Tight budget, and I'm a novice diy'er.

My wife wants my to build a wall to wall bookcase that is floor to ceiling.
There will actually be 3 sections because we want the end sections to have
workstation or desks. These units will be fastened to the wall. My wife
and her
family suggested I make everything out of MDF which is cheep, easy to treat
and easy to buy decorative faces and mouldings for.

However I'd like to seek opinions on how long 5/8" or 3/4" MDF will last if
two adults and two kids use this type of configuration for 20 or 25 years or
hopefully 40 years?. What's the life span of MDF for this type of
application? We are in Ontario Canada so air conditioning 3 months a year
and forced air heating for 7 months a year from a humidity standpoint. Is
there plywood that is affordable and nice to prime and paint and that we can
nail some mdf moulds to? Melamine is prolly out of the question cause of
looks and it's really tough to paint ( it's a home office library, not a
kitchen)

This room will be used a lot we think.

On 11/21/2010 9:07 PM, The Henchman wrote:
Tight budget, and I'm a novice diy'er.

My wife wants my to build a wall to wall bookcase that is floor to ceiling.
There will actually be 3 sections because we want the end sections to have
workstation or desks. These units will be fastened to the wall. My wife
and her
family suggested I make everything out of MDF which is cheep, easy to treat
and easy to buy decorative faces and mouldings for.

However I'd like to seek opinions on how long 5/8" or 3/4" MDF will last if
two adults and two kids use this type of configuration for 20 or 25
years or
hopefully 40 years?. What's the life span of MDF for this type of
application? We are in Ontario Canada so air conditioning 3 months a year
and forced air heating for 7 months a year from a humidity standpoint. Is
there plywood that is affordable and nice to prime and paint and that we
can
nail some mdf moulds to? Melamine is prolly out of the question cause of
looks and it's really tough to paint ( it's a home office library, not a
kitchen)

This room will be used a lot we think.

Back in stone age, we used to make working bookcases out of 2x10s or
2x12s, with the uprights notched to accept the shelves. Using 2x for the
shelf allows a LONG span without sagging. Depending on size of 'desk'
needed, you could either double-width one shelf using cleats on the
bottom, or triple-wide it with addition of an angled stiffleg going back
to the upright members. Think ******* offspring of a picnic table and a
garage workbench.

All this sounds crude, I know. But if you can find decent lumber, and
work carefully, it can actually be quite attractive. Stain or paint to
suit your taste. And the best thing is, you don't need fancy tools-
sawhorses, clamps, straightedge, speed square, and a good skilsaw will
do it. Where fasteners are needed, long cabinet or deck screws (NOT
drywall screws).

As to how to hold to wall- I built a lot of these for people in rental
quarters, and actually just did a jam fit against ceiling (or between 2
walls) using styrofoam sheet and shim wedges. But if kids are in house,
I'd do a backer board along top edge between the uprights, and lag it
into the studs. If it looks like a ladder, kids WILL climb it at some
point. They can't help it.

Other will disagree, but I'm not convinced MDF is a good structural
material. Fine for side and back panels that fit into rails and aren't
being twisted, and it does take paint well, but it is still of the
chipboard family. I'm old-fashioned- any right-angle joint needs to be
actual wood, IMHO.

--
aem sends...

Having had such built in bookcases, I too would use wood. And probably
stain it rather than paint it.

Una

"The Henchman" wrote
My wife wants my to build a wall to wall bookcase that is floor to
ceiling.
There will actually be 3 sections because we want the end sections to have
workstation or desks. These units will be fastened to the wall. My wife
and her
family suggested I make everything out of MDF which is cheep, easy to
treat
and easy to buy decorative faces and mouldings for.

However I'd like to seek opinions on how long 5/8" or 3/4" MDF will last
if
two adults and two kids use this type of configuration for 20 or 25 years
or
hopefully 40 years?.

It will last 10 year s as long as you never put a book on it or otherwise
utilize it. Otherwise, it will sag and look like crap in a short time,
weeks with a good load of books. Day with a decent span. .

