Finishing the Workbench Top

The top is on the bench. So now let's put some finishing touches to it!!
In this video I sand the top some to get it ready to accept a new coat of Varathane. The Varathane is an oil based semi gloss and should harden up nice and provide a rugged work surface.
I also prep and install a back splash. I had this back splash on the old version of the bench and I liked it so I figured why change something that works!! I did need to do some cutting to make it fit though.
Let me know what you think of the finished bench top. I think it'll be OK. Would you finish your bench in this way?
Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoy the video. Please 'thumbs up' me and leave me some comments. And if you haven't done so already, please consider 'subscribing' to my channel. It sure helps my videos get noticed and my channel grow.
I hope you all have a great week.
We'll talk to yas ...
#grampiesworkshop
#finishingtheworkbenchtop
#workbenchmodsandimprovements

[@AngelsAware]

Hi Mike, Your workbench shows your amazing talent!! Like I said, when you’re totally done with your workshop, I think it would be great to see you and Janet down here to help my hubby do what you just accomplished. The long workbench is great for lots of projects. Be careful not to get all that precious work space too crowded. Have a nice weekend with your sweet Janet. You guys stay safe and well. Praying 🙏🏻🙏🏻 for you two. Please pray for a safe election here in the states. God bless you! Cathy🙏🏻🇺🇸🙏🏻

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Awe Cathy, you are too sweet with your comments. It would be nice to visit sometime. Not too sure how we could ever make that happen, even though it would be an awesome trip I'm sure. Your upcoming election is a scary time eh. I hope I don't offend you but, with the way Trump is conducting himself and some of the things he says, I just don't understand how the Republicans can actually stand up and support this person. What a shame. His ideas of making the US great again have a lot of validity, but his methods of effecting them, I think, leaves a lot of folks shaking their heads. I don't trust what he might do whether he wins or loses. Thanks for watching. God bless you and Bill and your daughter and take 'er easy!!

[@janetdickson4451]

Looks great. I like the gray on the fronts. The bench top looks great. With all that sanding the filters on the heatpump must be collecting lots of dust!

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

The grey looks good, but you look better!! Love ya!!

[@RCAFpolarexpress]

Bonsoir Mon Ami, c'est très un très jolie table de travail que vous avez 🧐👍👍Vous êtes le meillieur mon ami 👍🧐👌🍻

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

Comment ca va mon ami? Merci bien Dave. Te es trop gentil avec les comments. La Varathane marche bien et il est tres fort. Bientot, le projet de workbench sera termine. Alors je pourrai recommencer à faire des projets réguliers!! (Merci M. Google) Je vous souhaite une tres bonne fin de la semaine et a la prochaine!!!

[@johnferris4237]

Love watching your workshop progression…but most of all I love your attention to the details. Fun to watch, educational as I learn, and most of all I love see your tenacity to make this work shop meet all of your needs.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks John. This a very nice comment and I appreciate you watching. I built this bench many many years ago and ever since I have been dreaming about changes I could make to it. Now I'm finally getting that chance so I'm exploiting it! LOL Thanks again for the nice comment and take 'er easy!!

[@whenworkisplay]

Good morning Mike, Nice job on the bench top and back splash. Now for the big job, getting the drawers organized and putting everything back. Hope you and Nannie have a great weekend, Ben 👋😎👍

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Ben. It sounds like you have done this sort of thing before!! Trying to get everything back into and on the bench!! This is going to take a lot more skill than fitting the drawers!! LOL Take care!!

[@harleyquintin6974]

It's a lot of work , but you are going to enjoy it when you're done . Good job, your friend Harley. 😉

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Harley. It is a lot of work, but now is the time to do it!! Take 'er easy!!

[@mikecurtis2585]

Looking great 👍 Have a wonderful weekend and we are always praying for you and Nannie 🙏🙏🙏

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

Hey there Mike. You know your prayers are powerful buddy and Nannie and I sure do appreciate them. Thanks for being there for us. Take 'er easy!!

[@maintenancewithmike]

Love the idea of the shelf brackets for holding things. 👍 looking really good Mike!

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Mike. The little 'bench puppies' are working out good! Thanks for the visit and take 'er easy!

