Dovetails or biscuits?

[joflopp]

First posting in this forum, which by the way is a great resource.

I'm going to make a workbench/storage for my girlfriend so she has a proper place for all her sewing and knitting things as well as a better place when sewing. The bench will be made of MDF and will have both drawers and cabinets.

The drawers will be made out of 12 mm (1/2") MDF and since I've never done that before I wonder which method to prefer - dovetails or biscuits. Is it possible to use biscuits with 12 mm MDF? And is MDF suitable for dovetails?

 

[DomValente]

Welcome joflopp

Short answer you can do both, but I wouldn't advise 12mm is a little thin for drawers in MDF joined by biscuit or dovetail if use must use MDF go up a thickness or two.

Others will be along soon with other suggestions.

Good luck

Dom

 

[Shultzy]

Welcome Joflopp - 1/2" MDF is not suitable for dovetails or biscuit joints as this is too thin. Biscuits are ok if you up the thickness to 18mm. If you use pine or hardwoods you could use either.

 

[joflopp]

Ok, no MDF for the drawers. Is plywood and dovetails an option or is it as bad as MDF?

 

[woodbloke]

Welcome Joflopp - you could probably get away with the smallest size biscuits but as others have said you're better off with thicker stuff, 15mm sounds about right - Rob

 

[Wanlock Dod]

I've used 12mm MDF for some drawer sides (and fronts and backs, they had lay-on fronts) and have joined by both glue and screws or glue and biscuits. Whilst neither seem desperately pretty they both seem to work OK.

Cheers,

Dod

 

[Paul Chapman]

Welcome to the forum, joflopp. If you have a router and router table, finger joints would be suitable for MDF http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/timberjoints4.htm

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[seaco]

Hi joflopp

Welcome to the nut house, I have used 12mm MDF to make drawers and they have held up well of course this would depend on how big the drawers are but as you can see in the pic these aren't exactly small...

Using a boxjoint seems to have been a good choice also... Good luck which ever way you go as for dovetails in ply well it will be strong but you will probably get some tear out which can be a bit unsightly...