Also made in MDF (ash veneered) and birch plywood

[johnelliott]

Recently installed in a customer's kitchen, this specially made cupboard. On the left is an 'integrated' fridge freezer in 70/30 proportions and the right is just a cupboard. The doors are made in ash veneered MDF and the carcase is birch plywood.
I use the ash veneered MDF because I use water based acrylic paint and the water raises little bits on the surface of the MDF. The ash prevents this and shows through the paint, looking almost like real wood.
Birch ply is ideal for carcases as it is strong, takes screws very well (I use pocket screws and Titebond polyurethane glue for the joints (no need for dados). It also takes paint well
The unit stands on Franke adjustable feet, and the plinth boards clip to the feet.
The cornice was bought from Howden's Joinery
Hardest part of the project was lifting the fridge freezer into the cabinet
John
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[Keith Smith]

John - very nice, and nice to see your work, we could start a faction of those willing to 'come out' as having used MDF.


You asked about paint on the other thread; I use International MDF primer, two coats of undercoat - normally water based for speed, although oil based gives a better finish, and Dulux Satinwood again the oil based gives a better finish but sometimes the need for speed... I use a small foam roller for all that.

Keith

 

[Bean]

John
That cupboard looks good, and you say it is all screwed together.

I may need to pick your brain later as I have to build one in our utility room.

Bean

 

[gidon]

Very nice John - I like the finish too.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[DaveL]

John,

Looks very nice, I like the idea of losing the fridge freezer when the door is closed.

I have bought a pocket hole jig and have tried it out on a couple of small things, seems very useful, certainly very quick.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

John

It looks really good, your customer must have been pleased.

How did you attach the fridge door to the cabinet door?

Neil

 

[johnelliott]

Thanks for the kind words concerning the appearance, I wasn't expecting them because it is after all just a box with doors which could hardly be simpler and still fulfill its function.
Neil, the fridge freezer is designed to be installed in a box like this, and as such comes with sliding connectors to hold the inner and outer doors together. These are necessary because the hinges of each are in a different plane.

I have thought of designing a box which would take existing (free-standing) fridges etc. There would definitely be a market for these, the trouble is they are usually 600mm deep and once the front and rear of the cabinet was added to that, they would stick out to far. Same thing with washing machines and dish washers, my customers would really like to close them in but in the end it's easier and cheaper for them to buy new appliances which are designed to be installed in cabinets (integrated is the current jargon)
John

 

[tim]

Looks very nice - do you paint off or on site?


Are the door rails and stiles also MDF? Doesn't that cause a pain re bare edges? Also what thickness is the base - I imagine that the FF is weighty - I'm not familiar with Franke legs are they the same as other adjustable cabinet legs?

Cheers

Tim

 

[johnelliott]

Tim, the doors and cabinets are painted off site, although touch-ins are often needed after installation.

The only MDF used is in the doors, 19mm for the railes and styles, 6mm for the centre panels. Each one is painted by hand, laying them flat on a table. My wife (who works full time in the business) paints them. She starts with a watered down coat of Dulux Matt. She paints one side and the edges. When dry (30mins or so) she turns it over and paints the other side and the edges. The door gets another coat each side of full strength matt, and the third and final coat is Dulux Luxurious silk. So, each door get three coats on the veneered surfaces, and 6 coats on the edges. This is quite sufficient to get a good, reasonably smooth finish.
I point out to the customer that hand painting is better becuase if they damage a door they can touch it in themselves without it showing, as it would on a sprayed door

The base is 18mm birch ply. It is joined to the sides with pocket screws and titebond polyurethane glue. The screws give me excellent location and mean I don't need to clamp while the glue sets. The strength of the complete assembly is substantial.

The Franke adjustable feet are the best available AFAIK, certainly better than those fitted by MFI, Howdens etc. The foot part is 77mm diameter which make them easy to turn to adjust the height even when heavily loaded. THe plinth clip arrangement is very easy to use and very adjustable. I like adjustable stuff
John

 

[tim]

Thanks John - I woudl have thought that there would be some bowing with 18mm baseboard but obviously not.

Who supplies the franke feet - done a web search but nothing useful turned up. Have used several different types but always looking to improve. The Hafele ones with wide bases are really good as well.

Cheers

Tim