Phenolic vs MDF Router Tables

In today's market, there are basically two different materials used to manufacture router tables, MDF and phenolic.

Phenolic isn't new to router tables. The material used to cover the top and bottom of Woodpecker router tables is phenolic, commonly known as Formica, Wilsonart, etc…At that, there are a variety of thicknesses ranging from .018” thick vertical grade to .048” horizontal grade.

Woodpeckers uses .048” thick horizontal grade on both sides of ALL our MDF router tables.

The advantage of using phenolic laminated to MDF versus solid phenolic is flatness.

MDF as a core material is about perfect, all things considered. It has a thickness tolerance of +/- .005” for a ¾” thick sheet versus .034” for a similar thickness piece of solid phenolic.

In addition to all that, phenolic is substantially more expensive, roughly double the price, for less flatness.

That's why all Woodpecker Router Tables are made with multiple layers of MDF for the core, and horizontal grade phenolic laminate for the surface. In fact even the adhesive we use is special. Contact cement can leave unwanted surface contours that compromise flatness, so we use a compound that is as thin as water and when subjected to 50 tons of pressure and heat, actually welds the laminate to the MDF without any measurable glue line.

That quality process yields the flattest possible router table with all the benefits of a phenolic wear surface without the negative drawbacks of a thick piece of laminate.

WHAT ABOUT MELAMINE? We only use melamine for shelf products. Melamine is a mica based paint like coating that is only slightly better then bare MDF. We do not recommend using Melamine for a router table, unless it is only needed for a one-time project.