Desk tabletop questions

[kliu]

I'm looking to build a couple of L-shaped desks.
What is a good wood for the table top? It needs to be good for writing on. Or should I just go with a laminate? Wood aint cheap these days...

Also, I'd like to put a 1/4 inch trim around the table top. What kind of wood can I use for this, as it would need to be flexible?

thanks

[JR]

Kliu,

If this is for you home office, just about any type of hardwood would do. I'd make sure I liked the look before worrying about durability in that application. Probably the cheapest/easiest way to go about it is to choose the type of wood you like, find plywood in that species and trim out with solid wood from the same species.

The trim does not need to be extra flexible. You'll nost likely get 1" (really 3/4") lumber. This has plenty of thickness for the look you'd want and will still have enough "give" to mate up with the edge of the plywood.

OTH, if it's for a more industrial application, or a kid's play area, laminate over plywood would work fine.

JR

[kliu]

Thanks for replying.

Would 1" trim work for a curved tabletop?
I'm doing an L-shaped desk, and want to curve the corner.

thx

[LarryG]

For the top, for this type project, I would use either plywood with the veneer of choice, or make your own veneered panel using a core of MDF. Reason is that you'll never have to worry about movement like you would using solid wood.

OTOH there are laminates today that look mighty good. My workstation here at the office is topped with a white oak laminate that looks as real as real gets, at least until you get to the edges and see the exposed black line of the backing. Still, for a utilitarian work surface that is mostly covered up with computer junk and paperwork and PostIt notes all the time anyway, it's fine. A fine cut of wood would mostly be a waste, truth be told.

You won't be able to curve 1" stock unless you use something with a "stringy" grain (like oak) and steam-bend it. Laminate on the other hand can easily be bent to about a 2" radius.

As with most things, it's all a matter of what you want, how much you want to spend, how much trouble you want to go to.

[Jim-Iowa]

if your going to use laminate, mdf would make a good backing.
even veneer could be put onver it.
It really has a lot to do withthe style and look your going for?

[kliu]

A nice veneer over mdf seems like it would be a lot cheaper with the same visual results.

Is the only downside to this being strength difference?

[drumpriest]

MDF is gonna be heavy, the dust contains carsinogens, and if you veneer 1 side, you should veneer the other side, to avoid warping.

Laminating the mdf is an easier solution, just contact adhesive.

I personally would probably go with a hardwood veneer plywood. Shouldn't cost a ton more. a sheet of 3/4 mdf is 22$ around here, and a sheet of birch ply is 38$. Red oak ply is 41$

I'd cut the ply and edge band it with either thin strips of the same hardwood or the hot glue edge banding that you can get at the BORG.

If you are doing curves, the veneer tape might be easy and affective.

[kliu]

I think I will go with the ply solution. The last thing I want to deal with is bubbles in the laminate.

It cost me $52 for an 8x4 sheet of 3/4 baltic birch ply, A-grade.
Is that expensive for southern cali?

[lcm1947]

An interesting post to me too. I am planning on building a make up table for my wife and have been trying to figure out the best materials etc. It seems that the direction everybody is suggesting is hardwood ply. Wouldn't this be subject to warping? My understanding and I admit it's little is that plywood is prone to warping unless it's laminated on both sides. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong please.

[Popeye]

quote:Originally posted by lcm1947

An interesting post to me too. I am planning on building a make up table for my wife and have been trying to figure out the best materials etc. It seems that the direction everybody is suggesting is hardwood ply. Wouldn't this be subject to warping? My understanding and I admit it's little is that plywood is prone to warping unless it's laminated on both sides. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong please.

Hardwood plywood has a veneer of hardwood on both sides. It is alot more dimensionaly stable than most solid wood. Add easier to work with on a table top and you have a winner if you can find it in the species you like. Pat

[lcm1947]

So I am wrong in thinking that hardwood veneer plywood will warp just like regular plywood? Yes/no? Sorry I'm just stupid.

[LarryG]

quote:Originally posted by lcm1947

So I am wrong in thinking that hardwood veneer plywood will warp just like regular plywood? Yes/no? Sorry I'm just stupid.

Hey, c'mon, you're not stupid. You just have a little less experience in these things than some of us. In the same way that I have less in experience in these things than certain others. We're all at different places along the same path, and it's a path that has no end. No one was born knowing it all, and no one will have learned it all by the time he dies.

Yes, hardwood plywood can warp because while plywood is more stable than solid wood, it's still wood, and wood is by nature an unstable material. Hardwood plywood will usually not warp as badly as cheap, sheathing-type plywood because it's a better quality material, but it can still warp. How badly it warps will depend on a variety of factors, such as how many plies there are (the more the better, generally), the material used for the inner plies, the overall quality of the sheet, etc etc etc.

The advantage of plywood is that you don't have to worry so much about expansion and contraction as you do with solid wood. That allows you to "tie it down," so to speak, to ward off warping. What that means for your project is that if you build a sturdy base and attach the top to it securely, you shouldn't have to worry much (if at all) about warpage.

[kliu]

On the topic of warping...
Is it necessary to seal both sides?

I plan to precondition (birch is a pain), stain, and poly. I figured its best to finish both sides to avoid moisture problems

[lcm1947]

Thanks for the reply LarryG and for explaining it so well. I appreciate it. Oh, I know I'm not stupid. Well, everythings relevant isn't it. Hehe. Thanks again.