A workbench, as its name implies, is to work on, and frankly, the best surface to work on is raw wood. it is less slippery, takes all sorts of abuse, and best of all, can be easily cleaned and resurfaced when needed.. If you have some leftover finish that needs using up or if you want to use part of your bench to experiment with a finishing technique, go for it. otherwise, just build the bench and then get on to making furniture.. At woodworking in america, the question i was asked most often was, “did you finish the bench?” the answer? “yes , sort of.” as they drove over the river to unload at the northern kentucky convention center, i was scrambling to get enough done on my new “petite roubo” that it would.
The finish on my workbench is a hodgepodge collection of stains and finishes that dripped from a project i was working on or i spilled combined with drops of glue that i couldn’t completely scrap off.. Re: outdoor bench finish 09-06-2017, 10:57 pm warren, the gf 450 nathan linked to is what i used for our exterior door (big risk as it was the first time using it on a project with lots of time invested).. This basic finish can be completed by any woodworker experienced or novice. it can be touched up when needed over time and is a perfect finish for a workbench top..
