OSB verses chipboard verses plywood for cupboards

[Melvb]

I need to make some big workshop cupboards (ballpark 6ft wide 8ft high 2ft deep) to store my power tools and everything else in the workshop to keep it clean (dust control is work in progress at the moment). In an ideal world (not where my wallet lives) I would use 18mm birch ply, but thats not going to happen at over £50 a sheet. OSB and chipboard are considerably cheaper but can it be successfully grooved for the shelves like ply can or can I just biscuit everything. Do biscuits work in OSB, I know care is need in chipboard or they bulge the surface. Also shelf stiffness may be a problem, whats a reasonable span for different loads and thicknesses (I know - how long is a piece of string), a single central vertical divider would give 3ft spans. Or should I make box section shelves with thinner surfaces top and bottom over a frame. It needs to be a relatively quick build, as time is even shorter than money. They don't need to be Chippendale but I do like things to be reasonably pleasing on the eye.

Any advice on these points or alternative ways of making these cupboards gratefully accepted.
Melv

 

[dzj]

I would support the shelves with cleats rather than dados/grooves.
Reinforce shelves with 1x2 pine/spruce. Three strips should be enough.

 

[Mike.S]

It may be worth considering buying second hand wardrobes (e.g. search that online auction site) and changing/adding shelves. Having recently cleared my fathers house I know there's plenty about and low demand, especially for solidly built (but old fashioned) wardrobes - therefore cheap.

May not reach 8ft height but may be quicker and cheaper than building your own from scratch.

 

[Mar_mite]

Mdf?

 

[rafezetter]

I've used OSB for 2 shelving units in my front room (as I like the texture and "grain) and found it better than chipboard especially for sagging as the particles in c/board are smaller therefore there's not a great deal of internal cross bond strength, it's essentially sawdust mashed together compared to OSB where most of the bits are a few inches or more, it also has a lower ambient moisture uptake than chipboard. Screwing into endgrain doesn't seem to be an issue.

It's several years old now and so far - all the shelves are straight even a pair of shelves that join the 2 units that are a few inches shy of 4ft.

rounding over the edges with a router also gives good results - it acts just like wood, no tearout or bits flaking out like c/board.

 

[Melvb]

Thanks all, for replies:

dzj: could be an answer.
Mike.S: Problem is transport, probably have to hire a van to move anything that would not dismantle flat.
Mar_mite: Try to avoid MDF if I can, dust is already a problem, and that's nasty dust.
rafezetter: Useful advice on OSB, not tried machining it before, apart from cutting, did not realise it machined like wood, was stiffer than chipboard, and took endgrain screws. Only ever used it on the roof of the workshop.

Anybody know about biscuits in OSB or will I have to do some experiments?
Melv

 

[Mark A]

I joined some OSB with biscuits recently and it worked well. That was only end-to-end (extending a 18mm board for use as a bench top) so I don't know how it performs when joining boards which are perpendicular to each other. I assume it would work okay, so either experiment or wait for someone more knowledgeable than me to come along

 

[RogerS]

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