Some large wardrobes!

[MrYorke]

MR MDF
Concealed, soft-close hinges
Blum Movento runners on the drawers. First time I've used them and they are lovely.
Contemporary masking tape handles.
Original picture rail was removed and refitted on to front of the units
Customer to finish
Lights have been added to the inside when the doors are opened but I'll take some snaps once it's painted

 

[petermillard]

Contemporary masking tape handles...

Special order or custom made

Nice job. Haven't used Movento runners, will give them a try next job.

Cheers, Pete

 

[MrYorke]

They are really nice and can take a hefty weight. Not cheap though but worth it

 

[tobyriches]

When you supply and fit MDF furniture like this for the customer to paint, do you sand and prep all the edges for them? I had some friends who got some fitted mdf units and the edges were all left fluffy.... poor guys took months to paint it, and the edges still looked rubbish.

Still, even if it's all beautifully sanded, you must have very brave customers to paint that lot!

 

[MrYorke]

I normally seal the edges with Zinnser Bin but the customer has their own decorator who's happy to do, in actual fact he's pretty insistent.

I wonder if your friends units were made from cheap, standard MDF. I, like others here, use MR MDF which gives a mug better edge although they still need to be sealed on the edges.

 

[Paul200]

That's a really nice job. I've recently finished a very similar build in our spare bedroom - but before I discovered MR MDF! It is possible to seal the fluffy bits - I usually start with a couple of coats of dilute PVA and follow with one or two of a good primer, all sanded in between - but what a pain in the arris!

 

[MrYorke]

That's a really nice job. I've recently finished a very similar build in our spare bedroom - but before I discovered MR MDF! It is possible to seal the fluffy bits - I usually start with a couple of coats of dilute PVA and follow with one or two of a good primer, all sanded in between - but what a pain in the arris!

I've never used diluted PVA. Ive heard others recommend it but it always sounds like a lot of faff!

I use a product called Zinnser Bin, well, Johnstones equivalent. It's shellac based. There is also a water-based version but I don't find it as good. The Zinnser Bin dries VERY quickly and once sanded back leaves a good, smooth finish ready for painting. It is expensive but the Johnstones version is available in smaller quantities. It really is very good.

One thing to be aware of. You say you've used standard MDF. If you're using water based paint then you will probably experience the MDF "grain" raising so you'll be doing a fair bit of sanding between coats anyway.

Good luck and let me know if you need any further advice

Mike

 

[sammy.se]

This looks great! Nice and even - well done.

Couple of Questions: I'm assuming that is 18mm MRMDF, correct?

Also, what width is this unsupported shelf? I'm planning a wardrobe at the moment, and wasn't sure how wide I can make unsupported shelves before they start to sag...

Thanks!!

MR MDF
Concealed, soft-close hinges
Blum Movento runners on the drawers. First time I've used them and they are lovely.
Contemporary masking tape handles.
Original picture rail was removed and refitted on to front of the units
Customer to finish
Lights have been added to the inside when the doors are opened but I'll take some snaps once it's painted

 

[woodenstx]

Love this.
I'm planning on making some built in drawers to fit the daughters "wardrobe" (also known as the space behind the airing cupboard).
Did you use MDF for the whole drawer assembly?

 

[MrYorke]

Sammy, yes you are correct it is 18mm MR MDF.

The shelf is supported underneath (which you can't see) and fixed to the rear panel as well.

The shelf is 1200 wide if I recall which is very wide so needs the support. There is a site that does all the workings out for sag on lots of different materials. Think it's called sagulator.

Good luck with your build. Let me know if you need any advice.

 

[MrYorke]

Stuart, thanks for your comments.

I have used MDF throughout apart from the base which is birch ply. The sides are 15mm MDF as this fit in with the runners I have used. Think the materials has to be between 12-16mm thick.

 

[sammy.se]

Coolio - Thanks Mr Yorke!

 

[houtslager]

damn fine job there sir, just wish I had clients like yours :-/

 

[MrYorke]

Cheers houtslager, they've spent about £10k so far on a few jobs and still have many many rooms to go! And hopefully their kitchen.

 

[Zeddedhed]

Fine work Mr Yorke.
I do a lot of these wardrobes and would like to ask you a few questions if I may.

It looks as though your plinth is about 100mm high. Do you achieve this by levelling in a timber base or by using adjustable feet?
At the moment I use 75 x 50 PAR with an 18mm MDF top and then level it in using screw fix shims. The base is remade in the workshop to be smaller than the footprint of the unit to allow for the existing skirtings and for the plinth to be set back. The 18mm top just makes it easier to slide the unit around to get it positioned correctly.

Do you use a loose tongue to make your doors or do you tongue the rail ends and groove the stiles and rails?

 

[MrYorke]

Hi zeddedhed

Thanks for the comment.

Yes, I use kitchen carcass legs at 100mm high. There are usually 2 of us installing so it's a little easier to manoeuvre the wardrobes into position. I tried your method a couple of times with 2x2 but found it to be a bit of a faff (for me personally) but hadn't thought of putting a board on top.

I use dedicated rail and stile cutters on my router table to make the rails and stiles so yes they have a tongue or groove. The groove is 6.3mm. If using MR MDF is glue the panel in.

Hope that helps

 

[Zeddedhed]

Cheers for the reply.

The reason for asking about the base is that I'm trying to simplify and streamline the installation process for built ins.
The levelling in of the plinth can end up taking up a disproportionate amount of time so I'm currently trying to find some decent adjustable feet.

I don't want to go the full 100mm that you end up getting with kitchen cabinet feet so I'm thinking to make up a base from 2 x 2 with the aforementioned board on top. The corners of the base would have pronged nuts drilled in and then screw in feet.

This would give me about 30mm of adjustment and the whole base can be made in the workshop prior to going to site.
It should then be a simple matter of dropping the base on the floor, screwing the feet until level and then dropping the carcass on top.
The 2 x 2 at the front will give me something to glue and pin the front plinth panel to.

I often deliver my units to builders for their chippies to fit and this would make it easier for them.

Thanks for the feedback. Very useful to see how others do it.

 

[MrYorke]

I know someone else did similar to your idea. I think they made a simple frame out of squared up 2x2, level it up with packers then use angle brackets to fix it to the floor. Very simple but not sure how that fits with your method of supply.

 

[davin]

Hello all.

I make a lot of fiited units. have used both methods. Found that the plastic feet always broke whilst moving a large unit into place.
So now I make up softwood blocks that are screwed into the carcass base, then use adjustable feet which fit into screw in threads.
I find they are a lot stronger, also you can attach the plinth to the blocks.
Have a look anyway.

PS writing this on holiday in Finland. How sad am I !

http://www.castorsunlimited.co.uk/adjustable-feet/

http://www.castorsunlimited.co.uk/threaded-insert-nuts/

Thanks Davin