MDF has poor flexural strength and is a rather poor material for shelves.
I can't think of a worse material other than cardboard. I'd use plywood and
put a wood face trim piece that will add good looks and structural rigidity.

Go here and plug in the numbers and see how much stronger plywood is
http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator.htm



This room will be used a lot we think.
Then do it right and do it once.

"The Henchman" wrote in message
...
Tight budget, and I'm a novice diy'er.

My wife wants my to build a wall to wall bookcase that is floor to
ceiling.
There will actually be 3 sections because we want the end sections to have
workstation or desks. These units will be fastened to the wall. My wife
and her
family suggested I make everything out of MDF which is cheep, easy to
treat
and easy to buy decorative faces and mouldings for.

Nyet!!!! It will be a sagging mess before long. MDF doesn't have the
strength of even simple pine shelving and you will hate yourself for using
it.

--
Bobby G.

On 11/21/2010 11:41 PM Robert Green spake thus:

"The Henchman" wrote in message
...

Tight budget, and I'm a novice diy'er.

My wife wants my to build a wall to wall bookcase that is floor to
ceiling. There will actually be 3 sections because we want the end
sections to have workstation or desks. These units will be fastened
to the wall. My wife and her family suggested I make everything out
of MDF which is cheep, easy to treat and easy to buy decorative
faces and mouldings for.

Nyet!!!! It will be a sagging mess before long. MDF doesn't have the
strength of even simple pine shelving and you will hate yourself for using
it.

Ackshooly, it *might* work--if you reinforce the shelves, say with
aluminum or steel angle stock underneath. I've done this, and it works.
Don't know, however, if this would still fit within the "tight budget"
parameter, or whether it would make things worse esthetically. The
bottoms of shelves aren't visible until they're above eye level.

Solid wood would definitely be preferable, but would be more expensive.
Didn't someone else suggest plywood? With solid-wood facing, it would be
strong enough and look good.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

"The Henchman" wrote in message
...
Tight budget, and I'm a novice diy'er.

My wife wants my to build a wall to wall bookcase that is floor to
ceiling.
There will actually be 3 sections because we want the end sections to have
workstation or desks. These units will be fastened to the wall. My wife
and her
family suggested I make everything out of MDF which is cheep, easy to
treat
and easy to buy decorative faces and mouldings for.

However I'd like to seek opinions on how long 5/8" or 3/4" MDF will last
if
two adults and two kids use this type of configuration for 20 or 25 years
or
hopefully 40 years?. What's the life span of MDF for this type of
application? We are in Ontario Canada so air conditioning 3 months a year
and forced air heating for 7 months a year from a humidity standpoint. Is
there plywood that is affordable and nice to prime and paint and that we
can
nail some mdf moulds to? Melamine is prolly out of the question cause of
looks and it's really tough to paint ( it's a home office library, not a
kitchen)

This room will be used a lot we think.

This is another vote for real wood or expensive plywood trimmed out. By
expensive I mean $45-50 per 4x8 sheet. Birch for painting, oak for
staining.

In addition to all the other issues MDF does not play well with condensation
from beverage glasses and the occasional spill. Kids = both.

If paint is your choice use oil based.


--
Colbyt
Please come visit http://www.househomerepair.com

"The Henchman" wrote:

Tight budget, and I'm a novice diy'er.

My wife wants my to build a wall to wall bookcase that is floor to ceiling.
There will actually be 3 sections because we want the end sections to have
workstation or desks. These units will be fastened to the wall. My wife
and her
family suggested I make everything out of MDF which is cheep, easy to treat
and easy to buy decorative faces and mouldings for.

However I'd like to seek opinions on how long 5/8" or 3/4" MDF will last if
two adults and two kids use this type of configuration for 20 or 25 years or
hopefully 40 years?. What's the life span of MDF for this type of
application? We are in Ontario Canada so air conditioning 3 months a year
and forced air heating for 7 months a year from a humidity standpoint. Is
there plywood that is affordable and nice to prime and paint and that we can
nail some mdf moulds to? Melamine is prolly out of the question cause of
looks and it's really tough to paint ( it's a home office library, not a
kitchen)

About 20 years ago my wife was in a rush to get a bookcase in the spot
where I kept promising a 12' built in. 'Lets just buy a pre-made
4footer- and when you have the time you can build a nice one.' I
had looked at lumber & was considering cherry. I knew about what
the lumber would cost- and figured I"d be tinkering with it for about
3 months.

