How to Finish MDF Workbench - How to Woodworking

How to quickly and easily seal MDF in one afternoon. I show how I apply three coats of shellac to my festool style MFT workbench to prevent stains and water damage.
Shellac: amzn.to/2VejUeO
Good brush: amzn.to/37YcYFH
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[@brentprosser7293]

I do a 50/50 mix of wipe on poly and mineral spirits. About an hour in between with light sanding going through the grits. I end up using 5-10 coats until it achieves that dark color and feels rigid. Then a little paste wax put on and buffed off and the top is amazing.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Great solution to making an MDF worktop more stain & moisture resistant. Seems like many woodworkers have their preferred method. Shellac is indeed an old school superstar topcoat. Easy to apply, dries fast (unlike Arm-R-coat, ugh, up to 72 hours during hot, humid weather), and almost impossible to apply it “wrong.” Just make sure that your Shellac is fresh. Better yet, but Shellac flakes & mix your desired consistency with denatured alcohol (lots of Shellac “recipes on the interweb & KZbin). Thank you for briefly mentioning the difference between waxed & unwaxed Shellac. My personal fav is 2 or 3 coats of satin hard wax oil. Not as fast as Shellac, but also work to provide a decent level of protection. I think I’ll try 3 coats of Shellac for my next workbench build. A #1 cut first coat, followed by two coats of a #2 cut. Thanks for sharing your solution.

[@ProfessorOzone]

I like that you tested it and that the video was short and to the point. Thanks.

[@markthompson1796]

Thanks for making the video short. 🤘🏼 gonna coat my MDF bench as well.

[@SeahawkSailor]

Was not a big fan of shellac, but will now try it again. Thanks

[@BlacktailStudio]

Jeff Carlsen I feel the same!

[@RJLpt]

I like the word shellac. It's quite shellacky.

[@IAmKyleBrown]

Wow, very cool to see the epoxy flake off. I'm a huge fan of shellac on MDF, but now thinking I'll buff in some wax as well to see how that goes. Thanks for sharing!

[@BlacktailStudio]

For sure!

[@BR-bp8jk]

Except you can see it pull the finish off and leave fibers.

[@IAmKyleBrown]

Yeah, epoxy is probably the most aggressive adhesive, but 99% of what sticks on my bench is some stray wood glue, some paint, staining from oil or WD40, whatever. Anything to help in the cleanup is a win for me, and I have more than enough wax to spare!

[@raziasultana.a2555]

First ever to the point video 👍

[@BlacktailStudio]

I try

[@blackhorse2947]

Good information and demonstration…….TY

[@hendersonlandservices9337]

Great looking workbench. If only you had a video of how you built it.

[@BlacktailStudio]

Thought about it. Lots of great videos on the same bench though.

[@hj8607]

shellac is an incredible primer . a heavy coat of the best (oil or latex) primer will at its VERY best seal a surface (fine sanded) about 82 % . A coat of shellac (even thinned slightly) will seal the same surface 97 % + . It also dries to a sandable finish in 15 minutes (applied full and heavy) . Is capable of priming an enameled surface to the extent that a top coat of lacquer san be safely applied . this product should be in every craftsman's closet . ( even thinned 50% with alcohol it still has between stain and finish coat effectiveness preventing pigment bleed into clear coat ) Using shellac on MDF is a great suggestion ( and nice video ). (it also completely seals IN any negative MDF binders )

[@TheConstantComet]

Shellac is amazing. A painter I know uses it anytime he's painting a place that was ever smoked in. He suggested it for bathrooms with mildew issues prior to applying Kilz to seal in any spores. Great stuff!

[@doedeldidoedelda]

I only wonder if it makes the surface slippery (as opposed to oil based finishes)?

