Alcove Units – Best Solution?

ThisIsWeird

I'd go for the MDF every time for a job like this.

For a start, it'll be MORE than strong enough for your plans. It's physically easier and more pleasant to use - to cut, plane, and sand in all directions, albeit the dust produced is not nice, so do it outside and wear a mask if needed. It's 'even', with no real grain or splinters to contend with. (Although MDF doesn't like being screwed into it's 'ends'.
Are your Shakerish doors going to be 12mm MDF with 12mm added 'stiles'? If so, in your boots, I'd go for 12mm for everything.

12mm MDF partitions with be more than strong enough. Add a 12mm fillet to each side at the front to give you the required 36mm-wide front panel edge to take the kitchen hinges. Don't worry about the visual aspect of seeing this 'step' if you stick your head inside the unit - it just won't be an issue in practice.

12mm will be more than good enough, much easier to cut, and will require the purchase of only one size of sheet. My unit's doors are 24mm overall thickness, made up just like this. No signs of warping at all. They feel solid - and they are, because almost every unit door you'd buy would only be 18mm thick in comparison. And, your doors will be a good 24mm thick where you'll be drilling with the Trend - it'll be slightly heart-stopping if doing this into 18mm material.

paperclap

Okay, think I’m sold on using MDF!

For the shakerish doors, I’m not sure. Was either thinking 12mm and 12mm, or 18mm and 6mm.

For the carcasses, I’d actually planned on using 18mm… as thought any thinner, and might not be thick enough for the Blum hinges? But, that would mean where the two individual carcasses meet in the middle, there would be a whopping 36mm partition. I’d planned on using the partitions themselves as the door stops. So when everything is closed, you don’t see the partitions. In proper terminology, “overlay” 

ThisIsWeird

Exactly.

The total thickness of the unit frame where the doors meet will be 36mm, whether you achieve this by 2x18 or 3x12. This is not 'whopping' but normal

As you say, the door overlay will hide it. Open one door, and you'll see an 18mm carcase edge facing you. Open two opposing doors, and you'll see the full 36mm, just like on your kitchen units.

IF you decide on 18mm door panels and 6mm thick Stiles, then - yes - it'll make sense to use the same 18mm board  for the carcase. If you go 12+12 for the doors, then it doesn't make sense to me to also buy 18mm MDF for just the carcase.

As unit partitions, 12mm is plenty. But, yes, it'd need thickening to 36mm at the fronts. 

Ultimately it's your call

paperclap

Gotcha, thanks so much (as always)! 

I don’t suppose you’ve got any neat ways of feeding cables (say, for the TV) up from inside the carcass and on to the top of the worktop?

I’m almost tempted to not fully fix the top worktop in place. Notch out a small quarter of a hole in the corner (enough to allow the wire(s) to go through. Then whenever I want/need to alter something, simply slide the top worktop out, and do what I need to do. Saves having a gaping hole to accommodate the three pin plug head?

travis-powers

I think your cable plan is on point anything else spoils the look off the top.
 As for the doors I’ve always gone 12 and 12 but as you mentioned before on this thread about 18 and 6 I think that would make a more stable door and look sharper, something I will be doing in the future.
 If your budget allows think about using moisture resistant mdf, it cuts, machines and takes paint so much better.

ThisIsWeird

paperclap said:

Gotcha, thanks so much (as always)! 

I don’t suppose you’ve got any neat ways of feeding cables (say, for the TV) up from inside the carcass and on to the top of the worktop?

I’m almost tempted to not fully fix the top worktop in place. Notch out a small quarter of a hole in the corner (enough to allow the wire(s) to go through. Then whenever I want/need to alter something, simply slide the top worktop out, and do what I need to do. Saves having a gaping hole to accommodate the three pin plug head?

You're welcome.

No secrets about feeding cables, I'm afraid. I've just cut round holes in one corner, and a notch in another, but both are hidden behind the bookcases built above so it doesn't matter.

I guess, for the TV, a central location may be better as it should be fully hidden by the TV itself?

As for the door thicknesses, both options will/should work equally well. I've used both, and neither have presented any long-term issues such as warping.

12+12:

12+6:

travis-powers

Excellent workmanship ThisIsWeird!
 I really think now that a thinner stile looks so much better, the only downside I can see to 12 and 6 is having to buy 3 different sized sheets of mdf however any left over could be used for the backs of the units if op has plans to put a back in!

ThisIsWeird

Thanks TP.

Tbh, I don't really notice the difference between them, and would probably choose just based on available materials going forward. 

moneysaver1978

Following this thread - it is really educating and interesting!

What's 12+12 and 12+6?

ThisIsWeird

moneysaver1978 said:

Following this thread - it is really educating and interesting!

What's 12+12 and 12+6?

Soz. It's the thicknesses of the MDF used for each door.

12+12 is made up of a flat, door-sized panel of MDF 12mm thick, to which further strips of 12mm MDF are glued on to look like door stiles - the frame. These doors have a combined thickness of 24mm (except in the centre).

12+6 is ditto, except the 'stile' strips are 6mm MDF, giving a combined thickness of 18mm.