What material for workshop shelving

[Bone]

Just after some advise.

I am planning on building a shelving unit in my workshop. This will be along the lines of a 'shelved wardrobe' for want of a better description.

The planned dimensions are 2'(d) x 3'(w) x 6'(h)

I would normally build this kind of thing (cupboards) out of 18mm MDF but was thinking that this time, since this is going to be in the workshop, and I plan to put fairly heavy items on the shelves, (table saw, SCMS, assorted paint cans, etc etc) would 18mm ply be more suitable.

If ply, would I need shuttering, marine or weatherboard? I have no real experience in plywood. Also what price should I expect to pay for an 8x4 sheet.

Construction will be fairly basic, with the outside box made out of sheet material, glued, biscuited and screwed at the joints. The shelves will be mounted on top of battens screwed to the inside of the carcass at various heights (to allow some degree of adjustment should taller / shorter shelf spaces be required). Would I be better to add (glue and biscuit) a timber piece to the front edge of the shelf to help prevent bowing?

Any advise welcome.

 

[wizer]

Bone, I am just going through the design stages of workshop furniture and am using 18mm Ply. I chose Ply because I really don't like MDF and it's very heavy. I would not recommend the construction grade Plys. They are generally bad quality and are rarely flat. You will find that they are riddled with voids too. For my projects I am opting for BB grade 18mm Birch ply which I have been quoted nearly £40 a board from Richard Russel. This is quite expensive, B&Q's range of standard birch ply is a little cheaper but not as good quality.

As for your construction method. I can't see any problems with that, should be plenty strong enough.

Please post pictures when your done. Furniture is nice...but workshop furniture is nicer

 

[PowerTool]

Quite agree - 18mm ply would be my choice.I have my SCMS on an 18mm ply shelf,no sign of it bowing (2' deep,3' span)
And it looks better than MDF.. :wink:

Andrew

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Quite agree - 18mm ply would be my choice.

Yes, the only thing I would recommend is that I set the shelves in a dado/trench. This meant it was really solid as I also used the Kreg pocket hole joinery and glue.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[carpenteire]

I've successfully used both WBP ply and shuttering grade ply for various shelving and storage solutions in my small workshop. Shuttering grade ply is very variable in quality (although it is cheap) and voids are inevitable. WBP is far better although quality can be variable too. Biscuits, glue and screws are your friends when using either, I've found. I left the ply untreated except for exposed edges which were lightly planed, edges relieved and some danish oil rubbed in. On longer shelf spans I used some old salavaged hardwood edging which I glued onto the long sides; this gave great results.

 

[Bone]

Hi Neil

The middle shelf will probably be fixed in that method to add rigidity, but I really wanted the ability to adjust the shelf spacing so I think a compromise of the two methods will be the end result.

All I need to do now is find a suitable priced supplier of timber. My local timber yard is Mid Sussex Timber, which of these products is BB ply http://www.mstc.co.uk/sheet_materials.htm

 

[dandude]

I just built some shelves in my garage shop and used some OSB i had left over from building the roof... worked well for me.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Neil

The middle shelf will probably be fixed in that method to add rigidity, but I really wanted the ability to adjust the shelf spacing so I think a compromise of the two methods will be the end result.

All I need to do now is find a suitable priced supplier of timber. My local timber yard is Mid Sussex Timber, which of these products is BB ply http://www.mstc.co.uk/sheet_materials.htm

I recently completed a couple of bookcases and the middle shelves are fixed in place securely whilst other shelves are freely adjustable. Works very nicely.

For your cabinets, I would use ply and possibly run a strip (40-50mm deep) under the front edge to strengthen the shelf and stop sagging

 

[WellsWood]

18mm WBP or "Brazil" ply should set you back around £25 a sheet and would be more than adequate for workshop storage (you wouldn't use it indoors though - not very pretty). As already said, lip the front (and back if necessary) edges with 40/50mm strips or hardwood if large loads are anticipated - check the sagulator for help in this dept.

 

[Pekka Huhta]

I would go for birch ply as well.

It might sound obvious, but maybe it isn't if you have worked with MDF: remember to get the grain orientation on the outmost plys right, that is parallel to the long edge of the shelf. If you do it other way round, the shelf is about as flexible as it would have been built from thinner plywood, as the outer ply is able to flex if it's cross grain. It was my first thought as your shelves are just temptingly 3' long so you could get smaller 1' shelves on the side. You can use the cross-grain pieces, just put them somewhere where the flexing won't bother you.

About the general construction, I think that a tool cabinet should be less than 2' deep. If you put anything on the back of the shelf, you'll have to empty the whole shelf anyway to get anything out from the back.

For low units I always prefer drawers with ball bearing drawer runners. You could think of substituting the lower shelves with these anyway, as you could avoid unnecessary kneeling and crawling if you could just pull the drawer open and lift things out.

Think about that

Pekka