[@hj8607]

@@doedeldidoedelda Shellac , thinned , has almost no film thickness and is used as a universally accepted primer under any top coat , oil , water or lacquer . It dries completely in an hour at room temperature whereas oil base takes at least 2 hrs to finish with oil base , 48 - 96 hrs to dry hard enough for latex finish (and even then it is chancy in that an oil finish keeps shrinking for weeks and can cause peeling of latex . Oil is not usable as a primer for lacquers . Shellac can be used to prime over an old oil finish for top coating into a lacquer finish . (really versatile, alcohol being its 'vehicle for spread , it's only bad application is it cannot be used as the finish coat (as in French polishing) on a surface that may be exposed to alcohol (beverages) in that it NEVER is so dry that it cannot be reliquified .)

[@doedeldidoedelda]

@@hj8607 Thanks for the details Harry! How thin do you mean? I usually dissolve one part shellac flakes in four parts ISO propanol. But my real problem with shellac always is it's color. No matter how bright the flovor of shellac that I bought was advertised, it always turns the wood into some yellowish thing that I don't like vs the raw wood color. For instance, currently trying shellac "brightest" on an ash work top, almost ruins it for me. Of course linseed oil would have a similar effect color wise. But leaving it bare isn't an option either :( kind of a dilemma for me...

[@hj8607]

@@doedeldidoedelda I have lightly sealed and finished two work bench tops with the main goal of making them easier to clean glue off and protect against drying out. I used Zinsser Bullseye shellac, clear/transparent , bought as quart , and thinned some with 3 parts alcohol to one part shellac . Gave the tops a flood coat brushing initial coating untill entire top soaked it evenly (original considered staining but natural looked good). Sanded w 220 the next day (garage was cold so gave extra time ) . Did this twice more . Then to finish gave the surface two light spray coats of satin lacquer , 1 hr between . (gave the underside of top the equivalent of two full strength coats of shellac to prevent warp.) One top was a birch plywood and the second was Birch butcher block construction and both retained an almost untouched look in color .

[@lordbountifulitsme7919]

Fantastic ❤

[@lvance3236]

I've used shellac a lot over the years, and love it for what it does well. Interesting to watch people's faces though when you tell them it's just bug spit dissolved in alcohol.

[@lewisclark5694]

I learned one great thing about shellac - the hard way. Never coat the insides of a wood drawer with a varnish finish, because every time you open that drawer it will reek of a varnish smell! My sofa table drawers took about 2-3 years to air out completely to rid themselves of their varnish smell, lol. I have been using shellac ever since on enclosed areas such as drawers or cabinets.

[@BlacktailStudio]

Oh, I never thought of that!

[@hobiecat901]

good video. thanks

[@BlacktailStudio]

Thanks Russel!

[@hebierob]

Like your videos

[@FreqBand]

I did the same thing. before I saw your video(s). It seemed like a good idea........ thin shellac So I sealed my new MFT/3 with "SealerCoat, by Zissner)" shellac sealer.... 3 coats thinned 50/50....especially the edges......bottom and top _ equal (to prevent warping.)

[@BlacktailStudio]

Nice!

[@programorprogrammed]

Good video bud

[@BlacktailStudio]

Thanks bud

[@lewisclark5694]

I was lucky enough to buy a 5’X 6’ granite composite table top from a meat packing company that went out of business. I made the supporting table frame for this slab, and became one happy woodworker: large, completely flat and level.....and extremely easy cleanup. Glue, varnish, stain spills simply pop off with a simple razor blade scraper. That’s my story. Lol.

[@BlacktailStudio]

That is a score! I want a granite one someday too

[@andrewbieger5004]

Me too....AND a forklift to get it into my shop!! Had a small machined granite reference surface (about 24" square) and Jesus H, that thing was NOT portable.

[@lewisclark5694]

Andrew Bieger, Good Lord, yes you are right- heavy!

[@Funknwanker]

Nice part about using shellac is you can just ad more coats every once and a while to keep it up. Just do not do any work with alcohol based solvents as the alcohol is the solvent used in the first place and will strip it easily.

[@fxsrider]

That's how I get a killer buzz too!!

[@GreybeardMakes]

Did the epoxy pull up some of the finish? Also, did you serve? Thanks for the quick video.