[@RustyGlovebox]

That will be a very durable finish and looks great too. Thanks Mike, Cheers

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Lloyd! The oil based varathane dries to a pretty hard and durable finish. It'll be a sin to start projects on the bench for fear of scratching it, but it'll happen!! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@SteveRobReviews]

Turned out nice , quite a long bench , very handy.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? I cut 3 feet off the bench and was kind of worried I'd miss it, but to be honest, I don't!! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@GardenTractorBoy]

Bench dogs is a great idea. The bench looks great

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Joseph!! The bench is a big improvement over what I had. And it's almost finished! Another week otta do it!!! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@ronniehoward6601]

Bench just keeps getting better. All my benches and most of my cabinets and shelves are about that same color of gray. Prayers for you and Nannie and I'll see you on the next one

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

Hello there Ronnie. Thanks again for your continued prayers Ronnie. We sure do appreciate them. I like the grey too. I think it would have been nicer if it were gloss enamel but this'll work eh!! Take 'er easy!!

[@TomokosEnterprize]

Hey Mike, I have had this old 1/2 sheet sandpaper sander since 1983. It gies me a great finish as flat surface I have ever gotten. Belts can tend to leave ripples. It sits there ready to go and every once in a long time I get it out to turn my hands to mush with its motion. It's really hard on a fellas hands but nothing works better. Do you know about "Tac Cloths" They are inixpensive and every cabinet makers use them. Not a iota of dust gets left behind. I think these smaller holes you are making will stop many a screw from falling through the usual 3/4 inch ones I use. I sure like that nice, high backer to that mile long bench you have created and any kind of Polly is the perfect protection. In the full time wood shops I have been in a quick sand and recoat will preserve this great bench forever and a day. Thanks a bunch for todays post old friend. Things are sure lookin great bud.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? I have a random orbit, 1/4 sheet, palm sander and I also have a 1/2 vibrating sander too, but this belt sander, with a fairly coarse grade paper makes quick work of sanding just about anything!! It sure isn't as flat as the palm sanders can get it, but for this bench, the belt sander passed muster!! LOL The Varathane is oil based and it dries as hard as the hinges of hell. It sure does last and keeps the bench top looking good too. I think the grey on the drawer fronts suits the bench well. The drawer fronts will be a contrasting color. It's gonna look real purdy Dean!! Thansk for the comments buddy. You are a fountain of knowledge and I'm pretty lucky to get to drink form the that fountain every once in a while!! Take 'er easy!!

[@TomokosEnterprize]

@@GrampiesWorkshop That 1/2 sheet sure sounds like the one I have. I built some cedar tables and chairs for our community garden some years ago and with soft woods like that the belt sander just made it all wavy. That old Crafstman was perfect but could rattle the hands off a fella.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

@@TomokosEnterprize I bet the belt sander would chew through the cedar pretty quick!! LOL

[@TomokosEnterprize]

@@GrampiesWorkshop Just a bit of a pressure in/the wromg direction would leave awfull marks that were really hard to make go away. Sometimes old school is the best school eh bud.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

@@TomokosEnterprize You know it! I found that out the hard way. Now I never let the belt sander run on one spot, always keep it moving!!

[@tomfillmore9710]

Looking better and better every video buddy good job take care and enjoy your weekend

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

Hello there Tom!! I really like how the bench top looks after the Varathane. I'll be glad when I get this part finished and can start doing 'regular' projects again!! Thanks for dropping by and take 'er easy!!

[@goldwingmoments]

Hey there Mike. The bench top looks great. Things are coming together. Enjoy your weekend.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Larry!! Yet another 'workbench' video eh!! Well that's my life these days I guess. LOL Thanks for watching and take 'er easy!!

[@donnarowden6071]

Just look at your fancy work table! The top with some coats of varathane on it & back splash are perfect & then painting the trim around the drawers, very classy. You did an excellant job little bro.😂 Love ya

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

It's truly amazing what paint can cover up!! LOL I don't like to paint but it sure makes up for a lot of carpenter errors!! LOL Love ya!!

[@codraven57]

Looking better every day Mike.........awsome job with that and still more to come with it I suppose...........looking forward to see the drawer fronts.......it'll be too nice to use........don't let your wife out to see it or she'll want to start putting dishes and pots in there.......LOL........great job Mike....

