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Any DIY Experts - Building your own wardrobes

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Home, Law & Money
Has anyone built their own before? If so what material preferences do you have? I'm been reading up on Plywood vs Chipboard (as well as SmartPly) - one bit of info I can't seem to find online is how they compare in terms of the weight of the panels. (I'm trying to work out how much the doors would weigh for any given size)

Just looking at standard white panels of which you can easily get contiboard in white quite cheaply. But I know Contiboard is pretty heavy and doesn't allow screws to hold very well compared to other kinds of wood panels.

Comments

  • PearlyPearly Posts: 345 The Mix Regular
    I was just wondering why you've decided to build your own? Is it because you have a certain space that you can't find the right size for? Just in terms of cost and so on, you may well be able to find something already made that isn't so hard to make. Wickes may be your best bet for advice on this kind of thing and the sort of wood to use...

    Pearly
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Im enjoy building ikea furniture, especially wardrobes. Though I once got one from homebase which was an absolute pain to construct. The friend I helped assemble it for was insistant I followed the instructions to the letter, which takes forever and a day, and the amount of pinning nails for the backing was unreal, and a waste of metal!




    ps. sorry for the random tangent.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My hubby built wardrobes in . They were built with mdf, .That was 6/7 years ago.They are still going strong and the beauty of it was they can be repainted when the room is done .
    He has just finised building my eldest daughters room ( This is in converted ouhouse so the standard beds you buy were 3inches to long to fit in the room ). Again he used mdf and chipboard , He Built the bed, (a cabin bed ) the drawers and the wardrobe. It took longer than flat pack but the result is so much nicer.
    good luck and hope you enjoy.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I built a wardrobe in my box room over the top of where the stair well juts into the room. Used 18mm MDF for it and seemed to work really well...just remember to prime the wood before paining it. If you aren't trying to do it in an awkward size though it is cheaper to buy ready made stuff these days.

    For the doors however I did buy them ready made from a place online that does custom made wardrobe and kitchen cupboard doors. Just meant I could get a nicer finish on them and have them slightly decorated rather than purely flat. Making the edges of MDF and so on smooth can be difficult when you've cut them.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Pearly wrote: »
    I was just wondering why you've decided to build your own? Is it because you have a certain space that you can't find the right size for? Just in terms of cost and so on, you may well be able to find something already made that isn't so hard to make. Wickes may be your best bet for advice on this kind of thing and the sort of wood to use...

    Pearly

    It's a box room so custom made would make much better use of the space.
  • PearlyPearly Posts: 345 The Mix Regular
    It's a box room so custom made would make much better use of the space.

    If you're really struggling to find the right materials, you could also possible find some canvas wardrobes which fit in smaller spaces quite easily. I truly admire anyone who can make anything though, it's hard enough fixing flat packs but at least with your own design you make the rules! Hope you manage to sort something out,
    Pearly
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Wardrobes

    If your settled on building your own the best (and the worst) material to use for the inside is MDF, however I would suggest you get it cut to size first and dont machine it at all yourself, not without a mask anyhow. Build your frame from 2x2" planed timber and you should be good to go.
    Hope it helps.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    chris.in.wood wrote: »
    If your settled on building your own the best (and the worst) material to use for the inside is MDF, however I would suggest you get it cut to size first and dont machine it at all yourself, not without a mask anyhow. Build your frame from 2x2" planed timber and you should be good to go.
    Hope it helps.

    Im sure your trying to help but look at the date mate, over a year old, if he's not built it by now he doesn't deserve to have a wardrobe.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Indeed

    Well spotted, and I agree.
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