Author Topic: Wood for Cabinet - need opinions and facts! :) (Read 5034 times)

MrTeamWork · « **on:** March 27, 2003, 06:22:02 am »

Hi all! i am about to choose which type/kind of material to use to construct my Cabinet. The problem is, I am confused as to the different types and advantages/disadvantages of the various kinds of materials to use. I have went through this forum and came up with these possible materials to use:

Plywood;

MDF;( Medium Density Fiber?)

Particleboard;

Oak; ( Then varnish/stain, not laminate finish )

Pine; ( then varnish/stain, not laminate finish )

Exotic woods;

What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?
Which is the cheapest, most expensive, etc? Easiest to work with, hardest to work with? I plan to use Wilsonart Laminate to finish the cabinet, but don't know which type of material it 'sticks' best to. Anyone know?
This has me worried, I don't want to buy large sheets of wood until I know it will be ok to use. Someone with first hand experence help? Links great as well!
THANK YOU!! ^_^

Frostillicus · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2003, 08:48:32 am »

Quote from: MrTeamWork on March 27, 2003, 06:22:02 am

Plywood;

MDF;( Medium Density Fiber?)

Particleboard;

Oak; ( Then varnish/stain, not laminate finish )

Pine; ( then varnish/stain, not laminate finish )

Exotic woods;

If i wanted to go for a natural finish like varnish or light stain, I would pick cabinet-grade oak 3/4" oak plywood. I would finish it naturally and polish it to a nice living-room furniture gleam. I like t-molding as well, so the plywood edges would be covered by say, a complimentary color of t-molding. If you don't want t-molding then I'd go with solid wood.

That would be more expensive, unless you joined the boards yourself. Either way you'd need some big pieces for a full-size cab.

Pine would be too soft. You should decide first if you want to paint, laminate, varnish, etc. then you can pick a good material and we can give better advice.

hyiu · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2003, 11:07:11 am »

ok... in general.... up to my knowledge... (which may not be very accurate...)

MDF is easy to work with... and cheap... and good result if you want to paint.... BUT... it create a lot of sawdust... (not good for your health if you breath it in...) and its heavy....

(a few people have mentioned there are more expensive ligthweight MDF which are as tough.... but I'm not sure...)

also.... if somehow the wood get wet... MDF will be BAD...
(plywood is a little better than MDF...)
in general... wood and water.... no good....

I think you should stay away from particle board...

you mentioned you want to laminate it when done....
then I guess you can use some cheaper grade plywood....
and roughly sand the surface, and use contact cement to bond the plywood with laminate.... that should work for you...

plywood... (I think...) in general is stronger than MDF....

usually.... oak... brich... or other more exotic wood are more expensive... I would recommend u to use it ONLY if you're going to stain it and make it have a more "furniture" look....
but if you're going to cover it with laminate anyway.... no need to spend the extra $$... plywood and MDF should be strong enough....

hope it helps...

Chad · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2003, 11:22:33 am »

MDF is the way to go if you are painting. I used 5/8 MDF on mine and will never use anything else. He is right it does make a lot of dust (more like powder). You should use a small mask from Home Depot or do your work outside. It is easy to rout and only needs a coat of primer before you paint. You will also need to use a counter sink drill bit for the screws. It is very heavy so I would use 5/8 insted of 3/4 but both will work fine.

Evo · « **Reply #4 on:** March 27, 2003, 11:44:22 am »

If you are going to use oak or birch. Instead of using t-molding, you should use vaneer(sp). Vaneer(sp) is a thin strip of either oak or birch(depending on what wood you'll use, you by the according) that when heated it gets sticky. This way you can cover the edges of the Oak/Birch and varnish them and they'll look like the rest of the cab.

There's an mame cab company don't remember the name that makes an all oak cab it looks really nice. The name of the cab is Grand Ol Daddy or something like that.

Evo

seaner · « **Reply #5 on:** March 27, 2003, 12:03:49 pm »

I'm using 5/8" particleboard for mine. No complaints. It was about 30% cheaper than MDF, and my wife was with me when I bought, so that was a deciding factor

Distortion · « **Reply #6 on:** March 27, 2003, 12:20:40 pm »

Another thing about the MDF dust is that (for me anyway) it causes rashes when it gets on your skin. Make sure you shower right after having done a lot of work. I put of showering for a few hours and ended up with a rash on my arm....oh well, I should be done with all that sawing business today.