[@BlacktailStudio]

Only served drinks.

[@younjae1212]

안녕하세요. 전 한국사람 입니다. 당신의 동영상을 좋아합니다. 고맙습니다.

[@mntbighker]

I notice that Dave Stanton seems to use use wax on his MDF MFT style bench. Potato Potahto ;-)

[@jamesquinless1777]

Great videos! Did you coat the insides of the holes too?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Not so much

[@FreqBand]

I like shellac too. What about down in the holes ? I would seal them too.....because if you even spill coffee on your table, it could make the holes swell and make them too tight or the surface uneven, if the holes are not sealed.. How would I do this ?......Not sure, because the edge side of MDF is so porous and it soaks-up the shellac. First thought would be to use some giant pipe-cleaners used in crafting (or a few, wrapped together).to fit the hole......Like a hole-brush, to get the shellac onto the holes. My hack would try using a ketchup squeeze dispenser, to keep the pipe cleaners saturated. Wipe-off any puddling on the surface as a result of the method.

[@BlacktailStudio]

Good point Randy!

[@osareafallire]

Thumbs up just for brevity. Comment for quality content. Thanks

[@BlacktailStudio]

Cheers!

[@Steadfast_Faith]

Thanks for the content! My beef with mdf is how the edges bang up and basically crumble. Do you do anything to your edges? I've used roundover router bits in the past for other mdf projects, but not for anything that gets used on a daily basis. I am curious if that would help the edges on something like your workbench.

[@JPU89]

Noble Builds I am interested in this too

[@cannabiskreations]

I'm a cabinet maker so this is coming from experience here... Mdf top work benches are the only practical thing to you because of cost. It will cost about 50 dollars per year to retop a bench if you use it daily. doing anything that takes time with MDF like breaking edges is a waste of time which equals money. it will break so just replace when needed.

[@jonsoo1964]

You can also use a router to make a 1/4 in. lip annd use quarter rounnd to edge the top surface ad seal everythig up wworks great to fortify the edge.

[@southparkgdp]

Better yet, just trip the top edges off with hardwood and inset the MDF. Should last quite a while.

[@TheConstantComet]

I did an MDF top on my workbench (diy/hobby use) and I rounded the corner edges a bit then coated the whole face with a 1:1 mix of wood glue and isopropyl alcohol with extra on the edges. I did a light scuff with rough sandpaper after to prevent sliding. It's held up great so far.

[@paulruud5804]

I protect my MDF bench top with paste wax. It looks good and its easy. Touch ups are a breeze. Nothing sticks to it.

[@ccgsales]

Does the dried epoxy take off the shellac when you scraped it off? Did the shellac need a touch up afterwords?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Sometimes, not always

[@johnmccracken6497]

I decided to brush my shellac on before I bore the 20mm holes. We'll see.

[@GJ3Chameleon]

How is that MDF holding up with the dog holes? I'm waiting on some oak to dry to make my bench top specifically because I want dogs and am afraid MDF and soft woods will deform under clamping pressure.

[@BlacktailStudio]

Oh, pretty good. I don’t use the dogs a ton though. The festool MFT Table is made from MDF, so will be good as that anyway.

[@LBCAndrew]

The holes will hold up fine if you coat them with a wash of thin CA glue.

[@stephaniedevlin1859]

I carved a piece on my CNC machine that I thought was solid wood, turns out it is particle board with a thin veneer on top. I was planning to paint and then fill with epoxy. Do you have any recommendations as to how to seal the carved areas and type of paint? (Or if this will even work now?) thanks!

[@BlacktailStudio]

Oh man, not sure

[@JoeLazzara]

Thanks for posting this video. I just finished my workbench with an MDF top yesterday and I want to protect it also. I called my local woodworking store and the guy suggested 3 coats of oil based polyurethane. Would that work just as well as the shellac? Thanks a lot.

[@BlacktailStudio]

Will work great! Just takes longer and might not repel adhesives as well

[@JoeLazzara]

@@BlacktailStudio Ok, thanks for responding!!

