Table top substrate

[WarDamnEagle]

I'm looking for a substrate that can be used under 14 or 16 gauge stainless sheet which is relatively moisture resistant. I'm planning on making a table top and need a base about 1.5" thick (27" x 58"). The stainless will cover the top and edges but not the bottom. The table will be used outdoors but under a covered porch; nontheless it could get fairly wet at times due to blowing rain.

I've thought about marine plywood, painted MDF or some type of moisture resistant MDF (Name brand escapes me at the moment). I would double the thickness (assuming 3/4" nominal plywood or MDF). I don't want to use treated 3/4" plywood sheathing as it's normally pretty rough and the thought of having treated wood around a food preparation area bothers me (and yes I know that's what the stainless is for).

The top will be anchored in multiple points to a fairly substantial base so warpage shouldn't be a huge consideration.

Edit: I've decided that the edges can be 1" or even 1.5" without using anything thicker than 3/4" as a base. Therefore, only need one sheet of something. There are multi-ply materials that come in 1" +/- thicknesses and those could also be considered. Main thing is moisture resistance. Structural integrity is not that important as the base will be cross braced.

 

[KLF]

Solid core door. Check your local area, see if there's a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. You can get them for $20 in really good shape.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Sturdi-floor. Mike

 

[Koffer]

I picked up a used SS prep table off CL for cheap (so cheap I bought 3 ).
You could always take the top off and work it into your project

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Solid core door. Check your local area, see if there's a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. You can get them for $20 in really good shape.

Interesting thought.

Sturdi-floor. Mike

Data says it's only moisture resistant for a few weeks (as in during construction).

I picked up a used SS prep table off CL for cheap (so cheap I bought 3 ).
You could always take the top off and work it into your project

True and I've been looking on CL.

A bit more info. The top will go on a cypress table for a big green egg. The top will need a 21" diameter hole which I plan to have on one end. I originally thought about granite but it's very heavy and I finally decided the stainless would work better. At the moment I'm leaning toward marine grade plywood.

 

[KLF]

The top will need a 21" diameter hole which I plan to have on one end.

Oh, then forget the solid core door idea. Most of them have are only really solid around the edges, the inside is a compressed fiberboard that's been treated with fire retardant. It falls apart if you cut into it.

What about good ol 2X PT lumber? Just set them edge to edge? You could dowel and glue them, but that takes special epoxy. Just put battens across the bottom.

 

[splitshot]

Permabase, it's like concrete plywood. Used for outdoor base for countertops and imo a good sub for greenboard in wet situations.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/workshop-home-improvement/146424-shower-build-pic.html

 

[45Kevin]

Medite II is the water resitant MDF. You can double it's thickness with a good exterior wood glue. Then use contact cement to put the SS top on.

The problem with plywood is that it will most likely warp over time.

 

[KLF]

I would seriously pour a piece of concrete counter top. There's several websites and books that show you how to do it now. Make a mold out of laminated MDF, set it up right next to the table where you want it. Pour and cure, have some friends come over for burgers and brews, have them help you flip it. I wouldn't even bother to do a final polish, so what if it's not perfect A few coats of sealant, done.

 

[snobdds]

Permabase, it's like concrete plywood. Used for outdoor base for countertops and imo a good sub for greenboard in wet situations.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/workshop-home-improvement/146424-shower-build-pic.html

I agree. Around here they just call it cement board.

It cuts really nice with a utility knife & straight edge or jig saw for rounded cuts.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I would seriously pour a piece of concrete counter top. There's several websites and books that show you how to do it now. Make a mold out of laminated MDF, set it up right next to the table where you want it. Pour and cure, have some friends come over for burgers and brews, have them help you flip it. I wouldn't even bother to do a final polish, so what if it's not perfect A few coats of sealant, done.

I want something I can prepare food on if I so desire. I originally thought about granite but it's a bit heavy. That piece would weigh just over 100 lbs. in 2 cm. That's not that heavy but with the egg to one side you have 3 fairly narrow points where cracking might occur.

 

[Jetboy]

FWIW, don't waste your $ on marine plywood unless you're building a boat. Marine plywood is basically the same as exterior plywood except that in some cases it has better wood laminates and most importantly it will not have voids in the laminates. Structurally it is stronger. However, the glues used are the same. So in terms of water contact, it's not going to do you much good to get marine if the regular exterior plywood is strong enough.

Have you considered painting it? Paint is cheap and should protect the wood pretty nicely. You could also coat it in epoxy although good epoxy is kinda expensive.

I like concrete as well, although the nicer ones I've seen are poured in place and polished rather than in a mold.

 

[KLF]

I want something I can prepare food on if I so desire.

Very common to use concrete as a food prep surface. Lots of high-end kitchens have them now. I wanna make one for the island in my kitchen, maybe next summer. I figure I can do it for under $100, and if I screw it up or hate it, I'll just slap the cheapo laminate back on and call it a lesson learned.

...with the egg to one side you have 3 fairly narrow points where cracking might occur.

That's what 5000 psi concrete and reinforcement is for.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I just priced the stainless wrap and this project is now officially dead ($400 to $600). I'm just going to buy a cypress table for the egg which has a cypress top. I have a nice rectangle of granite that I might inset into the top (by routing out an inset) but that can be done anytime. There is a local making the tables out of cypress that are very impressive and he is selling them with heavy, locking casters for $300. It's not worth my time to build my own for that price. The stainless would be nice but that's a bit much. I had something more like $200 in my head when I started thinking about this project.