Help a novice woodworker- Some advice needed on an outdoor workbench.

[Asaf]

Hi everyone!

I’m new to this forum and I was hoping to get some advice on a workbench I’m planning to build.

I have one big issue that causes all of my problems/questions - I don’t have a closed place (like a garage or a basement) to put the bench in, so I’m forced to place it in my terrace.

Now, my problems are:

• Finish:  The bench, altough the terrace has a roof, is going to be exposed to rain and sunlight (not much of a direct sunlight, but still..). What kind of finish do I need to put on the wood in order to help it cope a little better with the weather? I’m not expecting it to be water-proof, I was thinking of covering it with some sort of nylon cover when I’m not using it..
• When it rains, the floor of the terrace gets wet (it ceramic tiles) so I need to keep the bottom of the legs dry. I was thinking about installing casters, but I worry it won’t be stable enough (even with the ones with the locking mechanism). Any suggestions on that matter?

 

P.S  - I’m planning to build it with pine 2x4s and perhaps plywood for the top. Nothing fancy..

 

Thank you in advance for your help,

 

Asaf.

 

 

[duckkisser]

i would make it out of something outdoor friendly like cement legs and stone top make sure where you put it is where you want it for ever

[wtnhighlander]

Look for a product called "porch paint", or one of the newer deck treatments, at least for the lower parts. If you are using hand planes, a slick surface on top isn't a good thing to have, so maybe an oil or oil/varnish mix that will soak into the surface. Otherwise, paint or poly on top. If you decide against casters, consider some sort of non-wooden 'feet' to elevate the legs out of standing water.

 

Oh, and plan to build it again in a couple of years ...

[G S Haydon]

Hello Asaf and welcome to the forum.

 

I admire your determination to get into woodworking even though space is a premium.

I would avoid castors unless you really need them. Not sure i would bother too much with treatment if your covering it. Perhaps give the lower sections of the legs a good soaking in clear preservative. Nothing wrong with 2 x 4 and ply 

[Tpt life]

I would prefer to invest in a cover. While covers do not eliminate humidity concerns, they do minimize water pooling and UV damage when the bench is not in use and also may allow you to consider not using a specialty finish for the top. I would seek a quality cover not similar to cheap grill covers but more akin to boat covers.

[Beechwood Chip]

I'd use something like this or this to keep the end grain of the legs up off the damp.

[..Kev]

I would suggest treated lumber and some marine plywood for a top.  Or, better yet, treated lumber and a DIY concrete countertop.

[jHop]

I'm in a similar situation.  My shop is covered by the porch roof, but it's open on two sides and I put the bench right at the edge of the patio.  I made my bench out of laminated 3/4" CDX plywood (glued and screwed together) and set it on sawhorses.  Yes, it disassembles so I can store it away, yes that means I need storage space, and yes, it's a pain to put things away and set them up just to work in the shop for a bit, but the bench can be used for a while this way.  (I'm also planning on rebuilding the bench when I get a more permanent shop space.)

 

Matt Vanderlist is sharing links to Centipede, with their new expandable base.  The DIY option (it's still in fundraising stage, so you're not going to be able to buy one right now) is 2'x4'.  This would probably be the best legs I would recommend.  The other option they have is for a full size sheet of plywood, but I think that might be overkill for a bench.  The problem I have with this is that the product is not made yet.  If you're willing to wait six months, it will be available.  Otherwise....

[Trip]

Assuming you want something similar to a traditional bench, let's talk wood species and outdoor finishes...

 

I've done a bunch of outdoor projects recently and currently care for five wooden-based boats built in the '40s and '50s (yes, we are gluttons for punishment).

 

Outdoor species: Cumaru, Gennuine Mahogany, Ipe, Jarrah, Monkey Pod, Purple Heart, Teak, Cypress, and several others -- these are particularly suited for outdoor and marine applications...  BTW, Frank Klausz's bench is made from Purple Hart -- it looks awesome...  Teak is too expensive and Mahogany is a bit soft... Several folks have build benches in Cypress....

 

Then there are the finishes...  I use CPES with a high-solids marine varnish (Peittt or Epiphanies) -- lasts about 5-years between re-coats...  I believe BoatWorks is using WestSystems 206 w/ a marine varnish at the moment -- I believe Petitt... But he can speak for himself...

 

Point is, you can built a wooden bench that sits outdoors if you use the right wood species and finish.  The real issue is seasonal movement and it's effect on work-holding and vice travel.  The bench faces will move...  No getting around that.  Some of us rely on the clamping surfaces to be flat, square and true -- and some of us don't...  If you have an outdoor bench, you won't have that option...  If you can live without it, then you can build with wood...  As an example -- my great grandfather built a nice wooden bench to support boat maintenance (the boats that I now maintain) -- it's a big beast and sits semi-covered in the boathouse (semi-outdoors).  It sports a leg-vice (a tail or wagon vice would bind with seasonal wood movement) and a standard pattern vice...  Been going strong since the '30s...

[Boatworks Today]

Hey Asaf,

 

Here's how I would look at this project.  I'm guessing that the workbench is more of a functional piece rather than a "show" piece.  You're looking to use pine and ply which would work great for a bench like this, but I might make a couple of alterations.  Rather than using ply, look at a product called MDO (Medium Density Overlay).  It's basically a resin overlay on top of exterior ply, but it's dead flat and the resin top is more or less waterproof..  On the bottom side I would coat with something, doesn't really matter what as long as it has some moisture protection (which almost all coating provide).  I believe many of the big box stores carry this (menards, lowes. etc)

 

As far as how to finish the pine frame, I think I would do the caster idea to keep the legs out of standing water / mobility and leave the rest bare.  True pine doesn't have much rot resistance, but I've had a couple of saw horses that I build 4-5 years ago that sit out in the rain, snow, sun, etc and they are still as strong as the day I built them.  No signs of rot.  I think rot with pine is  mostly an issue when water is able to get trapped and sit; if the design allows good air flow it will last quite a while. 

