What Reloading Countertop Surface Material do you use?

[Longtine88]

I am currently building a "Shooting Shack". It's what my wife calls it. Currently my reloading room is in a detached shop. She is taking over the shop and making a living quarters cabin out of it. So I get to make me a new by it's self Shooting/Reloading building on my range. I've designed everything already for it except the countertops. I need a really good, smooth, durable material to use for the countertops. Kicker is the tops are all 30" in depth for the reloading, gun cleaning, gun work, etc. Except for the shooting countertop is 36" where there is a 4' wide window to shoot out of at my shooting range. Trying to keep to a solid surface type. I could used a wood ontop of 3/4" plywood and then just shellac the surface with multiple coats. Or I could go with one of the engineered surfaces or solid type surfaces. Need ideas soon. Pouring the slab Monday for it. and Going up with framing after that.

 

[Longtine88]

 

[bluedog69]

Birch plywood that has been sanded really smooth and about 4 coats of varnish sanded down smooth.

 

[1mechanic]

I've been lucky enough to have a dad that worked in the a/c, heating industry and any time I needed a bench cover he has got me sheet metal to cover it, galvanized or stainless steel.

You might could call a duct shop and see what they could sell you.

 

[MagnumManiac]

My reloading bench is made from solid Victorian Ash (Eucalypt) that is 65mm thick on the bench, all shelves are 30mm thick and the under joiners are 45mm thick. The legs are 2 45mm thick beams laminated together to make them 90mm thick, which join the bench top by joists 45mm thick that the legs are bolted into and it is tied into the brick wall behind it. It is the strongest bench I know how to fabricate.
I will add a photo at a later stage.

Cheers.

 

[memtb]

Nice! Just this past week, I visited a friend that had a similar set-up. ….. a long time metallic silhouette shooter.A large room with, shooting (2 benches), his loading equipment, gun safes, ect., ect.

It had a roll-up garage door overlooking his gongs out to well over 400 yards. Sweet set-up!

Good Luck with yours…..I hope that it comes to fruition! memtb

 

[Gwwin]

Formica counter top. I would get the least expensive stuff you can get so you can put more money into shooting.

 

[Axl]

I used butcher block countertops from Lowes

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

We used 4"X4" for the legs then the top 2x12 with 3/4" plywood screwed on top for a flat smooth surface. The screw holed filled and sanded then a thick acrylic enamel Grey coating. That is Rock Solid and impervious to solvents getting into the top. I use a towel most of the time also.

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

Solid core door with oak exterior from menards is what i use but i see you have way too many feet.

I would go with the bitch plywood for cabinets with the many layers in it....i forget what is called

 

[Pdyson]

i would use hardwood plywood and copy the T-track system Gavin used for his Ultimate Reloader bench.

The new Reloading Bench System at Ultimate Reloader – Ultimate Reloader

ultimatereloader.com

 

[GRG]

If the wife is moving out to the shed I would get a smaller bed and put it right where she slept! Maybe I misunderstood. Lol

If that doesn't fly I would use butcher block counter top, fairly cheap to buy at Lowes as mentioned. You could still put in T trac or lay a piece of metal over the area where you mount your press set up.

 

[chav0_12]

I Just used two sheets of 3/8" on the reloading side of my room, one sheet on the gun side. It's a been very good so far. I couldn't find any 3/4" at the time (2020), or it was really expensive. I sanded it smooth, filled in any holes, and sealed it. I would like an engineered counter top, but at the same time, I can cut or write or whatever else on this and it can just be sanded out if need be. If you can, I'd add a sink in this building too.

 

[Kmccord]

Have you thought about making the countertop with concrete? Just build the frame and pour, it would be more work and time consuming, but it will definitely last a lifetime and cleanup very well.