Help me build a walk in wardrobe

nacimroc

So I plan to build a walk in wardrobe in a spare room in our house. I'm definitely not a carpenter but do dabble building things and I think it would be fairly straight forward once I know what I'm doing. I'm just going to chance it as its best way to learn I reckon. A few quick questions:

1. Where to get wood and drawers etc. I live in midlands and usual get sheets delivered from Noyeks but delivery is 60-80 quid+. Somewhere around Athlone or Galway would be cheaper delivery I reckon.

2. Type of wood. I don't mind spending a few quid getting proper material. Would I be correct in saying veneered MDF would get creep and shelves would bend with time? I've seen the veneered chipboard but it doesn't look all that strong to me. Veneered ply maybe?

3. Fixings. I suppose it would depend on materials, but as standard are the pieces fixed with dowels, biscuits etc? I couldn't imagine screws holding chipboard all that well.

4. I'm assuming the backboard to the units is just veneered hardboard about 5mm?

Thanks

slpower01

I guess it really depends on your skills as a carpenter.

You can buy ready made wardrobes from most kitchen/wardrobe places which will come flat packed and you screw them together and fix them to the wall where you want. (Ikea isnt actually too bad for this, better quality in the past few years).

You could go the laminated sheet route and get a load of sheets and cut to size but then you have the hassle of edging the materials and getting the perfect cut etc.

Or MDF is always an option, if cost is an issue and you are looking for something nice but cheap I would put MDF in, its easy to work with and when sealed, primed and painted, it can give a lovely gloss shine and look very professional.

As for drawer runners most builders providers will have these, they can be a bit daunting to work with if you have never used them before but with a bit of trial and error and also some research you should have no issues .

Hope some of this helps,
Steven.

woodturner

Something like the first photo here would need very little sheet material.
http://www.dunnesworkshop.ie/walk-in.php

nacimroc

I'll probably just go with the metal basket drawers to save making them. I'm guessing most of these units are just veneered chipboard? The carcass shells are ok, but I wanted something a bit nicer so decided I would try make it myself.

I've no problem with cutting sheets etc, its just which wood and fixings that I wanted to be sure of. If I were to guess I would say veneered MDF sheeting for uprights and chipboard shelves fixed with screws? With a thin hardboard backing with same veneer for appearance.

(meant to say veneered instead of laminated)

recipio

Pick a theme to match your bedroom.Too many walk in units look like kitchen sculleries with white melamine everywhere.
A little sophistication is always a bonus. I'd use real wood veneered MDF instead of laminate.If you are getting into drawers the soft close runners are very satisying and you will need to buy a plastic jig to align them to the carcass.

nacimroc

I was thinking about an Oak veneered Melamine. Cut with handsaw and router smooth edge, or just buy sheets to correct debths. Chipboard screws to hold shelves? Drawer baskets held with small screws? Wouldn't seem that strong to me.

One shot on kill

Veneer and melamine are to different things don't think you can get them on the one sheet.

Try not over think things with fixings 50 mm screws is perfect for screwing them together.
You decided on oak ok now look and see which finish you preferred. If your going down the hand saw router route use veneered or melamine mdf as its easyer to clean and cut without chips ( chipboard is hard enough leave clean without the right saw or good sharp blades) but the veneer mdf would be better.

Use all the one material don't mix and match for shelves no need to. 3 screws in each side of the shelfs are grand 4 is great but that all depends on your dept of wardrobe.

nacimroc

Thanks folks! Will give it a go. I asked in the panel centre a few months ago about the steel wire framed drawers and as far as I remember they were 60+ quid for small ones. Anywhere cheaper for bits and pieces? I pass Dublin regular if there was somewhere there better?

Those wire frame drawers are not cheap anywhere. Best to make your own. Your price of 60 is the cheapest I've ever heard for those. Still way too much for them though

One shot on kill

Noyeks is good enough but try naa in ballymount just around the corner from Noyeks.

recipio

Nacimroc,
two cheapish tools would make life easier for you. I'd use a small circular saw run against a fence to cut panels.With a sharp blade you will get good results - masking tape across the grain will eliminate tearout.
A pocket hole jig ( about 50 euro ) will let you join shelves from the 'inside' ( holes covered with oak coloured plugs ) so no screw heads need to be visible.
I see you are in the midlands - try 'Light Hardware Supplies' outside Nenagh ( my local supplier of all fittings including baskets ) - I don't think you will find a cheaper outlet in the ROI.
Lastly I'd try and use 19mm panels of MDF - they seem to look better than the skinny 15mm panels of laminate.!! Matching tape will cover the edges unless you want to use real wood.( There are specialist router bits available to 'insert' a strip of wood into panels but thats getting complicated !)

nacimroc

Finally got around to ordering all the wood. Went for the melamine chipboard to keep costs down. Just wondering about fixings. I got a small pocket hole jig thing for a few quid off ebay as suggested and been using it on other projects and its better than i was expecting.

Just wondering about pocket holes with chipboard? Strong enough? Or just regular screws or supports?

slpower01

nacimroc wrote: »

Finally got around to ordering all the wood. Went for the melamine chipboard to keep costs down. Just wondering about fixings. I got a small pocket hole jig thing for a few quid off ebay as suggested and been using it on other projects and its better than i was expecting.

