I need some advice please

[chief]

Hi ,

I am going to make some built in cupboards, built around a chimney breast and spanning the length of the wall. The best way to explain it is sort of three cupboards all joined together, one cupboard spanning the width of the chimney breast and then a cupboard each side of the chimney breast. If you know what i mean.

Both the cupboard spanning the width of the chimney breast and one of the other cupboards, are going to have just shelving for storage. The third cupboard is going to be have a hanging rail, and a couple of shelves above the hanging rail.

After looking in a couple of woodworking books and on the internet, i thought i would make the cupboards out of 2by2" framework, and then use a oak veneered mdf for the end panels and the shelving.
The side frames for the cupboards are to made up of two stiles and three side rails, the number of front and back rails will depend on how many shelves are in that particular cupboard. Use veneered mdf on the two end frames and leave the other side frames open as it were. Then for the doors use floor to ceiling sliding doors.

Do you think this is a good idea or do you suggest a better way of making the cupboards :?:

Is 2by2" the right size timber to use. :?:

Would it be better to rebate the veneered mdf into the end frames or just screw one whole mdf panel to the end frames :?:

What joints would be best to make the cupboard framework :?:

Sorry for the long explanation, i hope you can understand it.
cheers

 

[DaveL]

Hi chief,

Welcome to the forum.

Are you building this cupboard in, is it going to be fixed to the wall or free standing? Makes a be difference to the framing required. Are you going to frame the doors or hang then as the front of the cupboard?

 

[devonwoody]

Welcome from me to the forum.

I am not going to give any construction advice because there are some expert tradesmen around here who do this thing all the time, so will leave to them.

I assume this is going into a bedroom and the only question I would put up in addition to your own is.

Is it a good thing to have MDF in a room where you sleep everynight for years?
At least I would have thought not to cut any of that material in the room or rooms you live in because of residue dust.
What do the greenies say?

 

[chief]

Thanks for your responces fellas.

Yes the cupborads are going into a bedroom, and i have not really thought about if it is a good idea to have mdf in a room where you sleep, so i will see what others think about that health wise as it is my daughters bedroom where the cupboards are going.

Davel, i thought i wolud fix the frames on the furthest ends of the cupboards to the wall. The sliding doors (probally stanley) will be hang as the front of the cupboards.

Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated, if you need any more information just ask.