[Complete] Main table top replacement

Hi All,

The main table has seen better days.
Here is a photo

Windsor is selling full melamine particle board sheets for super cheap. I think this would be a great opportunity to upgrade the main table.

By the looks of it it would take 3 full sheets to replace the whole top.

If we go with the standard 5/8" white melamime, the sheets are $17.99, so total $53.97 plus tax

If we go with 3/4" dark grey melamine, the sheets cost $9.99 each, for a total of $29.97 plus tax

What is the community’s thoughts on this?

3 Likes

Sounds like an inexpensive way to make the space look way better, and for these tables to be clean and refreshed. I’m for it!

This could easily be justified in our “Area Maintenance - Other” budget which is currently at $200 used out of $500 budgeted until March 2025.

4 Likes

I’m all for this and grey is a great choice. In our lease those main tables belong to the landlord however they were bashed up when we moved in so replacing them is a win all round. Will also look great for culture crawl. Hopefully we can encourage more use of cutting mats and silicone mats etc to try and keep the new tops in good shape.

Aside: if possible it would be great to also replace the cutting table cover which has been heavily damaged as well from general space use. This would spruce things up for the crawl.

5 Likes

if we splurge on a 4th sheet, we could get that seam straight down the middle too, even on both sides. lol and with the outlet strip on top you would barely even see the seam.

4 Likes
What kinda stuff should we get?
  • Get the white stuff it will look better
  • Get the black stuff it will look better
  • I like our old tables
0 voters
If we get it how should we pay for it?
  • Crowd Fund it
  • VHS budget
  • Nay good sir - i still like our old beat up tables
0 voters

I think it would be cool to 3d print some organizers for the table to since we’re at it, like some fun pen holders and trays for phone chargers. They get left on the table all the time may as well organize them for easy access

5 Likes

another note about the black and white options. The black melamine is a shop grade. So there may be some defects on the edges and such. That’s why its more significantly discounted than the white melamine.

Edit: maybe it was different colours in my head it was black when i saw it. Maybe it was grey… whatevs.

1 Like

fair point

I vote the dark shop grade, if it doesn’t have defects before it will in a week or so, and I think the dark might hide them better.

2 Likes

Recommend taking a photo and swapping out the white for grey to see how it will look. White may be easier to clean because you can see the dirt. Also white may be less claustrophobic in the space as a whole.

2 Likes

I’m in favour of this simple upgrade.

Having not seen these melamine sheets I don’t know what the edges are like. However, the melamine I’ve used in the past chips easily, see the existing bench picture. I would suggest that we ensure that any budget includes enough money to add some wood edging to finish off the table tops and to protect peoples’ clothes as they work at the tables. I’m thinking that this edging can be made from cutting down 2x4’s.

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Technically a 1x1 might be enough material to screw into place. But i agree something to protect the edges makes alot of sense.

1 Like

IMO the white option would be more aesthetically pleasing. As a small bonus, a lot more random things (like small electronic device screws and brackets) tend to be black, so it could help towards trying to ensure they don’t get lost during frenzied reverse engineering, as I almost did to the poor thermal printer tonight (but got busy with other stuff) :smile:

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that’s a sound argument for white!

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@Brad has dropped off the melamine at the space. I think the plan is to install it on Saturday. I initially thought it was community maintenance day but i was wrong after looking at the calendar again. But whatever. I think the plan should be to still install it on Saturday regardless so the melamine doesn’t take up too much space longer than it has to. If you’re available to help that’d be awesome.

I’m going to throw up a quick poll about what to do about the edges so we aren’t cutting up our wrists when we’re working at the table. We can get some white melamine edge banding or we can get some 2 pine 2x4s and rip them down and put a bit of a round over on it. Neither option is terribly expensive but the 2x4s will be a bit more and i think they will be a bit more durable over time.

  • Edge banding (est. 15 bucks)
  • Pine 2x4s (est. 25 bucks)
  • No edge treatment (free)
0 voters
2 Likes

Whatever is going to protect the sides and arms that interact with each other would be best. The edge banding is cheaper, but the wood could have accessories attached or routed to make arms happier…

1 Like

Agree with @Weas3l. Regardless of price, whatever will result in a more durable edge is good, plus how much time you want to put into this. Feel you lot know best.

Personally, I am ok with the time investment which will be small in comparison to the yielded benefit especially for how much of a central piece this is

3 Likes

Thanks that is really appreciated. Those main tables see a lot of use and make a big impression when you come into the space imo.

Progress photos









1 Like