18mm or 12mm plywood - carcassing.

[TRITON]

Im going to order for delivery(no van) some ply to make some workshop storage, namely a base unit and enclosed shelving(for power tool boxes - bosch l boxx,systainer etc.
I would normally opt for 18mm, and i will if everyone thinks thats best, but inc delivery it works out at £70/18mm sheet(8x4)12mm is £57/sheet, so for the 3 i need thats a saving of about 40 quid.
Shelves instead of being dado'd in can sit on fixed supports. Basically screwed/nailed/glued together.

Units will consist of a base unit, about 3'Wx20"Dx30"H and on top of that will be shelving going up(3-4 shelves, and across- probably 8',divided into 4 spaces, maybe doors on those spaces, maybe not. Shelves and cupboards will probably be about 16" deep
Height/width of wall is 9'Hx11' wide so I basically want enough storage for multiple tool boxes(the shelves) and the spaces for things i dont use as often- grinder stands, router attachments and the like.
I'l be hanging the wall unit that goes across the wall on a french cleat.

Or do you think i should do a mixture, with 18mm sides, shelves or dividers at 12mm. Theres not going to be too great a weight on them.
Rough pic.

 

[Spectric]

Why not make it more substantial by using legs in redwood with ply panels that slot in, for box storage you could use slats rather than ply shelves. The current concept is along the lines of kitchen cabinets but using more substantial timber may save money and give a lot more strength.

 

[scholar]

I am making a cabinet to slide under the drill press - I am making it to match another workshop cabinet I made ….which is the sole reason I am using birch ply.

18mm sides and top/bottom with 12mm back and drawer sides etc and 6mm drawer bottoms.

I was expecting a shock when I went to get the birch ply but wow it did add up - the 18mm was £140 +vat a sheet. [they also said once this has gone, they won’t be getting any more - Russian]

I am sure I could have done this with 12mm birch ply, but 18mm seems right for the carcass and ensuring rigidity. Other plywood does vary a lot, so I guess it depends on the quality of stuff you can get.

Cheers

 

[TRITON]

Why not make it more substantial by using legs in redwood with ply panels that slot in, for box storage you could use slats rather than ply shelves. The current concept is along the lines of kitchen cabinets but using more substantial timber may save money and give a lot more strength.

Im not getting into timbers specy, saw, thickness,plane etc . Board material is ideal and is sustainable, far far more than timber format as it is usually rotary cut using most of the tree and not disappearing up the dust extractor chute as with bandsawing/etc.

Besides, I didnt buy that blinking festool track saw for nothing

But it is all kitchen cabinet style im doing. Quick, easy, just a series of cuts, and if 12mm isnt strong enough, i can easily add a bit under the leading edge of the shelf to thicken and therefore strengthen it.

18mm sides and top/bottom with 12mm back and drawer sides etc and 6mm drawer bottoms.

I was expecting a shock when I went to get the birch ply but wow it did add up - the 18mm was £140 +vat a sheet. [they also said once this has gone, they won’t be getting any more - Russian]

I am sure I could have done this with 12mm birch ply, but 18mm seems right for the carcass and ensuring rigidity. Other plywood does vary a lot, so I guess it depends on the quality of stuff you can get.

Ply is the structural stuff coming out of Travis Perkins. should be more than good enough for such a job. It's got fairly good reviews off tradesmen, and will be way better that that tat B&Q sell.

 

[Jacob]

I bought 2no 8x4 1/2" ply the other day which was £73.20 including local delivery. Cheaper than anything at Travis Perkins. Take off delivery and it must have been about £30 a sheet.
They called it "Red" ply and apparently is Chinese. Paper thin veneer looked like ply itself and core of toughish white wood. Not weatherproof (the veneer come off if wet) but quite tough.
Worth shopping around. 18mm unnecessary for storage units but longer lengths of 12mm might need a bit of support.
What about MDF?

 

[scholar]

What about MDF?

Yes, if I had not wanted to match up the existing cabinet, I would have used MDF - the last 18mm MR MDF I got was about £55 from Travis Perkins, but that was a few months ago!