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Ha Ha Ha! Thanks Bryan. Don't worry it'll get lots of use, but if Nannie does get out there anytime soon, she may not want to put dishes on it, but I bet she'd have curtains on the window pretty quick!! LOL Sau Hi to Holly and take 'er easy!!

[@catherinemacdonald8847]

That turned out very nice, Great job Love and Prayers to you and Janet

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Cathy!! Love and prayers for you too eh!! Take care!!

[@tinkeringtaylor3053]

Hi Mike, the top turned out really good you have plenty storage now 👍

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Nev. Did the time get straightened out? Our clocks switch back this weekend so next weekend things should be back to 'normal'!! Take care!!

[@gravelyman]

Hello Grampie. The workbench looks to nice to do any work on Lol 😂. Great job and have a great weekend 🙏🔧👍

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? The bench is nice and shiny right now but before long it'll be covered with stuff and it'll get lots of work done on it I bet!! LOL Take 'er easy and thanks for watching.

[@inthebackyardwithdel438]

The bench sure turned out nice Mike . 👍🏻

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

Hello there Del!! Thanks. I really like the varathane finish. It dried rock hard too. Thanks for the visit. Take 'er easy!!

[@tractortalkwithgary1271]

Good afternoon Mike and Nannie!

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks for taking some time to watch Gary!! Have a great weekend and I hope the vote is a good one and no uprisings!! Take 'er easy!!

[@retiredforlife63]

That is one amazing bench! The stops are a good idea.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? The bench is a winner for sure. It's a lot better than what I had and what I had was very nice!! LOL Thanks a lot for watching. Take care!!

[@HuntingFarmerOfficial]

Looks good Mike! 👍

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks. It turned out pretty nice with just 2 caots of varathane!! I hope it stays that shiny!! Take 'er easy!!

[@STTC]

Great video Mike,,,, looks like I have some catching up to do eh 🤣🤣🤣

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Wouldn't it be nice if we were all caught up on all our obligations? LOL Thanks for taking some time to drop by and comment. Take 'er easy!!

[@DIYVariety]

Well mike what a long bench for grand kids to race cars on.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Ha Ha Ha!! Wouldn't they love to do that. Heck; I'd love to do that too! But I'm afraid the bench won't stay cleared off like this for very long!! LOL Thanks for watching. Have a great weekend!!

[@doinsngoins]

Well done Grampie

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks. I appreciate you tuning in and commenting. Have a great weekend!!

[@PassionatelyParis]

That bench is looking mighty fine! I am looking forward to seeing what storage solutions you have in mind for that back wall.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks for tuning in and I do have some ideas for the wall. I don't want to say anything about them just yet, because I'm not exactly sure what I will do!! LOL It's fun watching your kinds in your videos. They remind me of our grandkids!! Take 'er easy!!

[@PassionatelyParis]

@@GrampiesWorkshop Thank you for the building inspiration and for sharing in our joy!

[@EverydayProjects]

Bench looks good. I like the grey paint. I was in the woods over the weekend and was off grid completely…no KZbin, no phones, no Trump news….😂 I didn’t see this video until now. You’ve really done a fantastic job on this workbench! Cliff hanger…oh no😅

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? You know with all that is going on in the US and now in Nova Scotia, being off grid and away from all the noise is not a bad idea!! LOL Glad you like the bench and I borrowed the 'cliff hanger' click bait idea from a very popular KZbin channel!! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@EverydayProjects]

@@GrampiesWorkshop One look at the news and I think I'll be heading back to the bush!!! Baloney hunting season opens for two days next weekend!!🍖🍖🍖

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

@@EverydayProjects I know eh!! I have a video planned for that BIG EVENT!!

