best material for campervan cupboards?

[Unib]

Hello,

I'm soon to start work on a camper van interior, for the previous vans I've done I've used birch ply but this one is going to be a bit different...

I'm going to be using 1.5mm maple veneer on a 12mm substrate with solid maple lipping/edging - I can't decide what would be the best material for the substrate; mdf or birch ply. Obviously mdf is cheaper, which is good but will one be more stable than the other (given that temperatures and moisture levels in a camper van are all over the place), and will one react better than the other having the thicker veneer on it than the other? For horizontal surfaces maybe ply is better as mdf my sag over time...

So, I'm not sure, any thoughts?

Oh, and weight isn't an issue - in fact heavier is actually better for this van!

Thanks

 

[Togalosh]

Hello Unib,

I'm no expert but I worked in a vaneered panel factory a long time ago.. & I cannot remember seeing any veneered plywood at all then & very little since..isn't it a bit too uneven to start with & would need a good sanding flat first ?

It would withstand moisture & take a screw better than MDF (as you know) but I recon most veneered panels are chipboard...but I could be wrong.

I'm not a fan of MDF at all & only use around my wood workshop as I get a fair bit of it for free as it's used to crate equipment I work with (to pay for woodwork)..so as is most things in life it's a trade off.

HTH

Tog

 

[Unib]

Thanks Tog - I hadn't even thought about chipboard! Maybe a mix of materials might be the answer. Some of it is definitely going to have to be ply as the design has some laminated curved sections, but maybe chipboard for the doors could work.

Dav

 

[eribaMotters]

Why not Moisture Resistant mdf. It is stable, readily available and would cope with any dampness in the van.

Coli,

 

[Chems]

I know some pro's who make camper kits. They only use ply. And its really expensive per board. They don't use MDF because it's really heavy I believe. The ply may even be lightweight ply.

 

[eribaMotters]

Medite? do an ultra lite mdf. I don't think it is available as MR though. I can lift a sheet of 18mm with one hand. It is lightweight. Why not contact specialist conversion companies for advice, or if they will not give it a sheet material supplier. Silvermans have several depots I believe, or contact the technical departments of the sheet material manufacturers/importers.

Colin

 

[Oryxdesign]

You need something light

How about http://www.qkhoneycomb.co.uk/

 

[Unib]

Thanks for the recommendations, Medite looks interesting - I'll look into that some more for my regular van furniture. This one's a bit unusual because the van owner actually doesn't want it to be light weight - it's for an off road vehicle which has updated suspension, it's currently riding too high so need weighting down a bit!

 

[Unib]

That stuff looks interesting - thanks for the link

You need something light

How about http://www.qkhoneycomb.co.uk/

 

[Oryxdesign]

In that case use mrmdf

 

[Mike Wingate]

Mine are an aluminium and foam sandwich. 5 mm thick. VW California.