Kitchen dresser top: MDF vs wood? Any building tips?
 

As an aging and 2nd-rate but prolific diy-er I would appreciate some advice on
this.

I have a long kitchen base unit from Ikea (don't even ask) and I would like to
slap a dresser-style top on it. Basically, it will consist of two sides approx
20x100 cms and 2 shelves and a top piece each 20x170 cms. When I've sorted out
the basic structure I'll fiddle about with some mouldings for the top and maybe
a jigsawed decorative strip. The back will be a bead& butt pattern MDF or
thinnish T&G wood boards - same effect.

I'm not a carpenter by any stretch so the scheme I have in mind for joining the
sections would, I think, make a skilled man blench - I'm expecting the rear MDF
(or wood) panel to hold the whole thing in place. Basically I intend to screw
through the side panel directly into the edge of the MDF shelves (18mm) and
glue. I'll use those thin black screws I was once told were good for MDF and
would reduce the chance of splitting (true?).

My calculations suggest a finished weight of 50 lbs or so which, from the point
of view of manhandling worries me a bit not to mention the potential for sagging
in the middle of the shelf although I think I would probably fix a batten on to
the back and for the full length of the shelf to militate against that. Or
screw through the back into the long edge of the shelves if the screws don't
misbehave.

Alternatively I had thought of using 5 strips of 18x40mm timber (or 4 of
something wider) and jointing these together to form all the planks. I don't
have much experience of jointing so I would appreciate any advice on this. I
watched someone using a biscuiter once and was most impressed but I guess this
would be an expensive item. I've got G-clamps so perhaps just dowels and glue?

I could also use thinner MDF for the shelves with a wider batten glued to the
front to create a 'thicker' look.

Would appreciate any thoughts. Has anybody used this MDF T&G stuff BTW?