[@gatorsworld]

Another Super go at that bench, Mick. Its going to be so nice you wont want to work on it. Nice job your doing.....CHEERS

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? The Varathane turned out nice. It looks like you could skate on it it's so shiny!! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@russellbelliveau1694]

Looks great Mike, I’m so happy for you that you can work comfortably in your shop now. Pretty fancy I’d say lol Take care

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Russell. The shop is nice and warm. I was out there today and it was windy and cold outside and I was working in short sleeves! Unbelievable!! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@stevoj8959]

The bench is looking really good. The Varathane is my choice as well for the top. It almost looks too good to work on it. I am glad your heat pump is working well, I was wondering about that. Nothing better than a warm shop. Thanks Mike. Stevo

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

Hello there Stevo! I agree the varathane is a good thing to put on the bench. This is oil based too so it dries good and hard! The heat pump is doing great. I'm kind of tracking the power usage too and so far it's costing about 75 cents a day. I can afford that! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@BruceLyeg]

Looks great Mike. Lots of surface area to pile stuff up on lol

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Bruce. You know I'm enjoying finishing the bench top because I have to keep it clear. But you know that won't last eh! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@wendingourway]

I must say that I am rather skeptical about that word, "finishing"...but I guess you didn't go as far as to say, "finished"! LOL Very cool...my grandfather had holes all over his bench for them puppies!! His were just wood pegs he would place and remove as needed. A backsplash and all!! Stay tuned, folks...more to come!! LOL Take good care and enjoy the weekend!!

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? When I was in high school (way back when history books were only an inch thick) the benches in the Industrial Arts class has holes in them and I never knew why. Then when I found out about bench dawgs I thought, 'neat idea', but I didn't want to put a bunch of big holes all over my bench. So I opted for these 'bench puppies'!! LOL They are nice and easy to care for and don't make a mess and they don't eat bananas!! LOL I hope Otis is still healing well. Take 'er easy!!

[@bigvicsworkshop]

Your gonna have that place looking to good to work in..lol.. just right to hide away in though!! Good stuff! Tgif!!

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Vic. The shop is getting lots of improvements. And you're right, even if it's too nice to work in there, it'll be a great spot to go and sit and dream of projects eh!! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@DriveShaftDrew]

looking good buddy

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

Hey there Drew!! Thanks for dropping by. The bench is turning out pretty good. I have been wanting to do these kinds of mods on it for a long time. Take 'er easy!!

[@loggerjohn01]

Hello Mike! That workbench looks great buddy. Lots of room to work on projects. Painting is my least favorite job lol. The backsplash looks good too! The price of good paintbrushes is outrageous. Dollar store here I come lol. Take care

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks John! I appreciate your support of my channel buddy!! A good paint brush might be worth buying if you are into fine finishes for furniture or the like, but for a bench in a workshop, yes sir, Dollar Store for the win!! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@OpenAirAdventure]

Character marks eh, I got a few of those on me. That looks great Mike. Can't wait to see were ya put everything.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks Kenny!! Here's one for ya - have you ever dug a big rock out of the ground? After you dig out the big rock you move it aside and use the earth you dug out to fill the hole back in. And there is always more dirt than is needed to fill the hole. Well it's the same with this bench. I removed everything on the bench and now when I try and put it back, there is way more left over!! LOL Take 'er easy!!

[@OpenAirAdventure]

@GrampiesWorkshop "uh oh"

[@bdogjr7779]

Awesome G《☆》Nice Work Brother👍🏾🍺🤳I couldn't tell if the electric outlet screw slots were installed vertically horizontally or diagonally plz check that 4 me if You would Thanks✌🏼😁☯️

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Ha Ha Ha!! I laughed when I read about the outlet cover screw alignment. You know I have always done that!! Make sure the screws slots are vertical!! It's my OCD on full display there for sure!! LOL Thanks a lot for watching. Take 'er easy!!

[@TachumKhan]

Hey Mike! You’ve got some really engaging videos on KZbin, and I can see they’re full of potential! Just a small intro-I'm a KZbin SEO expert, and I help creators like you boost views and reach a larger audience. If you're ever curious about trying some strategies to get your videos in front of even more people, I'd love to chat. Keep up the amazing work, and let me know if you’re interested. 😊! You’ve got some really engaging videos on KZbin, and I can see they’re full of potential! Just a small intro-I'm a KZbin SEO expert, and I help creators like you boost views and reach a larger audience.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Thanks a lot for watching and for the offer but I'm good thanks! Take 'er easy!!

[@TachumKhan]

@@GrampiesWorkshop No problem, Mike! 😊 Thanks for the reply, and I totally respect that. If you ever change your mind or have any questions about SEO, I’m here to help. Keep up the great work with your channel, and take care!