heavy as lead. I don't have room for it to make a bench with it or I would not offer it up.

I did take another smaller door that had been cut and used it for another tabletop in my shop. It works great!

 

[mac martin]

Quick and easy = holler core doors are for scrapbooking, wouldn,t even sit on one.
Solid core much better choice, BUT if you really want a "solid" top. - well, About 25 years ago:
I used a concrete floor(flat) as a platform to nail/glue a set of spruce 2X4's togather (remember to mark the nail locations for future dog holes, etc) to make up a 2'X6'X3.25" - even added 5 all-thread rods to really pull it all togather. I have redressed it a couple of times and its is still going strong. You can save some time dressing the trop, if you have access to a large commercial planer - I had to used a jack and a joiner plane and a belt sander. No planer or sander available at the time

 

[eezlock]

I want to use a 30"x80" Solid Core Door Slab for a benchtop for a new workbench I'm building and have a couple of questions someone might be able to answer.


I have found at both Lowes & HD, 30"x 80" birch skinned solid core doors, is there any diff in the two stores doors? Does anyone know what is under the skins? (mdf, ply, pine, ecte) this is important because I will be drilling holes for bench dogs and of course need to mount the door to frame via screws.

Thanks for the help!

JW

JW, I made a very solid and heavy duty workbench using a solid core door
for the top. I picked up (free I might add) an old trestletable with a solid top heavy legs and cross stetcher brace for the base, build up 2"x 10" framing mounted to the tabletop enclosed it with two drawers on slides, then installed the solid core door on top of that. I mounted a vise on one end and drilled some 3/4" holes in line with the vise (front to back). After all that I enclosed the back and sides with plywood and installed two
doors on the lower section and put in two shelves (1) rolls in and out
on shelf glides. Then painted the base cabinet with white paint that I
had on hand and left the two tops (1) under the drawers & (2) work
top both brown, it not only works really good, looks good, and can
take one heck of a pounding and abuse if need! Just my solution to
making what I have ( most of it for free) work for me. The total cost
including the solid core top is about $35.00 and that includes the vise!
eezlock

 

[Jim Hancock]

You can also check NC State Surplus in Raleigh. I picked one up for $5 there. The link shows what is up for bid, but you need to go there in person to see the used furniture, doors, and chairs. They don't always have doors there so it is hit or miss. I also got my shop stool there for $5.

State Surplus Property Bids

 

[jimwill48]

Originally Posted by jimwill48
I want to use a 30"x80" Solid Core Door Slab for a benchtop for a new workbench I'm building and have a couple of questions someone might be able to answer.

Thank for all the reply's. I bought a 32"x 80" door at HD it had a slight chip on one of the sides and the HD manager knocked $10 off so I got it for $28. This thing is very heavy and seems the fill is a type of chipboard (not as dense as MDF). The only other thing I noticed was after I got it mounted to the base was that an area about 2 inchs from the top and bottom was not flat up dished (kind of looked like a snipe). The rest of the now bench top is totaly flat, took screws just find in attaching it to the base. Mounted a 8" metal front vise but discovered that the top being only 1 3/4" think that it put the vise jaws above the bench top, went ahead and mounted it this way for the time being but will make a mounting plate to lower it so the vice jaw are even with the bench top. All in all I can say it seems to be working out ok after using it for a couple of differant projects. I didn't put a throw away top on it as I wanted the edge banding to be even with the benchtop and slightly rounded. Later I may just, double edge tape down a 1/8" of Hardboard if I need to and taper the edge.

James