Question about using melamine instead of plywood for a workbench top

I went to a cabinet shop in Austin last weekend and saw they build all their assembly tables out of 3/4 inch melamine. Everyone online seems to think plywood is the only way to go for a workbench top, but those guys swear by melamine. They say it stays flat way longer and you can just wipe glue or paint off without it soaking in. I'm thinking about trying it for my new bench, but I wonder if it'll hold up to hammering and clamping. Has anyone here used melamine for a workbench top and had it last more than a couple years?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor.paige22d ago

Made my last bench top from 3/4 melamine from Home Depot. Going on 4 years now. It's still dead flat. I beat on it with framing hammers sometimes for metal bending. No issues. The glue wipes off super easy. Clamping is fine. Just don't drop a sledgehammer on it. Scratches are expected but it's cheap enough to flip after 5 years.

john_singh22d ago

@taylor.paige I gotta say that's a pretty solid testimonial for melamine. My bench top is just a sheet of plywood I found in my garage and honestly it's got a dip in the middle from me dropping my drill press on it one time. I'm the guy who would probably manage to drop a sledgehammer on melamine within the first week. But hearing you beat on yours with framing hammers makes me think maybe I should finally upgrade. Though knowing my luck I'd scratch it with a tape measure on day one and spend the next four years staring at it. Your setup sounds way more put together than my janky workbench.