# Unremovable Stains on Bench Top



## St. Paul (Aug 26, 2008)

I bought some "Forge" brand cabinets and workbench. The cabinets are nice but the bench top is just a piece of pressboard/compressed sawdust kinda stuff. Anyways- I laid down a rag on top of it and got some excess oil on the top of it. I've tried everything including sandpaper. Nothing has worked yet.

I'm not sure how to get the oil stain off of this kind of material, especially since I am not even sure what it is called. Can anyone help?

They shouldn't make working areas out of materials that soak in stuff like grease. Ugh.


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## Bushytails (Aug 27, 2008)

There is no way to remove oil from particle board without removing a substantial layer off the surface...  particle board is like a sponge, and once the oil is in the sponge, you're not getting it out.

Either do as the rest of us do and ignore it, or plan on refinishing the top.  Sand the entire top down until the stain goes away, then give it a good coat of urethane before working on it further.

--Bushytails


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## Jona (Dec 12, 2008)

I know this is an old post but as I am new I would like to offer my solution.
Since I am often to lazy to cover before I make a mess on my bench surface what I do is base my benches with 3/4" plywood and then follow it with another 1/2 or 3/4" MDF. I attach the MDF with the same type of screw that you are supposed to use on that tile cement based board, they counter sink themselves really well. 

This gives me a really sturdy no flex surface and allows me to replace the sheaf board whenever I am sick of looking at my mess.

So a belated Good Luck.
Jona


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