Cheers

 

[TRITON]

I bought 2no 8x4 1/2" ply the other day which was £73.20 including local delivery. Cheaper than anything at Travis Perkins.

Cant do MDF, theres a chance i might be hyper-sensitized to it. Ended up with a bad chest infection last time i used the stuff, which means nothing really, only its the 2nd infection and in both instances i've been using mdf. It might be all wood dust now, i cant say, but if i stick to wooden products, and ive the new big extractor, just bought the fine filter drum for it, plus looking to get the air cleaner from record power, I think that should help loads. With mdf i just dont want to chance it.

 

[MikeK]

I'm building a simple three-section base unit for my basement sharpening station with eight drawers and two storage areas. The carcass for each of the base units is 18mm plywood, the drawer sides and ends are 12mm plywood, the drawer bottoms are 6mm plywood, and the drawer faces and doors are 18mm MDF (I had a full sheet from a cancelled project). Originally, I was going to install a ceramic Belfast sink I bought on my last trip to Devon, but changed my mind and will be using a large stainless steel sink basin inset into the counter top.

 

[Spectric]

Ply is the structural stuff coming out of Travis Perkins

The problem with some ply are the voids that appear when cutting and make jointing more troublesome, so I find with this that having solid legs and sloting the ply in you overcome the issues.

 

[TRITON]

The problem with some ply are the voids that appear when cutting and make jointing more troublesome, so I find with this that having solid legs and sloting the ply in you overcome the issues.

Naw it will be fine. And with the price of TP for delivering boards I might end up with B&Q, which by nearly all accounts has more voids than outer space plus de laminating veneers.
But again, its good enough, as this is only workshop storage. Its not like it needs to be special or even anything beyond rough as a badgers bum.

 

[PDW125]

Worth checking Facebook marketplace for offcuts - I picked up this lot which is the equivalent of 4 full boards of 18mm, a sheet of 12mm and 2 sheets of 5.5mm for £65.. all are 1220mm wide, with variation from 750-1100mm on depth. That is all going into wall and base cabinets.

 

[SamG340]

£70 a sheet I know I couldn't stomach it !!

it's only for a workshop . I'd probably build it out of something cheap and rough, maybe second hand kitchen carcasses. ? .. Im tight lol

 

[Bingy man]

I think 12 mm is fine for storage but If your anything like me you end up packing so much into your storage box’s the weight can become an issue. Personally I’d reinforce the 12 mm with 2x1 timber which as well as making it stronger it will also provide decent shelf supports as and where you need them . I hear you though on the cost of timber hence why I put up with a few splits and cracks and nails etc and try to source reclaimed timber especially if the majority of it will be hidden by storage boxes.

 

[Jaydee]

I think your problem is Travis Perkins. I have just bought an 8x4 sheet of 18mm hardwood ply from Wickes including delivery for £48
Its non structural and there are minimum voids. I made a miter saw station out of it and it worked out well. I find TP quite expensive. Strange as TP and Wickes are owned by the same company.

 

[Matt_0222]

I've recently made a whole bunch of storage in my workshop. I mostly 18mm all round - and mostly I wouldn't have wanted to go thinner. Used some components that were 6mm and 12mm but I wouldn't want my shelves and structural components less than 18mm.

I went for the cheaper structural hardwood plywood, from either Wickes or local timber yard. Structural is only £2 per sheet more expensive from Wickes at the moment (£45 per sheet). The outer veneer looks nice but is very thin. It was a compromise as couldn't really justify birch for the garage. Also, check the inner core directions too — sometimes you get more rigidity across the grain as more inner core grains go across than along the top veneer.

In terms of the mdf/wood allergy, you could also look at the 3m versaflow. You might look like a spaceman but it definitely keeps your lungs clean at source, eyes protected and you can integrate hearing protection! Trend do one too. eBay is a good place to look.

 

[Fergie 307]

I've recently made a whole bunch of storage in my workshop. I mostly 18mm all round - and mostly I wouldn't have wanted to go thinner. Used some components that were 6mm and 12mm but I wouldn't want my shelves and structural components less than 18mm.

