Need ideas for building simple, light weight, strong, and inexpensive cabinets please

Discussion in 'Materials' started by magentawave, Jan 12, 2014.

  1. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    The term "waterproof" means quite a different thing to this industry, then most others. To us, it means as suggested, but to most it means water resistant.

    If you want real waterproof, on lauan paneling, the paneling needs to be epoxy encapsulated, then cover with a UV protective coating. If you want water resistant, then over coating with epoxy or an LPU paint will do, though you'll still experience some wood movement from moisture transference.

    Pigment in epoxy will help, but typically the best route is paint or varnish.

    There are many ways to permit a convection flow inside a cabinet, though typically it's done with holes at the bottom and top of the door, but it can be done with holes (or gaps) in the cabinet as well. Often the holes are decorative, such as an anchor shape, but it's whatever you want, assuming sufficient air volume can pass through.
     
  2. SamSam
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    SamSam Senior Member

    Use this stuff along with the accessory corner, edge and joint molding. It's used everywhere in commercial kitchens and bathrooms.

    http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbrande...-FRP-Wall-Board-MFTF12IXA480009600/100389836#
     
  3. Steve W
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    Steve W Senior Member

    Composite panels can be a relatively inexpensive and lightweight material to build your interior with if you manufacture the panels yourself. You can make a nice stiff 3/4" panel for about $85 with a 1/2"polypropylene core and 2.7 mm doorskins each side. If you run the grain vertically for something like a settee front its easy to make nice radiused corners by simply running close saw kerfs on the inside in the area where, for example you might otherwise use a corner post, you fill the kerfs with thickened epoxy and then bend it around or into a jig and when the epoxy has set up a layer of glass cloth on the inside finishes the job. Once you have mastered this technique you will be putting radiused corners everywhere with no corner posts to make. Also excellent for nice stiff horizontal surfaces like bunk and counter tops with minimal framing.

    Steve.
     
  4. Steve W
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    Steve W Senior Member

    Btw, paulownia lumber is available in the US and is very light in weight,,rot resistant reasonably priced and at least to my eye, quite attractive. I have not used it yet but obtained 3 samples 1x6x48" each, it has a face grain not unlike ash and they have been kicking around the shop for a couple of years and there is no cupping at all. I really, really like the light weight.

    Steve.
     
  5. magentawave
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    magentawave Senior Member

    I didn't mention it before but those white FRP panels are on my list of possible materials for the bathroom. Thank you. Have you used it before? If so, what kind of glue should I use to adhere the panels to the walls and ceiling than can withstand some serious vibration and knocking around?




    Some areas will need to be waterproof but water resistant will be adequate for others.

    I need to sit down and figure out the cost and then decide between epoxying the bathroom and paint with LP, verses epoxying just the floor and then panel the walls and ceiling with those white FRP panels at Home Depot, verses paneling with cheapo Luan plywood and then rolling the entire interior with white Monstaliner.

    Do you think creating a gap between the rails (the horizontal pieces of the face frame) at the top and bottom of the doors would enable adequate air flow in the tropics?



    I was just reading how light paulownia is. Your post has reminded me to see what that stuff costs locally. Thanks.

     
  6. waikikin
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    waikikin Senior Member

    Back in the 70/80s rattan door inserts came in fashion for a while, fairly strong as you can sit on it in a chair. just a groove around the back of the door frame, soak the woven rattan & instal like fly mesh with a cane like strip to the groove, shrinks back tight as it dries off.... who knows, it might come back into fashion............
    Jeff.
     
  7. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    It depends on the size of the gap, but yes this will work. It's not uncommon to see a 3/4" wide slot cut at the top and bottom of a door for this reason too and there's no reason this slot couldn't be on the face frame, instead of the doors, assuming the doors aren't full frame height.

    Each approach to this depends on the door and cabinet style. Newer styles, like the "European" look have door that completely cover the face frame, so the holes would need to be in the doors or the doors shimmed out, off the face frame. Other cabinet styles have a portion of face frame exposed around each door, so the holes can be in the frame, instead of the door.
     
  8. magentawave
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    magentawave Senior Member

    I realize european style cabinets generally don't have face frames but I think you could get some air flow with euro style "looking" cabinets and slab doors by doing the following...

    For face frames, use 3/4" thick solid material for the stiles. Make the top rail only 3/8" thick x 1.5" to 1.75" wide (or whatever width will allow your fingers room to open the door) and make the bottom rail 3/8" thick x 3/4" wide. Then run along the top inside edge of the door and the bottom inside edge of the door with a cove bit. If done correctly it should give pretty good air flow and the cove on the doors will act as a finger grip for opening the doors.


     

  9. magentawave
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    magentawave Senior Member

    My mom was crazy about rattan furniture back then and rattan would be excellent for this purpose as you'd get lots of air flow and its very light. Good idea!

     
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