Workbench Top

[Smiffy]

Just wondering what the general consensus is for topping your workbenches? I used carpet before which was 'ok', but I found that it was never properly flat. I'm thinking about using some of those interlocking rubber floor mats...

What does everyone else have on theirs?

[fusionframer]

Carpet tiles for me. easy to fit (replace if needed).

[stcstc]

8mm toughens safety glass for me

easy clean, no dust, and can cut on it

[prospero]

Depends what you are doing on your workbench. If you are assembling frames face-down then a good quality short-pile carpet is the best thing I have found. I stress good quality. Plain if possible and a neutral, not-too-light shade. Jazzy patterns and bright colours can be very hard on the eyes under bright lighting.
A lot of surfaces can seem very smooth and soft, but even card can be quite abrasive and can mark frames if you slide them across it. Same with rubber/plastic. That's what erasers are made from.

[Roboframer]

I've never liked the idea of carpet or any type of fabric, it can't be wiped clean or easily brushed and things can get lodged in the pile/nap that can cause damage - like a blob of dried glue even.

So I prefer disposable/removeable/easily swapped stuff and in one corner of my bench I have a 4x3 ft piece of MDF, painted black and covered with domed rubber bumpers - superb for glass cleaning and final assembly (of most frames) and I also have another one that can be got out for larger frames and pieces of glass/acrylic.

The whole (12x6 ft) bench is covered in sheets of jumbo mountboard and the exposed area (not covered by the board mentioned above) is covered in the paper sheets that interleave glass and they're renewed at least daily. Each end of the bench has long skinny strips of mount board, artbak or MDF, for cutting - again renewed as required. Then we have a large throw that can be ... er .... thrown .. over the bench, or an area of it if needs be, for frames with delicate finishes etc.

If I spill something on the main surface of my bench, or maybe manage to get a bit of liming wax/whatever on it - I either flip it over/around or just toss it and re-cover.

[Cameron]

Love this forum!

One of my framing reps told me to use carpet. Bought a nice piece for my bench top 4 meters x 2.5 meters. Laid it on to fit and noticed it will be impossible to get out all the ripples.

So took it off... I have just been keeping a large piece of foam board for all my frames. Canvas I just stretch on the Varnished MDF which is fine. Would like to fine something better though. But after reading Roboframers post the idea of disposable/removable stuff it probably the best way.

Cameron

[prospero]

I've got two benches. One is the clean bench and one is the mucky bench. The clean bench is very clean, I use it for mountcutting and glass cleaning. The mucky bench is very mucky. I use it for frame building and finishing. When I come to final assembly I have a nice piece of conservatory carpet that I got from the bargain bin at LDL's. I roll it out on the mucky bench and roll it away when finished.
I also have a drawing board with a green cutting mat on top for mounting and washlining.
Probably not the ideal setup, but you have to adapt according to your space.

[theframer]

For my fitting up bench i use bubble wrap give it a blow with the air gun if it gets debris from reglazes exetra and easy to replace.