MDF Cutting Tables – Covering

[David Hammond]

You get what you pay for. We’ve a 3x1m bench covered with the clear self healing mat. Well worth the £££’s :thumbsup:

I’ve seen people suggesting the reverse side of lino flooring.

[Chris McKay]

The self healing mat may be the way to go. I’ve heard people using rolls of adhesive laminate type material, however unsure as to what they have used.

Thanks for the reply.

[Omar Benmez]

Hi Chris

I have been making signs for years and found that the only way to go is the self-healing mat, we have tried using ploy carb and all sorted over the years without great results.
remember to get the extra thick ones so you can use the back side of the mat to get twice the life!

O

[Kevin Busby]

Ive got a couple mdf sheets on the top of my tables and followed the advice on here to go with toughened minimum 6mm thick, had the same two pieces 3 years now and not a mark on them. They do blunt the blades quicker than a proper cutting mat but its a fraction of the cost of replacing the table tops or cutting mats every year or two.

[Hugh Potter]

6mm toughened glass for me too, my 10×6 bench is going to cost around £400 for a single piece.

putting that into perspective, my 850 x 3.6m bench has two pieces on it, it’s 12 years old!! I replaced one about 8 years ago because I broke it … I cannot emphasise enough.. PROTECT THE EDGES!! otherwise.. scratching is minimal from blades, they take a lot of weight, easy to clean / wash / scrape, the only down side is that you’ll go theough blades quicker – a small price. At around £100 per panel, that’s £300 over 12 years.. £25 per year. I can wreck an A1 cutting mat with one repetetice job!!!

[Brian Maher]

Toughened Glass here too, we’ve had the bench 16ft x 4ft covered with the same glass for the past 17 years.
get the corners slightly rounded off and polished edges .
Make sure your bench surface is level so the glass lays flat and is evenly supported.

as the guys said, you’ll knock the edge of blades a bit quicker but its a small price to pay

[David Rogers]

Sheets of 2.5mm thick 8×4 polypropylene. Mega hard wearing, takes tens of thousands of cuts, doesn’t destroy blades, non-stick and dirt cheap. Been using it for ten years…new sets of sheets every year for our (2) 16×5 tables

[Martin Lemiesz]

glass for me as well lasts donkeys years and its easy to keep clean and if it gets tired there is always the reverse. We have self made 10×5 and 8×4 benches covered in 10mm glass wouldn’t swap them for anything

[Chris McKay]

Thanks for the replies. The glass seems a popular choice so I’ll look into this. Not too worried about going through blades quicker.

Re. the 2.5mm Polypropylene, do you have any issues with small pieces coming off due to cutting in the same areas as you would with MDF?

Thanks

[James Martin]

Blade runner flooring designed for gyms, golf clubs, ice rinks etc. Its tough as anything and you can score away on it with hardly any effect with a carpet knife which I use for weeding as well. Got it form a large carpet company we do vans for and its magic.
Not good for nice edges mind you as its not completely smooth.

[Chris Windebank]

Been using 5mm polypropylene for over ten years and still a few years left

[David Rogers]

quote Chris McKay:

Thanks for the replies. The glass seems a popular choice so I’ll look into this. Not too worried about going through blades quicker.

Re. the 2.5mm Polypropylene, do you have any issues with small pieces coming off due to cutting in the same areas as you would with MDF?

Thanks

Never…it simply doesn’t fall to bits

[Steve Morgan]

I’m with David and Chris on this.I used polypropylene on my bench for many years, however my initial reason for using it was that is was far more practical for me as my bench was used for many jobs other than just cutting and weeding. I got involved in a lot of exhibition carpentry, painting and occasional welding so whilst glass would have been very nice on occasions on balance it just wasn’t practical. The only time the sheet was completed ruined was after a lot of heavy cutting with a Stanley knife, and I wouldn’t have wanted to try that with the very slippery nature of glass anyway.

I’d like a quid for every time this subject has been aired on here. :smiles: