Fitted Cabinets, which material would you use?

[DangerousDave]

Hello all,
Inspired by Dan's latest creations in painted MRMDF, here's my SU design for fitted cabinets for a family room

The original plan was to use 15mm MRMDF but now I'm having second thoughts. I compiled a cutting list using the excellent WoodWorks optimization software (http://woodworks.at) and the MDF will be about £350. I'm now thinking about using solid wood (jointing up panels from narrow boards, faced ply for backs) perhaps Ash or Beech with a natural finish instead of painted. Its gonna take a bit of mental gymnastics to work out quantities from my original cutting list, not sure how much more expensive this will be but at least I can buy sawn boards as I'm able to plane and thickness. This one's for my own house and I'm really coming round to the idea of a timber finish as opposed to painted MDF. Also jointing up panels would make a nice change from cutting endless amounts of man made boards :roll: I would need to rejig the design a bit to account for the carcass joints (originally allowed for simple butt joints in the carcasses with the MDF). What would you guys do?

 

[Imperial]

Make it from a combination of Unfinished Veneered MDF and solid timber in the same or contrasting material. Iron on edging is very easy to trim or you can lip in solid if you prefer. Best of both worlds IMHO!

 

[Karl]

I wouldn't even entertain the idea of doing that lot in solid wood. Veneered MDF is the way to go.

I find the real wood iron-on edging quite difficult to use - it is more difficult than the stuff made for MFC. Solid wood lipping is the way to go. You won't be surprised to learn that Dan T posted a simple jig in the Jig section for the trimming of this lipping.

Cheers

Karl

 

[jasonB]

If you are leaning towards a timber finish then I would go with veneered MDF as above with either solid or iron on edging. this is 26mm board with iron on edging, this is 19mm with solid lippings.

If you do go for painted then 15mm is a bit on the thin side.

Jason

 

[DangerousDave]

Thanks chaps, looks like veneered MDF with solid lipping may be the way to go. Or maybe I shoud just go back to plan A and go for painted MRMDF. :? Jason, thats really nice work I love the finish on the bar. I was going with 15mm as the last lot of carcassing I did was in 18mm MFC which seemed a bit heavy. Although that 26mm board looks really good. There isn't really any big spans, so I was thinking 15mm might be ok, but now I'm not so sure... :?

 

[Mattty]

:shock: Thats a lot of cabinets! :shock:

I think i would be tempted to go for painted, purely to keep the room feeling a bit lighter. All that wood in a room that doesn't look massive may be a bit over powering. On the other hand it may look lovely like an old library... Sigh i'm no help at all :roll:

 

[mailee]

I am afraid I have to agree with Mattty on this one. It reminds me of a post office with all those open boxes, sorry. I would personally break them up a little. I too think that Painted MDF is the way to go as there is a lot of material there. JMHO :wink:

 

[MikeG.]

I wouldn't even entertain the idea of doing that lot in solid wood.
Karl

I would!!

You're going to be living with it, so do the best possible job.............and that will be natural timber wherever possible. You might re-jig your design a bit to suit the new materials, and I would certainly do any backs in veneered ply (even MDF, although I haven't yet!). Doing timber furniture rather than cheapo storage units will transform this into a wonderful project.

Mike

 

[jasonB]

It will be a lot of work in solid timber, assuming from your costings there will be about 20 sheets of 15mm for the carcases thats 320bd ft or 27cu ft without any allowance for waste!

Jason

 

[BradNaylor]

You won't be surprised to know that I side with Jason and Karl - the very thought of tackling this in solid wood is bringing me out in a sweat!

For a painted finish go with 18mm MR MDF - 15mm is just too thin.

For a woody finish use 18mm veneered MDF lipped with strips of solid wood - SO much better than nasty iron-on edging! The foolproof method of trimming the lippings with a router can be found here.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=27142

The end result will be just as good as of you had used solid wood, and will cost a fraction as much. Its also a lot quicker!

I can't help feeling that you've missed something with your design, though.

You could squeeze another cabinet in over the door!

:wink:

Cheers
Dan

 

[Waka]

I'm with Mike on this one, I'd certainly tackle this with real wood, it will look so much better and the finish on real wood surpasses any finish you can get on MDF.

[/i]

 

[Geno]

Ding Ding!!

Sounds like there would be a nice wee contest of MDF vs the proper stuff!!

 

[Chris Knight]

I wouldn't dream of doing it in solid wood - it's a job made for MDF.

 

[MikeG.]

OK, as the politicians say, let me clarify my position!!!

As designed, these units are clearly suited to construction from a sheet material, albeit they should have solid timber lippings. They look a bit like glorified pigeon-holes at the moment (which may be the fault of the SU process).

However, redesigned, they could be made into a series of pieces of furniture with a similar storage capacity but a very different look, and would make a wonderful series of solid wood projects. The first picture, for instance, shows something that could easily become a break-front bookcase with low-level cabinet.

That is what I didn't say explicitly enough first time around.

This is the choice, then..........quick, cheap utilitarian fittings in MDF, or slow, pricier but quality pieces of furniture in solid wood. Given the time, money (and skills) I would back the latter every time.

Mike

 

[DangerousDave]

Thanks for your thoughts chaps, I appear to have once again opened a can of worms Now that you mention it, it does look like Post Office pigeon holes! I was going for a sort of library look, the units will mostly be housing books (we have a lot of books). The reason I considered solid timber was I was reading the chapter on carcass construction in Joyce the other night and the challenge of doing it this way seemed appealing, plus I would have the pleasure of looking at it every day...
But it would be expensive, and more difficult etc...
Dan, more cabs above the door? Surely that would be overkill
TBH I think its going to be painted MRMDF, I think Matty's right that a wood finish would be overpowering, although I really like the look of Jason's stuff in veneered MDF... :?
Well, in any case I'm going to completely redo the SU design, I'd have to alter it anyhow to allow for 18mm material.
I can always go to town on the timber worktops (I know a man who has some teak... )
If I do go with veneered sheets it'll def be with solid lipping, thanks for the tip Dan
I'll post the new (non- Post Office) design when its done.
Thanks to all for the input, most appreciated
D

 

[Mattty]

You won't be surprised to know that I side with Jason and Karl - the very thought of tackling this in solid wood is bringing me out in a sweat!

For a painted finish go with 18mm MR MDF - 15mm is just too thin.

For a woody finish use 18mm veneered MDF lipped with strips of solid wood - SO much better than nasty iron-on edging! The foolproof method of trimming the lippings with a router can be found here.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=27142

The end result will be just as good as of you had used solid wood, and will cost a fraction as much. Its also a lot quicker!

I can't help feeling that you've missed something with your design, though.

You could squeeze another cabinet in over the door!

:wink:

Cheers
Dan

Has anyone ever tried one of these-

They basically do the same job as Dan's router jig.

"This is a special purpose planer for flushing work in the manufacture of furniture.It is ideal for flushing strips on edges.It is provided with a large support surface to allow easy, safe and controlable operation.The support base is height adjustable with respect to the cutting plane of the knife holder.A powerful 1050 watt high torque motor rotates the cutter block at 11100 rpm resulting in a fine workpiece finish.Weighing 7.7 kg you do not need to exert pressure and it's weight balances the tool perfectly on the workpiece.Supplied with replaceable and reversible hard metal knives which do not require adjustment and with a dust port.Maximum cutting width is 55mm."

 

[BradNaylor]

I've never actually tried one Matt, but I was in the market for one a couple of years ago. In the end I solved the problem with my router jig and saved myself £500. :lol:

I keep meaning to play around with a jig for an electric planer to do the same job - that's basically what the Verutex is.

If you buy one I'll borrow it though.

:wink:

Cheers
Dan

 

[woodbloke]

I used one of they years ago (or something similar)...very nice bit of kit :wink: - Rob

 

[JonnyD]

I have one of these.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Lame ... 785588.htm

It has gone up by £300 since i bought mine. :shock: It is an extremely accurate and well made machine. Due to the way the cutter block works the planed wood has a shear cut so the finish is excellent.

Jon

 

[Mattty]

I've never actually tried one Matt, but I was in the market for one a couple of years ago. In the end I solved the problem with my router jig and saved myself £500. :lol:

I keep meaning to play around with a jig for an electric planer to do the same job - that's basically what the Verutex is.

If you buy one I'll borrow it though.

:wink:

Cheers
Dan

I picked one up from Auction for £40 it came with a detail sander and a 7" polisher 8)

I haven't tried it yet and its a bit scruffy, still :lol: