Replies

1. 
   thewoodshepherd | Feb 27, 2007 09:56pm | #1

   Woodyman,

   MDF would work, fastened to a frame.  Might I suggest, however,  using 1/2" birch plywood fastened over a poplar frame.  These ready to use materials are available at your local home building center. 

   They may even be willing to make a cut or two on the plywood for you if you know what dimensions you need.  I also suggest making your vanity cabinets taller than the traditional factory build ones which are around 29-30" and turn out to really be too low for most people.  I recently made mine 34.5 inches.  Think about it.  Don't forget a little toekick too.

     - Woodshepherd

2. 
   GRW | Feb 27, 2007 10:46pm | #2

   I usually use 3/4 birch ply (no frame needed) with poplar, or brown maple for the faceframes and doors. The back could be 1/4" luan or birch. That's my paint grade recipe with the materials available in my area.

1. 
   woodyman | Feb 28, 2007 04:02am | #3

   Thank you GRW your suggestions are most appreciated. I will let you know the outcomesoon I hope.

    

    

2. 
   TWG | Feb 28, 2007 08:36pm | #7

   I am with GRW re 3/4 birch and poplar/maple fronts for paint grade.  

   I would be leery of MDF in a BR due to the moisture issue, but I must admit I have little experience with MDF.

   Edited 2/28/2007 1:02 pm ET by TWG

3. 
   oldusty | Feb 28, 2007 05:26am | #4

   Hi woodyman,

             If you are making frame and panel doors , mdf makes great paint grade panels . I also like Brown or Silver or Soft Maple for face and door frames and drawer fronts . Birch ply can be used for the cabinet ends and such but , I have found that Maple ply is smoother and has little or no broom grain compared to Birch , it really paints up nice .

                  good  luck to you                dusty

4. 
   Pondfish | Feb 28, 2007 05:55am | #5

   I'd use 3/4" paint grade ply--typically birch.  There's a P/G ply made in china making the rounds (called "sandeply and at HD); it looks like it uses a super thin layer of luan and the grain doesn't fill all that well, so I recommend avoiding it.  Maple is twice the price, unless you can find cheaper rotary cut veneer ply.

   IMO, I'd avoid MDF for a bathroom cabinet.  A vanity will get wet and MDF falls apart when wet.

   Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
1. 
   oldusty | Feb 28, 2007 06:53am | #6

   Pondfish ,

                   Totally agree with not using the China ply products at all , but honestly a decent paint grade or shop grade of Maple may only be a few dollars more than Birch in a similar grade , but certainly not double .

                       dusty

5. 
   ggetty | Feb 28, 2007 11:38pm | #8

   I use mdf all the time for cases. I don't use it for  face frames or the rails and stiles for doors but do use if for panels. I have never had a problem with moisture even in basement bathrooms where moisture is always a problem. As long as you have no exposed or machined edges it paints well. (the edges can be sealed or you can use joint compound to seal them if you need to).

6. 
   AzDiscDog | Feb 28, 2007 11:58pm | #9

   I just did something similar by building closet organizers for the kids' bedrooms.

   I used 3/4" birch ply and 1/2" birch ply. Both sheets were picked up from the local HD. My local HD is always willing to make cuts in the ply for me, so I give them a dimension 1/4" larger than needed and trim to fit back in my shop. Their cuts aren't very clean and their accuracy is within an 1/8". But there's no sense manhandling a full sheet of 3/4 ply if I don't have to.

   After cutting to size, I sanded to 150 grit with the ROS. Primed and applied two coats of Behr paint. I used a 4" smooth surface foam roller. If you're at HD, it's the model with the 1/4" stem going into the pad.

   All in all, it looks great and the only texture I see is from the roller, not the grain of the wood.