We went to a warehouse store & looked at knock-down 'furniture'. I
couldn't believe how good it looked, or how cheap it was. I could
fill that space completely for less than a single 4' section would
cost me in lumber. So we did. Those shelves have been full of
books and stuff for 20+ years and look as good as they did when I put
them in. [in 1/2 day] The Mrs. has long since forgotten that I was
going to build real wood shelves there.

These are MDF but each shelf has a stiffener in front and back.

I don't think I'd try to make MDF shelves myself- but we've bought
some more of the knock-down ones since. I'm looking at my latest
piece & maybe it is just that my eyes aren't what they once were- but
I couldn't tell that it isn't real cherry without scratching the
surface off.

Jim

Jim Elbrecht wrote in
:

"The Henchman" wrote:

Tight budget, and I'm a novice diy'er.

My wife wants my to build a wall to wall bookcase that is floor to
ceiling. There will actually be 3 sections because we want the end
sections to have workstation or desks. These units will be fastened
to the wall. My wife and her
family suggested I make everything out of MDF which is cheep, easy to
treat and easy to buy decorative faces and mouldings for.

However I'd like to seek opinions on how long 5/8" or 3/4" MDF will
last if two adults and two kids use this type of configuration for 20
or 25 years or hopefully 40 years?. What's the life span of MDF for
this type of application? We are in Ontario Canada so air
conditioning 3 months a year and forced air heating for 7 months a
year from a humidity standpoint. Is there plywood that is affordable
and nice to prime and paint and that we can nail some mdf moulds to?
Melamine is prolly out of the question cause of looks and it's really
tough to paint ( it's a home office library, not a kitchen)

About 20 years ago my wife was in a rush to get a bookcase in the spot
where I kept promising a 12' built in. 'Lets just buy a pre-made
4footer- and when you have the time you can build a nice one.' I
had looked at lumber & was considering cherry. I knew about what
the lumber would cost- and figured I"d be tinkering with it for about
3 months.

We went to a warehouse store & looked at knock-down 'furniture'. I
couldn't believe how good it looked, or how cheap it was. I could
fill that space completely for less than a single 4' section would
cost me in lumber. So we did. Those shelves have been full of
books and stuff for 20+ years and look as good as they did when I put
them in. [in 1/2 day] The Mrs. has long since forgotten that I was
going to build real wood shelves there.

These are MDF but each shelf has a stiffener in front and back.

I don't think I'd try to make MDF shelves myself- but we've bought
some more of the knock-down ones since. I'm looking at my latest
piece & maybe it is just that my eyes aren't what they once were- but
I couldn't tell that it isn't real cherry without scratching the
surface off.

Jim

Yes, indeed. We have almost a dozen IKEA Billy bookcases, oak, some with
the glass doors on them, and they are really great. Some shelves do sag
just a little because spouse has put very heavy books in them, but most
are just great. No sign of anything bad where the coffee cups go back in
after dishwashing, when they usually aren't quite dry grin.


--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

"Han" wrote in message
...

Yes, indeed. We have almost a dozen IKEA Billy bookcases, oak, some with
the glass doors on them, and they are really great. Some shelves do sag
just a little because spouse has put very heavy books in them, but most
are just great. No sign of anything bad where the coffee cups go back in
after dishwashing, when they usually aren't quite dry grin.


--


I also have some Doxy MDF shelves that have been in use for over 20 years.

Better still I can tell you how to prevent the sagging. Buy some 3/8" steel
curtain rod or better yet the shiny brass plate Aluminum one, add some
tension socket ends. These work as book-ends and support brackets.

If anyone needs pictures I will post them.


--
Colbyt
Please come visit http://www.househomerepair.com