10
1) Use an 81" length of metal with a 'T' cross section. Cut a slot down the middle of the 81" edge of the panel to accommodate it. Dry fit, then assemble with construction adhesive. If desired, 'pin' the T-bar in place with nails or screws through the surface of the door.
... or ...
2) Use an 81" length of metal with a 'U' cross section and 1.5" outside ...
8
How much the shelves will sag depends not only on the materials you use, but also whether or not the shelves are fixed, whether there's a hardwood strip along the length, and how they are attached. The magic number to watch out for is 1/32" (about 0.8 mm) of sag per foot.
MDF is incredibly heavy - your bookshelves will weigh a ton if you construct them ...
6
Honestly, the best option for a bench that expects hard use is a sheet of 1/8" "tempered hardboard" - I don't know if that's one of those places where we are separated by a common language or not. Masonite® is the best known brand name, though they make multiple products so that may not be definitive. You put a trim board sticking up 1/8" ...
5
You shouldn't have any problems using MDF.
A lot of modern cabinets are made out of MDF these days as it's a cheap material to use. It comes in a variety of thicknesses so you'll be able to get one that meets your requirements.
You need to wear a mask when cutting and sanding it as the dust is not very nice.
It takes paint well and you should have no ...
5
MDF may be marginally more stable, but in my extensive experience it's far too fragile to be used for house trim. I wouldn't install it if it was free. It dents and scratches like nothing.
If you're doing a typical bedroom you shouldn't have field joints, as either is available in 16-foot lengths. Even if you do, a well-glued and well-nailed miter won't ...
4
If it is MDF or HDF (as opposed to particleboard) then I would choose the fiberboard over ply.
Any surface wear will impact the finish laminate, regardless of the underlying material.
By contrast, MDF/HDF should be more impact resistance, water/mold resistant and uniform in density and composition.
MDF above: more uniform and dense. Particle below, less ...
4
I would use MDF. It is uniform, takes paint well and doesn't warp. It also routes well.
It should hold the weight I'd expect in a bookshelf (supported at both sides, about 30" wide and no deeper than 18")
If you're really concerned with the sagging you might add a single center support bracket.
4
Unfortunately forever is simply impossible ;)
Without knowing what/how these planks are going to be used, it is difficult to provide a great answer. I have no real experience with liquid nail, but have used similar types of glue with success, but again, without the what/how you indeed to use these planks... I can't say too much for your case.
One issue ...
4
Depends on size. For significant blems, I'd try wood putty, handling it as if it were joint compound. If that didn't work, I might just give up and actually use joint compound...
However, remember that for small nichs and scratches paint itself can fill small irregularities, especially if you scuff-sand between coats or otherwise actively level the surface.
4
Depending on how fussy you are, the best thing to look like drywall is drywall. It may also be the least expensive thing that looks like drywall.
I have built a bookcase (attached to the floor and ceiling, so functionally a wall) with a drywall backing, mudded the drywall as usual and indeed the other side looks just like a wall. You have to accept that you ...
4
If your doorframes are MDF any patching is going to be visible to some degree. I would try filling it (with slight overfill) with wood putty and sanding it as smooth as you can using finer grit (220) for the finish. It all depends how particular you are - it's very difficult to get a perfect mend on this.
The only other option is replacing that side of the ...
3
My suggestion would be to embed square tube stock steel into the MDF and epoxy it in.
I recently did this exact thing with MDF subtop for my granite counters and uses a polyurethane glue to embed the steel.
Check out the pictures here:
Can I support a granite countertop overhang with embedded steel bars?
Square stock is rigid and cheap. Route a channel ...
3
You probably want an epoxy based filler such as Bondo. A variety of manufacturers have a version of this.
These products are a little more complicated to use than traditional wood fillers, but they are pretty impervious to moisture once they harden. You need to mix small batches that can be used in a few minutes. Nitrile/latex gloves are a must.
Once ...
3
I would select the product based on the appearance and durability of the finish laminate alone, with little concern for the substrate material, assuming the substrate is some viable material and not pressed paper pulp or something else obviously inferior.
For identical finish laminates, MDF would be preferable to plywood as it is denser and more ...
3
There's many variables, many choices. You could just slam some screws into the shelf edges and it may be adequate. Pocket screws are a big improvement because you are no longer screwing into the panel edges. They work really well in cabinet face frames because there is plenty of room for screw embedment. For a bookcase, embedment is limited, so you should ...
