12-01-2013, 10:40 AM
Hi,
You pay your money and take your choice. we are all different.
30 years ago I built a fitted kitchen in our first house using genuine Contiplas white boards with softwood frames and it looked excellent.
My own taste though is in dark solid hardwood. I've made most of the furniture both fitted and free standing in our bungalow and it never ages. The kitchen has evolved during the 25 years we have lived here and the last addition was wall paneling; this paneling was constructed of 6mm plywood and solid hardwood framing; stained in dark oak and matt varnished. Frame joints vary in that the wall units in the kitchen had proper through mortise and tenon joints but the base units have biscuit joints. Shelves of white Contiplas are fully supported to prevent sagging.
I wouldn't want over elaborate furniture with lots of intricate carving but I do like to see simple mouldings such as beads and coves. I find well finished hardwood just begs to be touched and stroked.
My new computer desk is constructed of solid oak frame and MDF panels covered with Contiplas; a strange combination given my love of solid wood but I like to experiment and the desk is proving highly functional.
When I restored the Ekco T311 TV I couldn't find any decent 6mm plywood so resorted to using 6mm moisture resistant MDF as a substrate for veneering; this was the first time I had ever veneered MDF and I found MDF far superior to plywood it being more stable and no plywood grain direction to worry about.
One of our neighbours has had three brand new kitchens fitted in the last 25 years; there was nothing wrong with any of the kitchens other than they were deemed out of date?
Chipboard; OSB and MDF are wonderful board materials. If a painted finish is needed then MDF can be routed to add moulding detail. Veneering both sides of MDF gives a very stable decorative board.
Two of our bedrooms have solid pine furniture installed; fitted wardrobes and wall paneling still look good even though I made them years ago for the cost of materials.
Perhaps one day I'll panel our front room out in oak which is something I would like to do and whilst at it add new oak window frames.
Whether using man made materials or natural timber I simply like woodworking in all its forms.
Kind regards, Col.
You pay your money and take your choice. we are all different.
30 years ago I built a fitted kitchen in our first house using genuine Contiplas white boards with softwood frames and it looked excellent.
My own taste though is in dark solid hardwood. I've made most of the furniture both fitted and free standing in our bungalow and it never ages. The kitchen has evolved during the 25 years we have lived here and the last addition was wall paneling; this paneling was constructed of 6mm plywood and solid hardwood framing; stained in dark oak and matt varnished. Frame joints vary in that the wall units in the kitchen had proper through mortise and tenon joints but the base units have biscuit joints. Shelves of white Contiplas are fully supported to prevent sagging.
I wouldn't want over elaborate furniture with lots of intricate carving but I do like to see simple mouldings such as beads and coves. I find well finished hardwood just begs to be touched and stroked.
My new computer desk is constructed of solid oak frame and MDF panels covered with Contiplas; a strange combination given my love of solid wood but I like to experiment and the desk is proving highly functional.
When I restored the Ekco T311 TV I couldn't find any decent 6mm plywood so resorted to using 6mm moisture resistant MDF as a substrate for veneering; this was the first time I had ever veneered MDF and I found MDF far superior to plywood it being more stable and no plywood grain direction to worry about.
One of our neighbours has had three brand new kitchens fitted in the last 25 years; there was nothing wrong with any of the kitchens other than they were deemed out of date?
Chipboard; OSB and MDF are wonderful board materials. If a painted finish is needed then MDF can be routed to add moulding detail. Veneering both sides of MDF gives a very stable decorative board.
Two of our bedrooms have solid pine furniture installed; fitted wardrobes and wall paneling still look good even though I made them years ago for the cost of materials.
Perhaps one day I'll panel our front room out in oak which is something I would like to do and whilst at it add new oak window frames.
Whether using man made materials or natural timber I simply like woodworking in all its forms.
Kind regards, Col.
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
