# homemade router table top



## Woodworker Shack (Nov 2, 2011)

What is your opinion of type of material to make the router table top? Formica laminated to a 3/4" MDF?


----------



## adjustablebeds (Apr 19, 2012)

This should be perfect. To save time we paint the MDF with two pack lacquer which has almost the same low friction effect as the formica.


----------



## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

I think that if You plan on using this for a long time, It might hold up better if You added a second piece of MDF, and a piece of formica on top of that. If You have moisture in Your shop, it will be able to stay straight Just another opinion!


----------



## geoff_s (Apr 14, 2012)

FWIW I'm planning to use 12mm and 25mm MDF glued together with laminex both sides after recommendations here.

Regards
Geoff


----------



## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

a simple piece of melamine shelving from home depot with some 2x4s to support it is inexpensive and effective. what's wrong with that?


----------



## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Chris Curl said:


> a simple piece of melamine shelving from home depot with some 2x4s to support it is inexpensive and effective. what's wrong with that?


Well, I don't like Home Depot. :happy: Otherwise should be no problem. I use 1/2" plywood, with lots of 2X4 support under. The latest is 2-3 years old, minimum, and no sag, does just what I need it for. Got maybe $2 in it.


----------



## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

Mine is about 1 1/4" thick laminated particle board. It's 2 feet wide and 4 feet long. I picked it up at a used office furniture store it was a top for a cubicle work station. It's heavy and far better than anything you could build. The part is that it only cost a few bucks because they have so many of these things laying around.


----------



## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

Here is a picture of the top made form a cubicle work top.


----------



## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Plan old MDF with liberal coats of Watco and then a good waxing. Otherwise you have too much invested in time and money. You will use the router top as an auxiliary work area and it will get dinged up in short order. Then you have an easy and cheap replacement. YMMV.


----------



## jeff niehenke (Feb 3, 2011)

For what its worth my last table was white melamine faced osb you find at the big box store and i roughed up one side and glued it to a second sheet of regular 3/4 mdf. 
after 3 years there was a slight bow to it. 
Hindsight i should have used two pieces of the same material as i believe the bottom mdf expanded and warped the more stable melamine faced osb. I also did not seal the mdf in any way which may have saved me too.


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

3/4" Baltic birch plywood with Formica top and bottom will last many years.


----------



## Thrifty Tool Guy (Aug 23, 2007)

*Is laminate top and bottom really necessary?*

I'm re-doing my router tables and I've done the glue ups of 3/4" MDF on 3/4"MDF for a 6/4" thick top and made my templates for the plates. Now, wanting to be super correct this time, do I need to laminate the top and bottom of this super thick table or is one layer of laminate enough? If you tell me I need two, tell me why?

BTW - Ill be mounting a Dewalt 625 and an Elu 3338 using Bench Dog aluminum plates. I'm considering using a router raizer on the Elu and I'm wondering if anyone has experience with the installation of that device and whether or not they retained the springs.


----------



## Woodworker Shack (Nov 2, 2011)

mgmine said:


> Here is a picture of the top made form a cubicle work top.


Nice router table you got!


----------



## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

Thrifty Tool Guy said:


> I'm re-doing my router tables and I've done the glue ups of 3/4" MDF on 3/4"MDF for a 6/4" thick top and made my templates for the plates. Now, wanting to be super correct this time, do I need to laminate the top and bottom of this super thick table or is one layer of laminate enough? If you tell me I need two, tell me why?
> 
> BTW - Ill be mounting a Dewalt 625 and an Elu 3338 using Bench Dog aluminum plates. I'm considering using a router raizer on the Elu and I'm wondering if anyone has experience with the installation of that device and whether or not they retained the springs.


The material needs to be sealed how you do it is up to you.


----------



## david cooksey (Jun 3, 2011)

Since here in my area the local lumber yard has to do a special order for MDF, i have used Baltic Birch Plywood since the lumer yard told me it would cost $50 + $22.50 frt for some MDF 4' x 8' sheet and baltic birch is $44.50 for a 5' x 5' sheet so i bought 2 sheets of Baltic Birch Plywood. Then i laminated the entire table top in Formica.

Dave


----------