3
Not quite the idea you were looking for but one idea might be to use another bookcase so that you have two of them back to back. More storage that way.
Now onto your immediate question. I would suggest that you consider a hardboard Masonite type product. This comes in a 4x8 foot sheet that can be cut just to your size. It has a very smooth surface that will ...
3
Mdf is a fair product for the price.
I always advise clients to choose real wood if the budget allows. As to what you have heard; Mdf in a dry interior environment will not warp like wood. It should not be installed in kitchens, bathrooms or outdoors. A good carpenter can use wood or mdf to provide pleasant finished details. If you can afford it, choose wood....
3
I would say that MDF is the poor man's luxury product. It cannot handle any moisture but it is smooth, hard, durable and stable (doesn't expand or contract with seasonal change. It takes paint nicely and because it is hard and smooth it requires far less skill in painting to get a great look. It goes up fast and takes paint fast. And if you pre-paint it on ...
3
From my experience solid core doors will block sound much better than hollow core. Solid core is also a heavier door which can be a plus although sometimes makes it a little more difficult to install.
Also, you want to make sure the door is pre-drilled for your hardware and pre-hung. The Jeld-Wen door you sited is a slab door and is not pre-hung. Slab doors ...
3
For the best match, cut a thin piece of the same MDF material to fit, and glue it into place with wood glue. MDF is very easy to work with so this would be relatively easy. If the fit is good enough, the glue will fill any of the cracks, or fill them in afterwards with a mixture of wood glue and MDF dust. Keep glue off the surface as it will affect the ...
3
There is not a convincing reason this has to be any sort of box structure. In fact for a bed support like that a single USA type of 2x8 (actual 1.5"by 7.5" 38mm by 190mm) on edge on each side of the bed would be way more than enough support. The overall weight can also be accommodated by using proper means to join the ends to the vertical posts.
If you ...
3
ANYTHING is better than MDF for your project as it is a terrible material for furniture, especially custom made furniture. Also you can't use a router on MDF - well you can but it will not turn out well.
So you can probably find pine, oak and cedar at big box. All stronger than mdf, all suitable. If you are painting, pine is my go to as you can cover it ...
3
You'll get similar life from polyurethane and oil paint. It might be wise to use a satin or matte sheen to reduce the appearance of wear, which is the real issue. You can always recoat if actual wear-through or other damage occurs, but you probably don't want it looking distressed immediately.
Epoxy might give a little more hardness and thickness, but it's ...
2
I would not use MDF in an area with lots of moisture like a bathroom or a garage. It will swell up and degrade quickly if it gets wet. If you do use it in a wet area seal it up well.
2
End-grain gluing does not work very well with MDF, if you want to use glue i would recommend using dados, but with 3/4" mdf it weakens it a lot, maybe gluing 2 planks and then cutting some dados. And if youre going to use screws you need long and coarse thread screws so the mdf doesn't get damaged.
But there's an easier way than using screws: shelve pins
...
2
Nail it. You will forever regret a decision to glue the casing if it ever comes to a need to do repairs or modifications.
2
Super glue might work, although my first thought was to finish the mdf with polyurethane first. This will seal the mdf and allow the adhesive to remain sticky for a long time. Rubbing superglue on the area before the velcro goes on might get the same result too if you don't want to finish the whole thing.
I think this is what's going on : the mdf is very ...
2
I've always had very good results when using polyurethane finish on MDF - particularly on edges, where it is absorbed deeply. I have used it to harden the edges and make them more robust. I'd suggest using it for your purpose also - once dry, I would think the edge would be sandable to a very smooth finish. If paint adhesion is an issue, then I suspect ...
2
You could try brushing the edges with glue. I use Weldbond glue for similar purposes. You can dilute it, maybe a thin coat first to penetrate and seal, followed by a thicker coat to finish it. It's available in large sizes if you'll use a lot. Worst case it's a good glue so even if it doesn't work for your application, it will still be good to have ...
2
Larger issue with foam products is that it's a huge fire hazard.
Likely hollow wooden (thin plywood and wooden batten) construction. Masonite® (tempered hardboard) would be another suitable sheet material.
Could be done in drywall if you were a masochist.
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