[@JoeLazzara]

@@BlacktailStudio I'm sorry I forgot to ask you before, but will the shellac repel water, oil base stains and stuff like that? Also will it really protect the wood top from gouges and cuts, like if I drop tools or something sharp on the top? Im trying to figure out how to make the top much more durable. Thanks.

[@kg4lod]

@@JoeLazzara It repels water and water-based stains very well, but oil-based solvents will dissolve the Shellac (Shellac is an oil type product). If you need oil and water protection, do a tung/linseed/Danish oil final coat over the Shellac.

[@Russel4973]

Any issues with the 20mm holes after the coats? I awesome the shellac did coat some of them and that caused issue with your bench dogs? How did you overcome this?

[@BlacktailStudio]

No issues for me here!

[@ThomasForbes-Johnson]

Do you have plan for how you made the whole work bench?

[@mikeandersen3937]

can i use shellac in my mold ?

[@jake8074]

Newbie question. Just did my miter station top based on this video... and I`m happy with it, but it`s splotchy and shows the brush marks. Can I do anything about that, just to even it out a bit? Being picky I know... a fault of mine, one of many. Very best to you and yours!

[@donaldkreher9957]

Shellac is easily repaired with DNA (denatured alcohol). In fact shellac is made by dissolving the resin secreted by the female lac bug into DNA. (Maybe Zinser adds other chemicals, but I don't think so.) Thus rub DNA on wipe it off let it dry and recoat with shellac. Or you can sand it off I suppose. I prefer to rub the shellac on with a cloth pad than to use a brush. This is called french polishing. (search for it.). Putting it on with a brush remember to always add wet to wet, i.e. brush strokes should overlap.

[@amdenis]

Question: why do you sand between coats of shellac on MDF?

[@amdenis]

Blacktail Studio - Thanks! I found that a brown paper bag (believe it or not) works really well for that.

[@sammeyers7103]

Do you have a video for making your work bench?

[@mattmarcoux2530]

After the shellac was applied did the holes maintain their size? Did you notice any problems using doggs?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Nope!

[@Sugarfoot108]

I wonder if anyone has tried coating in a thin epoxy resin as used in ply boat building. It would soak in to give a hard resilient surface.

[@azeemqwerty]

How are these holding up? Looking to make a bench and Formica is expensive

[@rolandrivard2667]

Are your paint brushes still usable after without a strong cleaner, or do you just use cheap brushes and toss them pour after?

[@BlacktailStudio]

You can clean up with alcohol

[@donaldkreher9957]

If your going to use them again for shellac. Just soak the dried brush in shellac and it it will soften up and be usable again. You can have a dedicated shellac brush. Otherwise just clean it with DNA (denatured alcohol)

[@j.morales3166]

What about painting over the mdf? Would the paint peel off?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Would rub off on projects 😫

[@simonrickard6179]

How can you claim the epoxy flakes off easily when the video shows it lifting a thin layer of MDF leaving a shallow pit in the surface?

[@Kiwi-bf7bh]

Does this harden the mdf and make it durable?

[@bradkorndog857]

do the 3 coats of shellac add any additional thickness to the table top?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Not a measurable amount. Maybe to a physicist

[@bradkorndog857]

@@BlacktailStudio gotcha. very good to know. I'm about to shellac my new outfeed table (two sheets of laminated MDF)...not sure yet to use dogholes or t-tracks though..

[@LBCAndrew]

Some finishes can cause mdf to swell up some. Not shellac though.

[@VJones-mr2vu]

Is the small round table with copper legs for sale?

[@brownw3311]

Can I just use Polyurethane over shellac? I have plenty of Poly I would like to use up.

[@BlacktailStudio]

Should be fine

[@Quarantain]

Don't you have any concerns about the MDF warping over time, having treated only on side of the MDF with shellac?

[@BlacktailStudio]

I do not

[@Madmaxian1088]

@@BlacktailStudio Ah, but should you?

