Timber for shelving

awec

Need to put up some shelving in a utility room. It needs to be functional, but also not look totally naff. Obviously being in a utility room it'll be exposed to more moisture than normal shelves.

What's the right sort of wood for this job? I was thinking something like painted MDF?

And does anyone know anywhere in the north Wicklow area I could go and get sheets cut to measure?

tabby aspreme

30 minutes from north Wicklow, Woodworkers, Mount Tallant Avenue.

listermint

utility room,

Just buy something second hand (there is plenty of high quality stuff out there)

And fix it to the wall so that it cant move. Done.


Acres of stuff

https://www.adverts.ie/for-sale/q_Shelving/page-2

awec

listermint wrote: »

utility room,

Just buy something second hand (there is plenty of high quality stuff out there)

And fix it to the wall so that it cant move. Done.


Acres of stuff

https://www.adverts.ie/for-sale/q_Shelving/page-2

No, I don't want that naff looking old ****. I want to put up some wooden shelving myself as the utility is off the kitchen so will be used as an extension of storage, and we also have pretty specific requirements size wise due to the layout of the room.

I would just buy shelves in woodies except they don't have any the right size.

colm_mcm

IKEA do some great wooden shelving

If you want something heavy duty, I’d use industrial style metal shelves

listermint

awec wrote: »

No, I don't want that naff looking old ****. I want to put up some wooden shelving myself as the utility is off the kitchen so will be used as an extension of storage, and we also have pretty specific requirements size wise due to the layout of the room.

I would just buy shelves in woodies except they don't have any the right size.

Ok, So you dont want any naff looking ****e yet you are planning on throwing up MDF which you cant cut yourself ?

To be clear, if you do what you are planning without the finishing work required to make it look built in, it will look far worse than buying second hand units.

What you want and the finish you can achieve by having someone else doing cuts for you are two different things.

Painted MDF will look like painted MDF..

Graham

Woodworkers in Terenure will sell you the sheet material and cut to order.

Personally I think painted MDF can look a bit rough.

Might be worth thinking about an MFC panel cut-to size and edged. For a slightly nicer look, 20mm finger jointed oak is a slightly more expensive option but would look very nice oiled properly.

awec

Graham wrote: »

Woodworkers in Terenure will sell you the sheet material and cut to order.

Personally I think painted MDF can look a bit rough.

Might be worth thinking about an MFC panel cut-to size and edged. For a slightly nicer look, 20mm finger jointed oak is a slightly more expensive option but would look very nice oiled properly.

MFC might be what I’m after.

Graham

It would be typical for kitchens/utility rooms. You've a massive choice of colours/finishes and should be able to get each panel edged in matching edging.

awec

Graham wrote: »

It would be typical for kitchens/utility rooms. You've a massive choice of colours/finishes and should be able to get each panel edged in matching edging.

Would most timber merchants do that stuff?

Graham

You might be lucky to get white MFC in most timber merchants but they generally wont cut and almost certainly won't edge.

You could get a roll of white pre-glued edging tape and go for the iron-on and trim approach. I wouldn't

No connection to woodworkers mentioned above but you can send them a cutting/edging list and they'll do it all for you. I don't know of any other places that offer similar to the public. That would be your quickest approach even taking the drive into account.

Lumen

+1 on Graham's finger-jointed oak suggestion, i.e. kitchen worktop material.

A couple of years ago I made a floating desk of this stuff with 3-4 coats of matt varnish and it's still perfect.

listermint

let someone else do the work for ya

https://www.adverts.ie/business-shop-fittings/9ft-oak-shelving-unit/19103949

https://www.adverts.ie/bookcases/oak-book-shelves/19464979

https://www.adverts.ie/bookcases/oak-shelving-unit/19041946


But sure second hand is naff.... :P

awec

listermint wrote: »

let someone else do the work for ya

https://www.adverts.ie/business-shop-fittings/9ft-oak-shelving-unit/19103949

https://www.adverts.ie/bookcases/oak-book-shelves/19464979

https://www.adverts.ie/bookcases/oak-shelving-unit/19041946


But sure second hand is naff.... :P

Well to start with those are bookshelves and nothing at all like what I want or need. They are useless for my purpose. My shelves cannot go to the floor, and I am not going to waste my time attaching a bookshelf on the wall that weighs a lot when there's nothing on it to start with!

listermint

awec wrote: »

Well to start with those are bookshelves and nothing at all like what I want or need. They are useless for my purpose. My shelves cannot go to the floor, and I am not going to waste my time attaching a bookshelf on the wall that weighs a lot when there's nothing on it to start with!

tbh ive no idea what you want at this point. It went from MDF cuts to now block Oak.

