# Advice on first furniture project



## cutting42 (8 Jun 2006)

Hi All

I am about to embark on my first piece of furniture, a desk for my daughter with the following basic outline:





The black insert on the desktop will be a rubber like insert for writing on and the rest of the bedroom furniture is white washed pine so a similar finish will be used.

I am looking for comments about the design as far as you can see it. I was going to use ply for the top with pine edging and use solid pine for the sides and drawer fronts. The drawers were going to be simple boxes using kitchen slides.

Any comments, I don't want to make it to complicated as it is my first piece for the house but I do want it to look nice.


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## tim (8 Jun 2006)

I think it looks fine although I'm just not a big fan of pine. Although its cheap, I have found quality to be so low that wastage has made it really quite pricey.

The only suggestion I would make re design would be to put some form of panel/ false back on one of the two 'open' bits to hide the inevitable flexes, modem wires etc. Also you've drawn it without handles (perfectly reasonable) but had you any styles in mind? It will obviously affect the design and responses you might get here.

Good luck with it and look forward to seeing it.

Cheers

Tim


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## engineer one (9 Jun 2006)

nice basic design, but have you made enough room for all the bits with the computer, and school books? just started my re-design, and it takes up
more room than i thought i had.

i would think the pine boards from b&q would be better than normal
ply from a woodyard. more stable and better dimensionally.

why not use a sheet of mdf for the top, since it will not be seen, and you
intend cover the top, and edge it, it would be a good cheap 
solution i think.

i assume that at least one of your drawers are intended to be for filing
stuff, and you might think about recessed tops for the handles of the 
drawers?

paul :wink:


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## Paul Chapman (9 Jun 2006)

engineer one":1f9nrctg said:


> i would think the pine boards from b&q would be better than normal
> ply from a woodyard. more stable and better dimensionally.



I've found those pine boards from B&Q and other DIY supermarkets very disappointing. They are made up from narrow strips, glued together so they should be stable but in my experience they frequently warp and twist even if you take care to store them in a dry place. They are sometimes badly twisted when you sort through them in the store. Might be better to make up your own or use pine veneered MDF lipped with solid pine.

The design looks nice - hope it goes well :wink: 

Paul


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## engineer one (9 Jun 2006)

i have found that as long as you store them in the plastic wrap at home
or in the workshop for at least a couple of weeks, they are better than
most locally available pine boards of similar width. i guess it is
different strokes.

but i agree maybe use something other than readily available pine.

paul


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## Steve Maskery (9 Jun 2006)

Hi cutting

Looks fine. How are you joining that lower stretcher to the drawer cabinet? Consider using a modesty panel instead, it will hide wires and give support to the sheet top, stopping it from sagging, although that shouldn't be too much of a problem at only 1.2m width.

Cheers
Steve


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## prawnking (9 Jun 2006)

IMHO the reason pine boards r twisted from diy stores is because they r not stored properly or am i just stating the obvious ie should be led flatin multiples 3-4 with wood stipes between for air circulation.

any way what about adding a pullout shelf sort of thing on runners for your keyboard and mouse etc it could be cut the same shape as the top so it looks neat when pushed away.

shaun


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## Scrit (9 Jun 2006)

Hi cutting

Looks fine to me, too. I'd probably side with the people suggesting MDF of cost grounds. It is also a bit harder r=than pine so would probably make a better writing surface - I feel that pencils, pens, etc. might punch into pine. To hide the cables you could consider incorporating a simple cable tray with access holes above:






That would keep the cables tidy and provide extra rigidity at the rear of the top without the extra material required to create a modesty board.

I believe that Trend do a cable tidy cover kit if you need that.

Scrit


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## engineer one (9 Jun 2006)

scrit you are right about trend, but some of the ikea bits are sold seperately too, and may be even better value.

paul :wink:


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## cutting42 (9 Jun 2006)

Hi All

Thank you all very much for the helpful advice. 

Handles  I thought something was missing but could not put my finger(s) on it :lol: 

I will use MDF for the top as it is cheaper than ply and a bit more consistant. While I am at it I like the idea of veneered MDF for the Pine, How much is it and where can I get some (NW London) - I will Google but a recommendation will give me confidence in a good supplier?

I also like the idea of a modesty panel Steve. I was going to do a square M/T onto the side panel - don't know if there is a better term for this but for the panel I guess a Dad...... opps sorry housing will do the job just fine.

For the computer I will be using an ex work laptop and giving it to my daughter when she starts school again in September so not many cables and no separate keyboard and moniter etc. but thanks for the hints, these are just the things that really help a newbie out.


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## engineer one (9 Jun 2006)

gareth, well done,
not sure who is nearer to you,
but do know that hansons in southall, and hounslow do veneered
mdf boards, and they offer a basic cutting service too.

not sure about tp in rickmansworth.

good luck
paul :wink:


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