Choice of material...

Vidar

Vidar

Vidar

Soldato
Joined
18 Dec 2008
Posts
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Location
Liverpool
Hi Guy's

Am planning to build my own computer desk as I'm hacked off with not being able to find exactly what I'm looking for, It'll be basic construction, I'm no tradesman.

My question is which sheet material to use, I can't decide on either MDF or furniture grade Combi wood, I preferably want the easiest to work with...
 
Sorry, can't help you. I entered this thread expecting you to be asking about suitable reading matter for the loo. True story. :(

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whitecrook said:
MDF.

Finish the exposed edges with a strip of pine the same width.
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I was planning to smooth the edges off with a router as I want it nice and smooth with no exposed corners...

Rainmaker said:
Sorry, can't help you. I entered this thread expecting you to be asking about suitable reading matter for the loo. True story. :(
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I'm ever so slightly disturbed...
 
NW_SKINHEAD said:
I was planning to smooth the edges off with a router as I want it nice and smooth with no exposed corners...
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You can do that if you want. I would probably still glue the wood on and route that, then maybe panel pin it afterwards. The way MDF is made means an 'edge on' finish can be difficult to get nice, sticking a bit of say 18x15mm wood on the edge can make all the difference.


Or use chipboard, which can work quite well also.
 
One of the best home made desks i ever seen was made from a section of kitchen worktop, guy i know got it for free, nice black marble finish, mounted in an alcove on timber battens, extremely sturdy.
 
Thinking of doing this also, ive got a top to the desk (current desk top will do), and am planning to make some legs and was planning to paint it black to suit the colour scheme of my room.

But was wondering what i can put over it to stop the constant scraping of a mouse/keyboard legs ruining the paint?
 
Megahurtz400 said:
Thinking of doing this also, ive got a top to the desk (current desk top will do), and am planning to make some legs and was planning to paint it black to suit the colour scheme of my room.

But was wondering what i can put over it to stop the constant scraping of a mouse/keyboard legs ruining the paint?
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Use a hard gloss varnish, yacht varnish is very good for this, 2-3 coats, finely sanded prior to coating will leave a very tough finish.
 
Yacht varnish is a clear finish, my advice would be to sand the existing surface back to bare wood, apply a couple of coats of black woodstain, this will bring out any grain pattern very nicely, then apply the varnish. Its pretty hard wearing stuff, i use it regularly at work on exterior windows/doors.
 
Some really good idea's here, mounting on Timber batons and yacht varnish in particular...

I got the idea to mount it on steel fence posts, after reading a build log on another forum however that can get quite expensive.

How would you mount your desks personally?
 
Unless you paint it though, isn't MDF pretty 'cheap' looking? Something like pine might be more expensive, if you're planning to just varnish it may end up looking better.
 
NW_SKINHEAD said:
Some really good idea's here, mounting on Timber batons and yacht varnish in particular...

I got the idea to mount it on steel fence posts, after reading a build log on another forum however that can get quite expensive.

How would you mount your desks personally?
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you can buy various styles of legs from Ikea that look half decent, not sure if they're any good mind
 
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