Plywood vs MDF for a workbench top - which one actually holds up better?

I'm building a new workbench for my garage and I keep going back and forth. Started with a 3/4 inch plywood top because everyone says it's stronger, but after dropping a heavy wrench on it the first day it already has a dent. My buddy swears by MDF since it's dead flat and you can just replace the top for like 15 bucks when it gets wrecked. But I'm worried about moisture since my garage gets humid in the summer. Anyone run a MDF top for over a year and regret it, or is plywood really the way to go long term?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylorhunt7d ago

Jump right in and say MDF is the way to go. Had a plywood top that looked like a golf ball after a month, swapped it for a sealed MDF slab and it's been flat as glass for two years now.

karen4108d ago

Dropping a heavy wrench on it the first day" really? That's rough man. Honestly both options will leave you swearing eventually. Plywood is tough but MDF is flatter than a pancake. I'd go MDF with a sacrificial top. Who cares if the garage gets humid? Just seal the crap out of it with some shellac or polyurethane. At $15 a pop you can replace it every year when it looks like a potato chip. Play the long game.