I volunteered to builkd a workbench for my 4-year old's pre-k class.
The teacher's want to leave it outside, on a covered deck. We're in
Chicago. The ceiling is pretty high, so I expect it will get rained
and/or snowed upon. The teacher expects no more than two or three
kids ( 3-5 years old) to use it at once.

Because it'll be left outside, and not be moved it could be too heavy
to carry. It doesn't need a vise, it's really only for the kids to
pound on. I'll probably supply some small wooden mallets, or other
similiar pounding instraments.

Any ideas as to good material for the bench would be appreciated. I
think a redwood, cedar or even steel base would be fine, but it's the
top that I'd like some help with. It should remain passibly flat,
resist splintering and be generally impervious to weather.

Thanks,

Alan

"sadler" wrote in message
...
I volunteered to builkd a workbench for my 4-year old's pre-k class.
The teacher's want to leave it outside, on a covered deck. We're in
Chicago. The ceiling is pretty high, so I expect it will get rained
and/or snowed upon. The teacher expects no more than two or three
kids ( 3-5 years old) to use it at once.

Because it'll be left outside, and not be moved it could be too heavy
to carry. It doesn't need a vise, it's really only for the kids to
pound on. I'll probably supply some small wooden mallets, or other
similiar pounding instraments.

Any ideas as to good material for the bench would be appreciated. I
think a redwood, cedar or even steel base would be fine, but it's the
top that I'd like some help with. It should remain passibly flat,
resist splintering and be generally impervious to weather.

Thanks,

Alan

Maybe that decking composite material?
Dave

"TeamCasa" wrote in message
...

"sadler" wrote in message
...
I volunteered to builkd a workbench for my 4-year old's pre-k class.
The teacher's want to leave it outside, on a covered deck. We're in
Chicago. The ceiling is pretty high, so I expect it will get rained
and/or snowed upon. The teacher expects no more than two or three
kids ( 3-5 years old) to use it at once.

Because it'll be left outside, and not be moved it could be too heavy
to carry. It doesn't need a vise, it's really only for the kids to
pound on. I'll probably supply some small wooden mallets, or other
similiar pounding instraments.

Any ideas as to good material for the bench would be appreciated. I
think a redwood, cedar or even steel base would be fine, but it's the
top that I'd like some help with. It should remain passibly flat,
resist splintering and be generally impervious to weather.

Thanks,

Alan

Maybe that decking composite material?
Dave
If you are going to decking material, why not ipe??

On Fri, 13 Jan 2006 04:38:04 -0500, "Lee Michaels"
wrote:


"TeamCasa" wrote in message
...

"sadler" wrote in message
...
I volunteered to builkd a workbench for my 4-year old's pre-k class.
The teacher's want to leave it outside, on a covered deck. We're in
Chicago. The ceiling is pretty high, so I expect it will get rained
and/or snowed upon. The teacher expects no more than two or three
kids ( 3-5 years old) to use it at once.

Because it'll be left outside, and not be moved it could be too heavy
to carry. It doesn't need a vise, it's really only for the kids to
pound on. I'll probably supply some small wooden mallets, or other
similiar pounding instraments.

Any ideas as to good material for the bench would be appreciated. I
think a redwood, cedar or even steel base would be fine, but it's the
top that I'd like some help with. It should remain passibly flat,
resist splintering and be generally impervious to weather.

Thanks,

Alan

Maybe that decking composite material?
Dave
If you are going to decking material, why not ipe??


I've never used ipe, but I was thinking about it. I hear it's hard to
cut and work with, but very durable and weather resistant. Since it's
board stock, should I figure out how to bolt it together for the base
as well? Is it dimensionally stable enough to use as the base?

Look into West System epoxy--- it is heavily used in boat building. A
pine bench built with West System glues and surfaced with the coating
epoxy will last outdoors for centuries.

Look into West System epoxy--- it is heavily used in boat building. A
pine bench built with West System glues and surfaced with the coating
epoxy will last outdoors for centuries.