[@ass2mouthallday]

@@Madmaxian1088 No

[@ancienttom97]

I'm wondering how you sealed the inside of all those dog holes. They're end grain and will soak up moisture like a sponge. If you didn't get them sealed, have you had any problems of MDF swelling since your build?

[@dugbert9]

I'm here as I have the same table top to seal. Mine is moisture resistant MDF 18mm. It's going to live in an uninsulated workshop in Wales where we get very damp air in the winter. I'm worried that the top will take on a bit of moisture and the holes close up slightly, either trapping my dogs or preventing me inserting them. I would worry that this shellac method will make the holes slightly smaller too. I'm hoping I can use an oil of some description. Any ideas? 🙂

[@elmonni2103]

@@dugbert9 You could purchase a doghole boring drill bit.

[@JN2023]

Is it possible to also get a really matt surface using shellac?

[@andrewgrover]

Pretty much only by deglossing it with sandpaper or steel wool. It's nature is to be glossy.

[@thebuyingseller]

Looks good. Did you sand after the final coat? Or just leave it? Is it sticky at all?

[@BlacktailStudio]

No sanding needed 👍🏼

[@badaphooko02]

Could the shellac be rolled in instead of a brush?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Yup!

[@raylares]

Isn't MDF too soft for using clamping dogs?

[@kle2217]

Does this work on plywood?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Yup!

[@highhat5229]

Would epoxy be better at protecting mdf from moisture??

[@BlacktailStudio]

Probably

[@highhat5229]

@@BlacktailStudio sorry I spelled epoxy wrong, have you had any experience with it on mdf?

[@rickjames5998]

but why the holes? what are they for?

[@dkden1]

I don't see where you are selling those work flip flops?

[@BlacktailStudio]

I need my own line

[@marklange1614]

Why not use polyurathane

[@BlacktailStudio]

Takes too long to dry

[@radinsyah1574]

What about polyurethane?

[@robbrown39]

Would you recommend a lacquer finish?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Definitely wouldn’t hurt. Just takes a long time to cure. I’d probably stick with shellac, but that’s just me.

[@robbrown39]

@@BlacktailStudio compared to poly, it cures relatively quickly. It's why cabinet makers use it. I was more curious how well it would hold up for a work bench.

[@BlacktailStudio]

Rob Brown I’m sure it would be more durable than shellac. If you have the time, I say go for it!

[@robbrown39]

@@BlacktailStudio thank you for your incite.

[@theofarmmanager267]

There has been a discussion over here on the positives and negatives on using MDF or plywood. Your view would be interesting. In the case of the MDF, we would be using MRMDF and a high grade (over here, that would mean something like Medite, Finsa). For the plywood, a good quality multi-layer - which makes all the Chinese crap we see over here unworkable). The discussion was over a) sag and b) expansion and contraction. A specification sheet from one of these quality manufacturers gave a large margin for expansion. In a non-scientific test, the guy found expansion of about 0.1% after a week in a heated room and then a week in a non heated room. Now 0.1% doesn’t sound much but in any 8’ x 4’ sheet, that’s about an inch. In an MFT style top like yours, that means your holes could not be relied upon to be square or in line. Similar test with the plywood but that seemed to roughly half of the MDF rate - but still enough to make an 8’ MFT pretty inaccurate. It was agreed that sag on MDF was much greater than plywood although I overcome this on my MFT by having a series of supports underneath anyway. There are a number of variables of course. Does expansion differ if the mdf top is well-screwed down to a base? Does expansion differ if you heavily seal top, bottom and inside the wholes. It would be interesting if you could laser measure (presumably, the most accurate method) your MFT top. Is it exactly as it should be? Very interested in your thoughts on this.

[@PJRayment]

"0.1% doesn’t sound much but in any 8’ x 4’ sheet, that’s about an inch." No, 1% would be about an inch (0.96"), but 0.1% would be just under a tenth of an inch (0.096").