MrTeamWork · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2003, 12:34:03 pm »

THANK YOU ALL! This was exactly the infomation I was in need of!

Off to the Home Depot for me later

I will keep ya'll filled in, and produce pics when the cabinet is done

Chad · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2003, 12:39:33 pm »

Ya, MDF has some Formaldehyde in the glue they use. There are some safty sites on the web that tells about using MDF.
Here is a artical about it:

http://www.gpmu.org.uk/hs/health/msg00009.html

Formaldehyde resin is in all In ALL fibreboards. So use some form of protection should be used for "safe cutting."

kalkin · « **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2003, 12:51:59 pm »

I have only built one cab but at the beginning of the building process I had to choose between particle board and MDF.

Particle board is cheaper than MDF but in my opinion it is also a bit more porous and seems more sensitive to moisture than MDF. Also it has a more rough surface than MDF which makes it less good for painting but equally good for laminating. In the end I went for 3/4" MDF partly because it seemed more durable and partly because I wanted a smooth surface to paint. The only thing I regret was using 3/4" instead of 5/8" as the cab is very heavy.

I'd consider oak or pine only as a last resort to have my cab design approved by the so-called "department of furniture".

Exotic woods..? Balsa wood maybe?

Chad · « **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2003, 01:11:27 pm »

Sorry to keep hashing. Another thing about MDF, because it is so squared and flat I had no problems placing 2 sheets together with drywall screws and cutting out both sides at one time. I have done this with 5/8 and 3/4. Using a skill saw and a circular saw worked great.

Wade · « **Reply #11 on:** March 27, 2003, 01:24:55 pm »

I used 3/4" MDF and I was very happy with the material. It painted SO easily and perfectly, didn't even need a primer, just 2 or 3 coats with a smooth foam roller and the finish is so good you might think it was laminate. It will hold screws going into the face of it, and it cuts very smoothly if you have the right blade (for me, what worked best was a circular carbide 22 tooth).

MDF is a bit heavy, but I think particle board is heavier. Particle board might be cheaper, but MDF is very cheap already (about $15 for a 3/4"x4'x8' sheet). I didn't even consider particle board, I have used it a little in the past and it won't hold screws, and it chips and breaks easily.

I don't see how you can go wrong with MDF whether you want to paint or laminate. The only way I'd consider anything else is if I wanted nice wooden furniture.

Wade

Distortion · « **Reply #12 on:** March 27, 2003, 01:54:19 pm »

While i did say that I got a rash from the MDF, I still would say that I wouldn't use anything else if doing it again. It cuts nicely without chipping, it's easy to sand the edges down if you screw something up (like i did many times) and while it may be prone to water damage, it's not nearly as bad as particle board, which is like a freakin sponge when i comes to water.

MrTeamWork · « **Reply #13 on:** March 27, 2003, 03:06:36 pm »

ARRGH DAMN CRAP 'Urban setup' Home Depot did not have 5/8 inch in either Plywood, Partice, OR MDF. Damn crap 'Urban' setups.

Now I need to drive in to the damn woods to the 'mega' sized Home Depot.

This sucks.

I did find out how much the laminate 4'X8' sheets are!

$:-\$

rampy · « **Reply #14 on:** March 27, 2003, 03:11:24 pm »

Quote from: MrTeamWork on March 27, 2003, 03:06:36 pm

ARRGH DAMN CRAP 'Urban setup' Home Depot did not have 5/8 inch in either Plywood, Partice, OR MDF. Damn crap 'Urban' setups.

Now I need to drive in to the damn woods to the 'mega' sized Home Depot.

This sucks.