I went for the cheaper structural hardwood plywood, from either Wickes or local timber yard. Structural is only £2 per sheet more expensive from Wickes at the moment (£45 per sheet). The outer veneer looks nice but is very thin. It was a compromise as couldn't really justify birch for the garage. Also, check the inner core directions too — sometimes you get more rigidity across the grain as more inner core grains go across than along the top veneer.

In terms of the mdf/wood allergy, you could also look at the 3m versaflow. You might look like a spaceman but it definitely keeps your lungs clean at source, eyes protected and you can integrate hearing protection! Trend do one too. eBay is a good place to look.

I have always used 18mm for this sort of thing too. Much more rigid for relatively little extra. Screwfix also do a good range of decent masks. Get one with the screw on filters and then you can just change the filters as appropriate for MDF, paint spraying or whatever you happen to be doing. Have to say i would only ever use MDF for back panels or similar, nasty stuff IMO

 

[Spectric]

I find TP quite expensive. Strange as TP and Wickes are owned by the same company.

TP is only expensive if you don't have a trade account which requires a certain level of expenditure every month, they don't care about the individuals just big spending councils and builders.

 

[TRITON]

I've recently made a whole bunch of storage in my workshop. I mostly 18mm all round - and mostly I wouldn't have wanted to go thinner. Used some components that were 6mm and 12mm but I wouldn't want my shelves and structural components less than 18mm.

I went for the cheaper structural hardwood plywood, from either Wickes or local timber yard. Structural is only £2 per sheet more expensive from Wickes at the moment (£45 per sheet). The outer veneer looks nice but is very thin. It was a compromise as couldn't really justify birch for the garage. Also, check the inner core directions too — sometimes you get more rigidity across the grain as more inner core grains go across than along the top veneer.

In terms of the mdf/wood allergy, you could also look at the 3m versaflow. You might look like a spaceman but it definitely keeps your lungs clean at source, eyes protected and you can integrate hearing protection! Trend do one too. eBay is a good place to look.

you could also look at the 3m versaflow.

Only if you're going to buy it for me. Cant afford that much. Ive a trend air pro max, but the extractor plus air cleaner will be more than enough.
...............................................
Thanks for that, i didnt actually know there was a Wicks in Glasgow, I thought it was an English company only and there were all based there.
Prices per board are 45, and £5 delivery, which seems to only be below £75, 3 boards in the basket are quoting free delivery, which is good for me, and they do paypal, which always makes things easier.
I'll need 3x18,1x12,and 1x5.5mn(or 9mm) for backs.


I'll sort that out for next week.
Thanks again.

I have always used 18mm for this sort of thing too. Much more rigid for relatively little extra.

Yeah, better for adding lipping too, which im intending to do. Might as well make it look nice than a tatty looking ply edge.

 

[Matt_0222]

Only if you're going to buy it for me. Cant afford that much. Ive a trend air pro max, but the extractor plus air cleaner will be more than enough.
...............................................
Thanks for that, i didnt actually know there was a Wicks in Glasgow, I thought it was an English company only and there were all based there.
Prices per board are 45, and £5 delivery, which seems to only be below £75, 3 boards in the basket are quoting free delivery, which is good for me, and they do paypal, which always makes things easier.
I'll need 3x18,1x12,and 1x5.5mn(or 9mm) for backs.


I'll sort that out for next week.
Thanks again.



Yeah, better for adding lipping too, which im intending to do. Might as well make it look nice than a tatty looking ply edge.

That’s great there is a wickes near you! That’s quite a saving. They did accidentally deliver a softwood plywood sheet one time so just check they give you the right thing. Never picked the old up so got that for free.

I’d been thinking about lipping/edging but never done it before. What do you tend to use wood wise? Is it just a case of glue or nail or both?

Still need to finish mine in some way. Probably thinking some kind of poly finish but never used it before.

 

[TRITON]

I’d been thinking about lipping/edging but never done it before. What do you tend to use wood wise? Is it just a case of glue or nail or both?

Still need to finish mine in some way. Probably thinking some kind of poly finish but never used it before.

Likely no finish. Just the edges will have the lipping, which will be simple pine, biscuited on, planed flush and sanded with a sanded on round over. Its to be nothing special. Utilitarian.