Sounds like you need a professional in.

Also you come across as quite aggressive. But sure look good luck with the MDF Oak Shelfs that are strong looking all pro and stuff and not naff at all.

listermint

Lumen wrote: »

+1 on Graham's finger-jointed oak suggestion, i.e. kitchen worktop material.

A couple of years ago I made a floating desk of this stuff with 3-4 coats of matt varnish and it's still perfect.

I picked up my entire kitchen Worktops from WoodWorkers. 40mm Oak. They came to over 700 Euro.

Expensive shelving...

awec

listermint wrote: »

tbh ive no idea what you want at this point. It went from MDF cuts to now block Oak.

Sounds like you need a professional in.

Also you come across as quite aggressive. But sure look good luck with the MDF Oak Shelfs that are strong looking all pro and stuff and not naff at all.

What are you on about?

I came and asked about what type of timber to use for shelves. You're the one who went off waffling about buying bookshelves.

I know exactly what I want, I just wanted to know what type of wood I should use. If you had answered the question that was asked, rather than inventing a new question, you probably wouldn't be so confused.

Nobody else had any difficulty with it.

Thanks all for the suggestions, I'll weigh them up. Except for the bookshelves.

listermint

awec wrote: »

What are you on about?

I came and asked about what type of timber to use for shelves. You're the one who went off waffling about buying bookshelves.

I know exactly what I want, I just wanted to know what type of wood I should use. If you had answered the question that was asked, rather than inventing a new question, you probably wouldn't be so confused.

Nobody else had any difficulty with it.

Thanks all for the suggestions, I'll weigh them up. Except for the bookshelves.

They are shelves you can use whatever material you want them being in a utility room doesnt make a difference its not a sauna buddy. And should have appropriate ventilation in it to prevent mould.

So there, use whatever takes your fancy. Im not so confused I just prefer a professionally finished job looking built in and your assertion of naffness struck me as someone who hasnt a clue what that looks like. Enjoy the weekend.

Lumen

listermint wrote: »

I picked up my entire kitchen Worktops from WoodWorkers. 40mm Oak. They came to over 700 Euro.

Expensive shelving...

20mm is about 40 per sqm.

You could get a whole set of shelves out of one sheet.

Or treated ply? The plies would look nice on the shelf edges.

awec

Sorry, thanks for the attempts to help listermint. Didn’t mean to sound like a dick.

I know what I want in my head, and bookcase style isn’t it. I should have maybe been more explicit about that.

Have a good one yourself.

awec

Lumen wrote: »

20mm is about 40 per sqm.

You could get a whole set of shelves out of one sheet.

Or treated ply? The plies would look nice on the shelf edges.

I’d be looking 3-4 shelves of 1250mm wide and 50mm deep.

Graham

listermint wrote: »

I picked up my entire kitchen Worktops from WoodWorkers. 40mm Oak. They came to over 700 Euro.

Expensive shelving...

I wouldn't suggest a full length of 40mm worktop for light shelves :eek:

3000 x 625 x 20 finger jointed oak €124

Cut to size would cost a few euro more. A few sheets of sandpaper and a small bottle of danish oil and they should look great for years and enough left over for a couple more shelves should they ever be needed.

Bonus points because they're not MFC so they won't look out of place in any other rooms. Coloured oil if you want a darker/redder colour to the finished shelves.

+1 on the ply option. Decent birch ply can look great with the striped edges on show.

chooseusername

awec wrote: »

I’d be looking 3-4 shelves of 1250mm wide and 50mm deep.

50mm? hardly get a cup on that.
get a length of floor-board, sand and paint,bobs your uncle

awec

chooseusername wrote: »

50mm? hardly get a cup on that.
get a length of floor-board, sand and paint,bobs your uncle

500

Typo

Irish_peppa

I had a carpenter make up shelfs and presses with mdf. Found if there is any weight on the shelf if its a big shelf it tends to bend and bow. also half the hinges have fallen off thats 3/4 inch mdf too. I wouldnt use mdf again for any sort of decent shelving found it grand for small shelves but anything substantial it didnt work for me! painting it too was a pain too