I did find out how much the laminate 4'X8' sheets are! $:-\$

Uh... any particular reason you going with 5/8"? Save money, or weight or

I think most people/cabinets use 3/4" FWIW (except for old nintendo cabinets)

*shrug*

rampy

MrTeamWork · « **Reply #15 on:** March 27, 2003, 04:28:54 pm »

Well the Ultimate Arcade II plans are made only for 5/8 inch - I asked if I could use others, but they said no the plans wont work without 5/8th 8(

So I am looking for it

rampy · « **Reply #16 on:** March 27, 2003, 04:34:35 pm »

Quote from: MrTeamWork on March 27, 2003, 04:28:54 pm

Well the Ultimate Arcade II plans are made only for 5/8 inch - I asked if I could use others, but they said no the plans wont work without 5/8th 8(

So I am looking for it

Oh I didn't know that... sorry =P off to the "sticks mega home depot" for you then =P

rampy

hyiu · « **Reply #17 on:** March 27, 2003, 05:32:25 pm »

actually... if you're willing to paint it...

MDF should have good painting results....

then you can save at least 2 pieces of laminate...
(that costs about $100 !!!...)

and spend like $20 on paint + brushes....

s8n · « **Reply #18 on:** March 27, 2003, 05:39:42 pm »

3/4 or 5/8 MDF and Lexan.

Howard_Casto · « **Reply #19 on:** March 27, 2003, 07:07:10 pm »

5/8 inch will make your life a living hell if you wish to use real arcade parts. Unless you want to make a cap with only nintedo controls and t-molding then you really need to work in 3/4.

Also some notes about "real" wood. Plywood is workable and relatively priced. Vaneer is also workable but I wouldn't reccomend a solid wood. Why? Well real wood is actually weaker than plywood, it isn't as straight, and it has weak spots and knott holes which make cutting difficult. Just a few thigns to add.

CitznFish · « **Reply #20 on:** March 27, 2003, 10:33:24 pm »

Quote from: Howard_Casto on March 27, 2003, 07:07:10 pm

5/8 inch will make your life a living hell if you wish to use real arcade parts. Unless you want to make a cap with only nintedo controls and t-molding then you really need to work in 3/4.

Also some notes about "real" wood. Plywood is workable and relatively priced. Vaneer is also workable but I wouldn't reccomend a solid wood. Why? Well real wood is actually weaker than plywood, it isn't as straight, and it has weak spots and knott holes which make cutting difficult. Just a few thigns to add.

5/8 MDF + 1/8 Lexan = 3/4" wouldn't that make it alright to use?

Magnet_Eye · « **Reply #21 on:** March 27, 2003, 10:57:03 pm »

Quote from: CitznFish on March 27, 2003, 10:33:24 pm

Quote from: Howard_Casto on March 27, 2003, 07:07:10 pm
5/8 inch will make your life a living hell if you wish to use real arcade parts. Unless you want to make a cap with only nintedo controls and t-molding then you really need to work in 3/4.

Also some notes about "real" wood. Plywood is workable and relatively priced. Vaneer is also workable but I wouldn't reccomend a solid wood. Why? Well real wood is actually weaker than plywood, it isn't as straight, and it has weak spots and knott holes which make cutting difficult. Just a few thigns to add.

5/8 MDF + 1/8 Lexan = 3/4" wouldn't that make it alright to use?

YEAH, NO KIDDING. 5/8" and 1/8" Lexan....this is the plan for my CP. I don't see what problems could arise...Howard?

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #22 on:** March 28, 2003, 12:56:54 am »

Quote from: Magnet_Eye on March 27, 2003, 10:57:03 pm

Quote from: CitznFish on March 27, 2003, 10:33:24 pm
Quote from: Howard_Casto on March 27, 2003, 07:07:10 pm
5/8 inch will make your life a living hell if you wish to use real arcade parts. Unless you want to make a cap with only nintedo controls and t-molding then you really need to work in 3/4.

Also some notes about "real" wood. Plywood is workable and relatively priced. Vaneer is also workable but I wouldn't reccomend a solid wood. Why? Well real wood is actually weaker than plywood, it isn't as straight, and it has weak spots and knott holes which make cutting difficult. Just a few thigns to add.

5/8 MDF + 1/8 Lexan = 3/4" wouldn't that make it alright to use?

YEAH, NO KIDDING. 5/8" and 1/8" Lexan....this is the plan for my CP. I don't see what problems could arise...Howard?

you dont magnet eye?I dont either

.

I think its perfect if you use 5/8+1/8 lexan=3/4 total.