Just wondering about pocket holes with chipboard? Strong enough? Or just regular screws or supports?

If you are going to scribe an edge slip in (not sure of layout) or even put a decorative edge panel on the outside I wouldn't bother with pocket holes as they will be hidden... As for chipboard they can vary... It depends on the actual fibers that make up the chipboard really... Cheap stuff you'll probly drive a screw through it like butter, just do a test piece and see before you spend an hour or so possibly ruining the material that isn't made for pocket holes.

nacimroc

Thanks. I'm not planning any decorative edging. I'm basically asking as the only bit confusing me is how to install opposing shelves onto 1 upright. I can screw the first, but I'm presuming the second one has to have supports under, or fixed through pocket holes. Like in the pic below.

slpower01

nacimroc wrote: »

Thanks. I'm not planning any decorative edging. I'm basically asking as the only bit confusing me is how to install opposing shelves onto 1 upright. I can screw the first, but I'm presuming the second one has to have supports under, or fixed through pocket holes. Like in the pic below.

Thats two separate units made up and then screwed together so fix the shelves before screwing them If you are putting doors on them, this is your best option because it will give the doors a bigger area to close against in comparison to two doors sharing one panel and allowing a small clearance gap in the middle.

nacimroc

slpower01 wrote: »

Thats two separate units made up and then screwed together so fix the shelves before screwing them If you are putting doors on them, this is your best option because it will give the doors a bigger area to close against in comparison to two doors sharing one panel and allowing a small clearance gap in the middle.

Sorry, bad picture to use. I meant 2 shelves into 1 upright. I'm not going with doors, but I would like to run a row of shelves in line across the top of one side. I can fix half of them by screwing through the upright, but to line up another shelf means pocket holes or supports?

slpower01

You can get many different fixings for these including shelf pins and 90degree brackets but of course if you dont want anything to be seen pocket holes and biscuit joints might be an option.... Another thing you could do is add a small thin piece of timber at the front, firstly to add strength and secondly to hide your jointing methods.

kenmc

perhaps you could use dowels for the middle upright, and just screw them into the outer uprights
like this if it makes sense:

>|=======-|-=======|<

(">" and "<" being a screwhead, "-" being a dowel, "===" being the shelves and " | "being the uprights)

You'd have to have very good precision for the shelves to allow them to go into the wardrobe at the angle to position the dowels and slide down to level to get the screws in.

Just a possibility if you want hidden joints without doing pocket holes.

nacimroc

I might try out a few diff methods to see which is strongest, easiest etc. I was thinking dowels but I always doubted how accurate I could get them. Woods arriving Thursday so I may be back on over the next few weeks after making a $hite of the whole thing

Thanks again for the help!

One shot on kill

You could put a center gable all the way up the middle of the carcase and then put two shelfs in on adjustable shelf studs. Drill 1 5mm hole and they sit in and hold the shelfs there strong enough aswell. I think this would be easyer and you would use less material.

recipio

nacimroc wrote: »

Thanks. I'm not planning any decorative edging. I'm basically asking as the only bit confusing me is how to install opposing shelves onto 1 upright. I can screw the first, but I'm presuming the second one has to have supports under, or fixed through pocket holes. Like in the pic below.

Trying to dowel two shelves to an upright needs long clamps and is difficult. Simply use the pocket hole jig with 1" coarse pan head screws ( suitable for 16mm white melamine ) - your pocket hole drill bit should have an adjustable collar. Its worth cutting two scraps to hold the shelves in place( placed underneath, holding them level ) while you drill, assuming you are drilling on the top of the shelves.
You can cover the holes with white plastic covers available by mail order.

nacimroc

Woke up this morning with nothing to do as I've ran out of wood. So I said I would show you my progress. Only half the room done, but for my first go I'm happy with it so far. Pocket holes are fantastic! Went with rounded corners as the doorway would be too narrow otherwise.

(Unfinished half of room is getting proper drawers, loads of shelves and a large shoe rack filling the corner.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfr12fCrJP0

nacimroc

Sorry to dig up this thread again, but just wanted to bask in my glory share my results! I finished the other side after getting more wood.

I posted back here as I just got curious how much you professional carpenters would charge to build the full room like this? The wood and baskets alone must have cost me 800 ish. Give or take a few hundred. Purely out of curiosity. I reckon it took me about 8 or 9 solid days with just me, my circular saw and drill.

Thanks again for help. I really did appreciated it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njL_8457XmU

belcampprisoner

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20459159,00.html

nacimroc

belcampprisoner wrote: »

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20459159,00.html

I'm doing this too much as its bugging me he has different edges and top carcases aren't square to each other :D I really miss these shows!

k123456

Hi Folks, is there anywhere apart from Ikea,I can buy walk in wardrobes in kit form, either online or locally

One shot on kill

nacimroc wrote: »

I'm doing this too much as its bugging me he has different edges and top carcases aren't square to each other :D I really miss these shows!

Oh holy Jesus that's rough it looks **** to be fair. All the right ideas and skills and tools just a bad lay out.

Did you see the wardrobe coming right out over the architrave and block.