Good afternoon – I’m an aspiring woodworker. I am getting ready to build a faux fireplace mantel. See the attached picture. It will look something like this. I’m using plywood to build the vertical columns and the horizontal beam. I’ll finish off with wood for the shaker style molding. Here are my questions:
1) I’ll be painting this (what the wife wants). What type of plywood would you recommend? Maple, Birch, Poplar?
2) Will 1/2″ plywood be sufficient or should I stick with 3/4″?
Thanks in advance for any answers, suggestions, direction.
DG
Replies
Mapk e, birch, or poplar plywood would be equally fine for paint. MDF paints well too. 1/2 inch is ok, but not for the shelves. In fact, even 3/4 shelves would sag unless they are just holding knick-knacks. I would put a solid wood 1-1/4 inch vertical piece on the front of the shelves to stiffen them.
Thanks for your assistance! Yes, I had planned to use wood for the shelves, not plywood.
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