This is EXACLY how all my panels are.used to route the under before but not anymore

(routing sucks man)

Howard probley didnt read the fact that the guy wanted to add a piece of lexan...you know...

Just 5/8 would be pain in the arsh though..
BTW,the top part of my UA 2 would be 5/8.

MrTeamWork · « **Reply #23 on:** March 28, 2003, 10:10:03 am »

I am just trying to stick with the Ultimate Arcade II plans.. I am really not very good at doing things on the fly - but really good at following plans. I am afraid not of the lbs of 3/4th or anything, but that the screws wont line up or something if I don't get 5/8". Perhaps SNAAAKE could you help? You said you are going to have the top 5/8, but what about the bottom? Do you know if the plans will still work without 5/8 ? I plan to slap a 27 inch tv into the UA2 ( if it fits ) and really would not like it fall onto my computer lol
I think I am going with plywood btw.. it seems better to use with Laminate if I understand everything. MDF better for paint..

I am thinking I might have taken on more than I can handle with building my first cab 8(

rampy · « **Reply #24 on:** March 28, 2003, 11:38:38 am »

Quote from: CitznFish on March 27, 2003, 10:33:24 pm

5/8 MDF + 1/8 Lexan = 3/4" wouldn't that make it alright to use?

sure for a control panel... but are you going to put lexan on *all* the pieces of your cabinet? =P

I only mentioned 3/4" because that's what most regular arcade cabinet's use.. that's what "standard" t-molding is (although you can get a plethora of sizes, colors, and textures, so maybe it's a moot point)

I dunno... it doesn't matter.. using 5/8" wood all around will make your cabinet lighter and will be fine... especially if the plans you are following specify 5/8"

*shrug* its really a silly discussion... (except for the which wood to use part)

rampy

marcoval · « **Reply #25 on:** March 28, 2003, 12:31:00 pm »

I went to my local HD to get a spiral saw and thought I would check out what they had in stock on MDF. Only 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch. I decided to pick up the corner just to feel how heavy that was and OMG!!! I'm willing to use it, but I'm definately putting casters on this sucker to move it easier. Anyway, do lumberyards carry this stuff? I really want the 5/8 for the weight savings but, it would seem that it is not the most popular of woods and I won't be able to find it in that thickness at HD or Lowes.

P.S. Ryobi spiral saw, similar to the Rotozip, only $40 at Home Depot. I fired it up at home and it works just great! Very solid.

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #26 on:** March 28, 2003, 01:30:02 pm »

Quote from: MrTeamWork on March 28, 2003, 10:10:03 am

I am just trying to stick with the Ultimate Arcade II plans.. I am really not very good at doing things on the fly - but really good at following plans. I am afraid not of the lbs of 3/4th or anything, but that the screws wont line up or something if I don't get 5/8". Perhaps SNAAAKE could you help? You said you are going to have the top 5/8, but what about the bottom? Do you know if the plans will still work without 5/8 ? I plan to slap a 27 inch tv into the UA2 ( if it fits ) and really would not like it fall onto my computer lol
I think I am going with plywood btw.. it seems better to use with Laminate if I understand everything. MDF better for paint..

I am thinking I might have taken on more than I can handle with building my first cab 8(

The plan says to use 5/8 wood for the top part the begin with.
I am using 3/4 for the botttom..you know holding the monitor and all the video game abuse.

Reason why 5/8 for top part because I am adding side artwork as well so there WILL be a plexi glass for protection.

I dont think there will be any problem if you used 5/8 wood but dont go use 3/4 screws on it.I already know you know this but just in case(common sense).

For weight as well..you know..holding some heavy 3/4 wood sides with bare screws might be tough..I will know after I am about done with the cab !.

SirPoonga · « **Reply #27 on:** March 28, 2003, 03:04:53 pm »

one thing to note about mdf though, you can;t screw intot he ends without the chance of splitting.

_Iz- · « **Reply #28 on:** March 28, 2003, 03:41:21 pm »

Quote from: SirPoonga on March 28, 2003, 03:04:53 pm

one thing to note about mdf though, you can;t screw intot he ends without the chance of splitting.

you need to pre-drill each hole and use lowroot screws (drywall screws work good).


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