Built in storage

[Retify]

In one of our bedrooms is the bunk above the stairs just sitting there in the smallest room in the house. Right now there is virtually zero storage in there, so there is a lot of clutter. There is a TV, my PC and books on there, but am considering actually utilizing the bunk and space to add storage and make it look a bit less naff by building in a closet/shelves from bunk to ceiling.

I have never actually done anything like this before, the most adventurous woodwork I have done is butchering an old wardrobe to make the desk that I now have which was fairly simple, just a few simple cuts and screw it all together, no treating or detailing needed so am a little out of depth for where to even start.

The actual building shouldn't be difficult, I have an idea of how I would do it, but what I am missing is knowledge of which type of wood to use, how I would go about getting some of the cuts/detailing done as I don't have a full workshop with all tools, wood treatment and so on.

So to cut a long story short, can anybody advise on what the best type of wood to use would be, how to treat/stain the wood and also what tools would be essential? I do not have a completely empty toolbox, I have hand saws, jigsaws, drills, a dremel, files, chisels, screwdrivers, countersinks, a planer... What I don't have is any large, fixed tools. While I can do the job without them, is there anything that you would consider essential which I should really look into getting.

Thanks in advance

 

[Benchwayze]

It's a bit difficult to advise on what kind of timber you want to use, as that is gong to be dictated by your funds.

You can build onto a pre-installed framework of softwood, or you can make 'boxes' from plywood, or MDF, or chipboard; and fit doors and drawers to them.

For the framework approach, I would use PAR (planed all-round ) deal from you nearest sawmill/DIY outlet.
Build onto that with veneered chipboard, block-board or MDF. As I said. Depends on your purse. Have a look at YouTube. As a beginner with little tooling, you could do worse than have a gander at Kreg Jigs. That should give you some ideas on what beginners can achieve, with relatively inexpensive kit. If that leads you to proper woodwork, that's great. My first cabinet-furniture some fifty-five years ago was screwed together, without use of a pocket-hole jig, because I hadn't the tools or much idea then. Some of the cabinets are still in use; so don't knock screws and glue! (hammer)

Here's an example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYdCv5R786c

Hope that helps.

Regards
John

 

[Retify]

Thanks John, yes this helps a lot

The pocket-hole jig's look incredible!! As simple an idea as it is, I didn't actually think of them but they would help a hell of a lot. What I don't like from looking into them is that you have to use the drill bits/screws that they make... Even if they were the greatest screws and drill bits made by man, I still wouldn't like it, I prefer choice, even if that allows me to make a poor choice :lol:

My idea was two cupboards in the same unit, one above the other. The one below would have one large box on one half for my PC and cables and to allow good ventilation, shelves on the other side. The one above would be shelves spanning the entire width. I want it with two rather than one as the top will be used purely for storage, whereas the one below would be opened and seen fairly regularly whenever the computer is accessed for any of the books, DVD's and what have you, and I don't want the storage above seen every time it is opened.

I think I have opened up a can of worms here to be honest, I have started thinking of other stuff I now "need" to do and make

For something unrelated, does anyone have an idea for how to finish wood for it to be as smooth and, most importantly, cleanable as possible? I have said I will make a biltong box since I told my South African girlfriend's family back in SA that I would try making it over here. It would appear warmer summer weather is sneaking up on me but I am no closer to making the biltong box, let alone the biltong, that I promised. That one should be easy as it is literally just a box, with a door and heat below, but as it will have raw and eventually processed meat, it would need cleaning after every batch, hence the need for it being cleanable.

 

[Benchwayze]

The drill bits last a fair time, if you don't 'throw' them at the jig, and you don't try to hurry the boring. You can get away with using ordinary screws, but by the time you find suitable headed screws, (Such as cheese-head' or domed-head) you might just as well bite the bullet and buy the proper screws.

HTH

John