Which plywood edging method to use?

[brooks]

I'm about to do a bunch of practice runs making things out of plywood (I'm rehearsing for making kitchen cabinets). I see many choices for edging plywood. Which should I look at for ease of use for a real amateur cabinetmaker? I want the best results so it doesn't look as if a newbie did it. Should I just go with tongue and groove and cut edging from solid wood? The cabinet shelving is going to be double faced melamine, the cabinet doors will be solid wood, the sides will be probably be plywood, though my teacher likes MDF.

The whole thing will probably be painted so poplar probably would be the facing material and shelf edging. It's the cheapest paintable wood I can find locally. I can use routers and/or table saw to execute this. There seem to be many many router bits and systems sold for this purpose. I don't know how to judge which is best.

[JR]

Do you plan to have face frames or frameless construction? It'll make a big difference in the answers you get.

JR

[jziegler]

Depending on the cabinet type, the veneer tape edge banding works great, is easy, and not too expensive. I have used it several places on my kitchen cabinets (edge of shelves, bottom of the sides on the wall cabinets.

All you need to apply it is a regular iron.

Jim

[bmyers]

Either way, (frameless or framed) I'd go with a method that added strength to the capacity of the shelf. Since it's melamine and in a humid kitchen holding stacks of dishes and cups, glasses, you need the extra strength to prevent sagging. Melamine is a great surface for the inside of a cabinet, it looks clean and bright. Something to consider...


Good luck!

Bill

[brooks]

JR, the instructor only uses face frames so that's the method he teaches.

[brooks]

Bill, yes, I do worry about the sagging potential of melamine shelves. That's why I know I'll put solid wood edging on them. I figure that will add some structural strength. But once you make that decision, you have to choose how to do it. I see these "edging" packages from companies like MLCS and Eagle, etc. I don't know if any of these methods are any better than any other. How do I choose?

[bmyers]

I just got a free Woodsmith in the mail the covered this. Basically, a tounge and groove joint between the edgeing (?) and melamine will add more strength.

Woodsmith has the page and pictures I'm talking about posted on the internet. Have a look here and you'll see what I mean. Print out the PDF page of the pictures, it might not be there forever..

http://www.woodsmith.com/issues/sample/08-09/

Bill

[brooks]

Do you think the same method they consider Best for plywood shelves would hold for melamine shelves? I think it's MDF inside the melamine coating. Would biscuits work for that edging on MDF? I'm thinking a tongue cut into MDF might not be so strong but I'm not sure of the characteristics of melamine board that way.

I want to use melamine board for the shelves due to the extra marketability of those easy-clean shelves. People really like the clean, shiny white interiors.

[bmyers]

I think if you cut a groove in the melamine and a tounge in the hardwood you'd be better off than biscuits or just edge glued.

Put a lesser hardwood on the back of the shelf wide enough to screw to the wall underneath and forget about sagging pretty much. Oh, are these to be closed in cabinets or do you see wall behind there? If they are closed in, the backing will do some support also if you attach the backing to the shelves somehow.

I agree on white and bright. It help when lighting isn't that good to start.


Bill

[brooks]

The first practice cabinets will be open shelves with a back, then add solid doors later. I need all kinds of storage and I have some ratty old melamine open bookshelves I can cannibalize for practice parts. (I'll cut up the 1/2" sides for shelves, short span.) Plywood sides, top, bottom and back, melamine shelves, solid wood doors. Face frames might be pocket holes but biscuits have been suggested.