 

If you would prefer to put something on for added protection it certainly would not be a bad idea.  The only reason I mentioned to leave it bare is if you start looking at high-end finishes, you'll have as much invested into the finish as the materials for the bench !  Paint might be a good option...

 

Now, if there is going to be a lot of time invented on the bench, then none of what I mentioned applies (other than the MDO) ...

 

What kind of design are you looking to do?

[Asaf]

Wow guys, thanks a lot for your help!!
 
Because i'm a student, the bench won't be used too often (probably once every couple of weeks during the semesters) so I'd prefer to build something that would last me even a year or so, and see how it copes with the weather. I could always build a new one when the time comes (or at least know it isn't feasible with a low budget).
Another thing, because I don't live in the US it is hard to get a hold of some of the finishes you've suggested, and they would probably end up costing more than the bench. Would the "ordinary" finishes make any difference if applied?
 
I think I would go with something like Beechwood Chip suggested for the bottom part of legs, to keep the end grain out of the water, and probably get a decent cover like C Shaffer suggested.
 
Regarding the design, my initial idea was to do something simple like that:
 

 

I'd probably have to modify the legs so I can fit some of the metal braces there..

 

Thank you guys again,

 

Asaf

 

[duckkisser]

how about instead of wood top a corian counter top it would then be flat and water proof.  the legs you might have to get creative perhaps pvc filled with cement or sand for weight.  then you would not have to replace it in a couple years.

[jHop]

I'll post a photo tomorrow of some ply I've had on the porch for just three months.  You'll see why you shouldn't leave it out unfinished or exposed.  (my bench is made from the same material, just slightly thicker.  It's still in great shape, but I've been keeping it out of sun and rain when not in use.

[jHop]

Alright.  Now, I'm not saying this will happen to you.  But it's an example of what might happen.

 

 

The first two are of the plywood in question.  These have sat outside, in those exact positions, since late May.  They are from the same panel.  (After the first rain, I figured I'd not attach the larger piece as the back panel of a closet shelf I'm still in the process of building.  Between classes and chores, I've not had the time to pull everything outside and trim it down... which I need to because my measurements did not take into account one piece of plumbing that sticks out of the wall.)

You can see (somewhat) that the two have weathered differently.  This is a west facing wall, with a two-story porch roof over these.  The rain only reaches them in extreme situations.  I sat on the "bench" when I first cut the panel, and there was no noticable sag.  I sat on it two days ago, and the ends went up easily two inches.  Definite sag now.  (In fact, I tested it with my "new to me" router table, weighing all of about 7 pounds, and the ends went up about a half inch.)

 

In contrast, the third picture is of my bench in the "stored" position.  (The overlap visible is deliberate: it's where the dog hole mounting strip will go, once I finish it.)  This panel was purchased from the same location, at the same time (of the same grade and supplier to the location), and cut twenty minutes previously.  It was glued and screwed together at that time, and I've stored it inside that shed/shop, only pulling it out when I need it or need to get behind it.  You can clearly see that there is virtually no damage or weathering on it, and it's just as solid now as when I put it together.

Moral of the story?  If you can keep your bench under wraps and out of the elements, it will last much longer.  (Neither of these has any finish on it, btw.)  Not just a tarp, but an actual solid material wrap is the least you would need to use.  (I'm not saying don't try.  I'm saying it's going to need precautions to keep using it.)

[TRBaker]

Asaf, welcome to the forum. Since you are on a student's budget, I can understand you concern for cost. Pine will definitely be the cheapest option for the legs, and 3/4" ply for the top. The least expensive finish is going to be exterior enamel paint, which you can buy in smaller quantities. Just make sure you put several coats on the bottoms of the legs to seal the end grain. If it were me, I would put clear poly on the top so it would be more resistant to wear than just paint.

[GarryP]

An idea to keep the legs dry, add a PVC pipe fitting to the bottom to keep the wood an inch or more above the ground so it will readily dry out. Find a suitable fitting (maybe a one inch coupling) and glue it into a 1/2" recess in the bottom of the legs.

[rogerskevin]

I just used a new line of exterior stain products called Storm System. It was recommended by a friend because my deck will be receiving a lot of rain and I want to make sure its protected. They categorize their products by weather conditions so this should be an easy option for you. Hope this helps, best of luck!

[Asaf]

Thank you very much everyone!

 

The bench is actually already built (I was just too eager to wait ), but I still didn't put any finish on it, so I will definitely try Storm System.

 

I bought a waterproof cover for an outdoors table, and it's been covering it for about a month and a half or so, and It's still looks pretty good (no weather damages). With that said, it hasn't really rained yet, so I'll keep you posted.

 

 

[jHop]

With that said, it hasn't really rained yet, so I'll keep you posted.

 

I was curious how the bench was holding out.  I still have those pieces of plywood out, and the snow settled on one corner of the flat section... and the weathering has really become noticable.  (Still no finish on this.  Figured it's a little late now.  But it's covering the planters, so the landlord won't complain - too much.)  Now that we are entering the snowy season locally, I'm curious to see how long this plywood will last.  And I'm wondering how yours is holding up. 

 

Did you finally coat it?  Have you had to make any replacements to it?