[@theofarmmanager267]

@@PJRayment apologies. Your maths is better than mine. I think the principle of the question remains, is 0.1” (2.5mm) critical? I appreciate that is over the whole length and therefore the error build up from “nothing” between 2 adjacent holes to 0.1” over the most distant holes

[@spareplanet]

How much shellac did you need? A quart? Two quart?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Quart should be plenty

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

Looks good, but not for me. I use too much alcohol - both denatures, and 190 proof ethanol. Best possible way to turn shellac back into goo.

[@MiniMatthew]

5 mins between each coat. Changes clothes after first coat.

[@Witty..UserName]

He did say 5 is all that is needed... Not what he did

[@barryirby8609]

The old saying is Shellac sticks to everything and everything sticks to shellac. It would be better to apply three costs of shellac and then a couple of coats of paste wax. Then the glue would pop fight off. I think I will do that to my MFT.

[@BlacktailStudio]

For sure! Careful though, my conversion varnish guy freaked out when I said I’d put shellac down first on a table. Apparently it has a reaction with that brand anyway.

[@JR-fw4jv]

Can't hear your video, need more volume...

[@BlacktailStudio]

Dang

[@minhthang0811]

This is a pretty solid little workbench. While once you figure out how it comes together, it is physically Easy to assemble kzbin.infoUgkxyFZUPFEey-PuqsPMxqaykBhgA1LWxFHh by yourself. But the diagrams explaining the steps are really pretty bad. I could not get the handle pins in all the way despite multiple attempts, so I just used a screw I had on hand for the 2nd handle. I could not get the first pin in further or pull it back out. You are supposed to hammer it in, but I had no leverage and the handle is plastic and I did not want to risk breaking it. I will get a lot of use out of the bench because of the convenient size and height. It does fold up nicely for storage. They even explain how to fold it so you don't get pinched...that is important!

[@chrisj9008]

Any reason not to spray it?

[@BlacktailStudio]

Would make a mess in my shop. But if you can, definitely spray it!

[@hj8607]

@@BlacktailStudio Spraying shellac is not really messy . It dries so fast when air born that if any settles on other objects it will do so as dust . (much like dry fall spray products) (some years ago I sprayed BIN as a primer and the mist carried way into another room putting a white coat on a black baby grand piano . my heart stopped . much to my relief it came off as easy as a coat of saw dust ! ) ( just be sure to dust with a dry cloth)

[@BlacktailStudio]

Harry Stratton wow! I didn’t know that. May have to give it a shot.

[@johnmccracken6497]

When water gets on MDF, I think it looks like psoriasis on skin.

[@JT-91]

speaking of Shellac. its how i describe the beating the wife does to my wallet

[@BlacktailStudio]

My wallet has taken a good shellacking from time to time too

[@popeye175]

bald jake gyllenhaal

[@BlacktailStudio]

My wife wishes

[@dorsetdumpling5387]

A bit like watching paint dry, really.....

[@cannabiskreations]

Great Idea but not practical. Love your videos but realistically people making these fancy work benches do not use them 8hrs a day every day. MDF is so cheap you can retop a workbench for 20 CAD from suppliers

[@BlacktailStudio]

Cool!

[@cannabiskreations]

@@BlacktailStudio Again, love your videos especially your wood epoxy videos great job by the way. It's just these workbench videos. People go through great lengths to make wicked awesome workbenches, but in the real working world they get damaged in no time.

[@BlacktailStudio]

Mine was custom CNC’d. So I hope I don’t replace it anytime soon. I see what you mean though!

[@bakedbeings]

I’m trying to see cutting, drilling and attaching a new mdf top every so often being less work than sealing it. I cant get there.

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

How is it not practical? For $10 and a couple hours he extended the life of his bench. Small investment. Something tells me you are pessimistic 8 hrs a day, at least.

[@janeromnicki6598]

I prefer to build with woodglut plans.

[@simpletonballsack]

Trolling fail.

[@janeromnicki6598]

I did the same with woodglut plans :)