DIY complete fitted bedroom

[kjacko]

Hi all,
so i'm going to be tacking a huge project by completely fitting custom-made wardrobes/cabinets etc.
I've seen a few topics asking about the best wood to use, well as well as other questions, i'm asking too.
I've seen this https://www.leaderstores.co.uk/buil...olid-redwood-pine-18mm-furniture-board-p45522
and was wondering if that would be ok to use. I imagine that would be easier to paint than MDF?
Or 18mm BB grade birchwood ply?
Not overly keen on using MDF due to the mess, and prime/sand/painting process, but i'm certainly open to advice.

I'll be using sliding doors and all sorts. Been researching YouTube for weeks now.
Proper fitted companies are just rip-offs. No way would i ever pay £6k+ for a fitted bedroom.
i wonder why anyone would, but opinions vary i guess.

Anyway, i'd appreciate any advice offered.

 

[foxhole]

Nothing easier to paint than MDF and cheapest option, no more mess than cutting timber. Anything you use will need a prime and paint.

showing upper frame

• foxhole
• 8 Sep 2009
• 5

Internal draws

• foxhole
• 8 Sep 2009
• 10

hanging rails

• foxhole
• 8 Sep 2009
• 10

 

[kjacko]

Thank foxhole.
My aim is to build full overbed storage at custom sizes then i want a sliding door wardrobe like yours but the left hand door open into a walk-in wardrobe. So ideally i need the bottom sliding track to be as low profile to the floor as possible. I was thinking of standard purchased sliding doors but may have to arse around with the tracks a bit.(?)
So you use 18mm which is what i was intending. would 22mm be overkill?

 

[foxhole]

18mm is fine, standard door track is only around 5mm thick.

 

[kjacko]

Thanks again foxhole.

Right, so next question.
I want to use push to open with soft closing on all drawers and doors. I need to decide on whether to do everything frameless or not.
I know its a big project and i know the push to open with soft close options are expensive. So setting aside those 2 points, in the experience on anyone reading this, which is the easier option, frameless or framed doors and drawers? (considering i'm new to this).
I've been hammering youtube on how to do each, but would appreciate your lots opinions. I'm thinking frameless seems easier as its kind of standard and familiar to the way a lot of kitchen units are made and i've put plenty of them together.

Thanks

 

[Deleted member 174758]

There are a couple of big differences between "frameless" kitchen cabinets and bedroom units - bedroom units are a lot bigger, so you'll need to consider how you are going to prevent long horizontal panels from drooping under their own weight and secondly there's the weight/size issue. A full size wardrobe in 18mm is pretty heavy and may be better made in components which are assembled in situ in the bedroom where they are lo live, and when you assemble then the easiest approach is to assemble any unit on its' face then lift it up into position - for which you will need to make allowances by not building to the absolute full height of the room.

That said building units as a series of boxes (containing drawers, shelves, etc) can make for an easier install especially if you make-up a separate plinth which can be installed and levelled (both axes) before you fit the rest of the "boxes" onto it (again starting with a dead level plinth or base eases installation)

 

[JohnD]

Depends how skilled you are, and what tools you have.

I've done a fitted wardrobe, but used 18mm ply (overkill I know) and assembled in place.

Unless you have unusually good tools, it is easier to plan it out and take a cutting list to a DIY shed that offers a cutting service. Draw up a piece of paper for each board with the cutting lines and dimensions marked on it. For example you will probably want everything about 600mm deep because that's enough to hang a man's coat on a hanger, sideways on (500m is not quite enough)

A big sawing machine will make better cuts than I can, perfectly straight, and all pieces exactly the right size.

You can use a DIY dowel jig for strong invisible joints, it makes it very easy.

You'll get a better finish if you paint or varnish after all cutting and drilling but before assembly, and you may be able to do it in the garden

The doors will be on show so consider buying in something nice. It may also save you the work of drilling for hinges. If you choose standard sizes (doors typically 500mm nom. wide) you can change them at whim.

You're not supposed to breathe MDF sawdust.

 

[kjacko]

Thanks fellas.
I'd say my DIY skills are on the much better side of average. Just about everything will be a custom size due to the layout of the bedroom and window positions etc. So i doubt i could buy anything off the shelf.
I'll be drawing it all up in SketchUp (3d) on the computer then will make a cutting list from that to which i'll get a local shed to sort for me from 18mm mdf.
I have pretty much all the necessary tools (table saw, router, mitre saw etc) to do the rest of the bits i want to do to prepare each unit's components for assembling in the bedroom and then fitting.
To prepare and practice for this i'm going to build some of the same kind of units for my workshop shed, as i'll need the extra working space/storage for the actual project. This will also help me establish any pros and cons in my methods.
I'm really looking forward to this project and will certainly be creating a blog of it.
I'll still be asking plenty of questions on here though