Advice for a small built in for bedroom

[Prizen]

Hi all

I've done a lot of projects in my shed, for my shed, but never anything for indoor use. The other half is looking for some built in shelving and a drawer in the bedroom. The area opening is one door width, and is actually the alcove space underneath a stairs.

Any tips for design, manufacture, and installation? I am assuming mdf but perhaps ply is a better alternative.

 

[marcros]

personally, I have no idea, but there are a couple of threads worth looking at- the first with a link to a youtube series that I found whilst looking for the second thread!

post1237396.html?hilit=built%20in%20Millard#p1237396
workflow-picture-heavy-t66087.html

 

[Prizen]

Thanks Marcros, that's really really helpful.

 

[meccarroll]

For your shelves MDF is fine but depending on how much you load it and of course the thickness you use It may bend slightly in the middle under load so to prevent the bend you may want to consider putting a lip on the front edge (Front only sides and back will be supported) with a timber batten to stiffen it up, 15mm x 30mm should do.

I have used 25mm MDF for a wardrobe shelf which was 1000mm wide by 500mm deep and no lipping and it has worked well. I also used MDF cut down for battens on the wall to fix the shelf to which worked fine. I used screws and plugs to fix the battens to the walls and then covered them with plastic plugs which I painted in to match the shelf finish.

You can buy metal draw sides and runners which only need a bottom, front and back cutting. For fronts I usually use MDF 18-22mm and for the bottom and back I use melamine faced chipboard 15mm. Simple to make really, just make a box for the draws allowing enough room either side of the box so when it's fit in the opening you can run an MDF cover strip either side of about 30mm. Make your draws fit the box allowing the front to overhang the box edges leaving about 5mm of the edge showing. fit the box in the opening using battens to fill the gap at the sides and then fit your cover strips so they just lip over the box edge by about 2mm. this should give you a gap between the cover strip and draw edge of about 3mm. Fit a plinth strip along the bottom of the box about 100mm high and set it back by about 20mm from the front edge. Fit a shelf on the top of the box and job done. It's a simple method to do if you are starting out and will work.

 

[Prizen]

Thanks for that meccarrol Iam trying to picture what you written, might need to re read it a few times

 

[meccarroll]

https://www.toolstation.com/hafele-meta ... gLSUfD_BwE

To make the draws:
These can be used to make the draws. You cut the bottom board the width required making an allowance for the side draw runner . The bottom depth is the same as metal draw side. Cut the back the depth of metal draw and same width as bottom. The front usually overhangs the box carcass.

 

[meccarroll]

Make an MDF box to fit the draws in. fit the box in the opening. Stand the box on a plinth. leave enough space at the sides of the box to fit infill pieces of mdf (similar to an architrave on a door). If the infill and draw fronts are the same thickness MDF you will end up with a nice uniform front on your draw unit and you can scribe the infill pieces to the wall giving a neat finish. Put a lid on the box using MDF overhang it so it either finishes flush as draw fronts or a few mm more than the draw fronts (whichever looks right to you).