Cutting dog holes in laminate? Melamine / laminate workbench top

[Tallis]

Morning all,

I've made a simple workbench with a double layer top - 18mm ply, with a layer of 18mm MRMDF glued together.

I wondered about gluing some sort of laminate / melamine to the top, for ease of cleaning of glue and to make the MDF more hardwearing.

Anyone make any recommendations on a good quality laminate that would be suitable and who supplies rolls of the stuff?

I have the Parf dog guide and will use that to drill my holes - but have read about how brittle melamine and other laminates are so wondered if this is a no-go from the start?

Thanks for your thoughts/advice.

 

[Bingy man]

Good morning and welcome to ukw . Why not save yourself some of your hard earned money and simply give the mdf a few coats of exterior varnish. Cheap , doesn’t easily chip or split and will allow you to wipe down after glue paint stain etc .. good luck

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

I'm with bingy man well almost. I use an equal mix of varnish, blood and white spirit as recommended by Chris Schwartz. Works well. You can wipe off the glue, stain etc yet still gives a bit of grip - probably better than melamine, formica etc.

 

[Bingy man]

I'm with bingy man well almost. I use an equal mix of varnish, blood and white spirit as recommended by Chris Schwartz. Works well. You can wipe off the glue, stain etc yet still gives a bit of grip - probably better than melamine, formica etc.

Sorry - I have to ask -I use blood fish and bone in the garden but I’ve never heard of it in woodworking. So dried , liquid and where does one obtain blood from.

 

[Cabinetman]

Yes I agree about the varnish I used water based poly varnish on my gluing up benches any blobs just ping off in a very satisfying way.

 

[Tallis]

Great - cheap and simple! I'm not fussed about the looks. I'll pass on the blood-letting though...

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

Sorry - I have to ask -I use blood fish and bone in the garden but I’ve never heard of it in woodworking. So dried , liquid and where does one obtain blood from.

Predictive text the bain (NO BAIN not brain you blinking machine) of every bl@@dy texter. Meant to be BLO - boiled linseed oil.

 

[Bingy man]

Predictive text the bain (NO BAIN not brain you blinking machine) of every bl@@dy texter. Meant to be BLO - boiled linseed oil.

Ah now that makes sense, I was tying to imagine popping down to the local butcher’s and asking for a quart of finest and freshest blood .. predictive text is to he devil’s hangman