Use marine plywood and marine quality paints including Everdure where ever there may be water. Brilliant material and far more resilient than the mdf crap that most modern kitchens are made of. To answer your q, yes, Iv'e built three complete kitchens using BS1088 plywood.
tygertung,
Mar 30, 8:09am
I would consider buying a decent table saw, build the kitchen, and then maybe sell the table saw after again.
Would you varnish it?
lythande1,
Mar 30, 8:38am
I wouldn't. I've seen what happens to it, marine or not.
tegretol,
Mar 30, 10:51am
I would. I've seen how marine grade plys/paints perform. What are your anti reasons?
tygertung,
Mar 30, 11:45am
They last in a marine environment, which is pretty hostile, so should last extra well in a kitchen.
martin11,
Mar 30, 11:57am
Until you sit a hot pot or pan on it .
ebygum1,
Mar 30, 12:12pm
How would you do that?
tygertung,
Mar 30, 1:31pm
It is going to be as durable in that sense as anything else such as formica, malamine etc, but the wood isn't going to be the problem, only the varnish. Putting hot pans on a wooden chopping board is no problem.
Maybe you are wanting a stainless steel benchtop? No reason why you couldn't make the kitchen from ply and glue a stainless top on it.
intrade,
Mar 30, 2:15pm
i used automotive clear lacquer on tool tables last for a long long time. i would probably use automotive paint on plywood kitchen also you have to check the acid in plywood wont react with product.
tegretol,
Mar 30, 7:54pm
Acid in plywood?
biscuitd,
Mar 30, 8:08pm
Thank you for your response, tegretol. Your comment on today's materials is EXACTLY why I am wanting to give it a go! Might just have to suffer my crumbling old kitchen, until I have made a new one!
Not had a go at this type of thing before, but willing to learn from error - as I am sure there will be many.
Any idea of the cost per sheet? Is there much of a price difference between standard A grade and marine grade? I am still feeling my way on this one!
biscuitd,
Mar 30, 8:12pm
I am lucky here, with regard to tools. Have friend who is a builder and would lend me some tools.
Mmmmm. quite like the idea of a matte/satin finish varnish. Heard Feast Watson is hideously expensive, but well worth it.
Any recommendations for a suitable varnish?
biscuitd,
Mar 30, 8:14pm
Yes, quite like the idea of a stainless steel worktop. Bench top would not be made of plywood.
tygertung,
Mar 30, 8:56pm
Just use some marine grade varnish in satin finish. Do several coats, and sand down a little in-between each coat.
apollo11,
Mar 30, 9:02pm
I'm going to coat my kitchen bench with epoxy resin and then shake ironsand or similar into the resin. I'll then 2k clear it. Should be a reasonably durable surface.
fastspec,
Mar 30, 9:18pm
The reason to use the BS1088 ply is that it has no internal voids and this no gaps in cut edges if you like that look. Anything is better than MDF in a wet environment, even A bond pine ply makes a great kitchen. Altex "timbercote" is a good varnish and will take a lot of abuse
tygertung,
Mar 31, 8:06am
If you want something extra durable, just use moisture cured floor varnish. It is pretty toxic hen putting on so you need a good respirator mask. I am not sure if you can get it in satin though, so maybe just have to go for basic oil based.
Epoxy resin will tend to be more yellow, and it is difficult to get it on without it looking a wee bit uneven in colour as it doesn't seem to soak in evenly to the wood.
tegretol,
Mar 31, 12:02pm
I'd guestimate that 12mm BS1088 (marine) ply would be around $100/sheet. You might get away with 7 ot 8mm on vertical faces where there is no load and I'd suggest 2 layers of 12mm on the top - this allows the sink clips to be easily affixed where the lower layer has a 25mm bigger cutout than then top - forming a shoulder. Realistically, if you can find some decent pine drawers, clean then up and use them. I've just done my own kitchen and have tiled the top and it looks a million dollars. Tiles will stand the heat.
richynuts,
Apr 1, 9:48pm
Plywood does tend to move and often doors will twist and cup. Dont expect the doors (especially larger doors) stay perfectly in line.
ang_ck,
Apr 1, 11:26pm
Fantastic idea. Why not approach Cutshop? You do all the design and let Cutshop using CNC machine to cut them to your requirement.
tygertung,
Apr 2, 11:45am
Decent ply is rock steady, they build boats out of it.
pauldw,
Apr 2, 1:17pm
Not that many flat planes on a nice looking boat. I have glued cheaper ply back to back, that seems to cancel out any tendency to bend.
joanie32,
Apr 2, 4:31pm
Marine ply is not a friend of stainless or aluminium.
Ally boat builders paint untreated ply as marine grade will eat through these metals.
This could be a challenge regarding hinges, handles etc.
jacinda2059,
Apr 2, 4:42pm
If you use clear epoxy resin, you can add, mica powder colours etc. you undercoat ply, x2, sand with 220g emery, you can router front so epoxy wiil flow over,need approx 4 oz,p er sq foot. mix , pour level out,mi,x in any other colours etc, torch out any air bubbles, it will self level
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.