Questions on alcove storage design

twopenny

I love that alcove and the fireplace!

The doors beneath are set in the frame. Study those, photo the hinges for identification.

WIAWSNB

Hi Sam.

D'oh! I think you are right, but I also think it's overcomeable. See diagram below - I think that will work.

Inset kitchen door hinges are a neat design that not only allow the door to swing open, but does so whilst keeping the hinge side of the door within the overall door width. Ie, the door doesn't swing over the cabinet frame it's hinged to, but is lifted slightly out and away from it.

I understand your wish to have the ply edges as a feature, but will remind you just how hard it is to get a crisp, splinter-free edge. It may require accurate scribing with a craft knife, all around the panel, to prevent splinters, and then cutting just to the scribe line, and sanding it the remaining amount to get it spot-on.

In my books, that's an absolute 'mare.

For the doors, perhaps consider MDF and - once perfect - gluing on oak veneer?

samforward

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81970512#Comment_81970512

Noted, thank you! I have all of zero experience with plywood ends, so will have to think carefully about it. One option might be to design the cuts so that the existing clean edges of the plywood boards become the visible plywood edges. The longest strips are 1.98m x 0.5m, so it should be possible with a 2.4m x 1.2m panel. Need to play around with those online cut calculators.

Do you think ordering from a company that offers pre-cutting services is a non starter? Both in variable quality of plywood and in terms of how much splintering there will be in their cuts (e.g.https://plydirect.co.uk/product/decorative-veneered-plywood-cut-to-size/)

Very much like the idea of using MDF and then apply veneer afterwards for the door. The only downside is I'd like the veneer on the countertop to match the doors, and it would be easier using existing oak faced ply on the countertop! Unless you think that's not an issue as i'll finish them both in the same way.

Ashamed to say i'm a little confused by your diagram - would the inset kitchen hinges be as below? And then the little L shaped stoppers are there because the doors stop short of the vertical panels? If they are 'inset', wouldn't the 2 vertical panels in the centre be still visible? I'm looking for them to be hidden, but the outer rectangle to be visible. Apologies if I've misunderstood.

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81970574#Comment_81970574

I'm not familiar with using ply in that precise way - I just avoid it! I've built lots of units from MDF, tho', but always painted afterwards, not veneered.

In theory, a cutting service should provide precise and accurate cuts, but it isn't guaranteed. Also, even a sharp saw will leave one edge somewhat frayed, tho' they should ensure it's the inner one. For oak-veneered ply, you'd hope they'd make sure the rough edge is the inside…

Soz, in my diagram, the brown 'L's are the inset (kitchen type) hinges. The LH door closes fully over the ply partition to its right, and hides it. The next door closes on half the next ply partition to its right, and the RH door does the same in reverse; between them, they hide the partition. That's the idea… You are the cove to make it work :-)

samforward

Ahhhh apologies! That seems to do the trick! You can see the door outline in black, the first central strip is fully covered by one door, whilst the second one is half covered by two doors.

Thanks again for your advice, I'll have a long think and share the results!

WIAWSNB

Cool. It's very important to share, especially when it goes pear-shaped.

Which, of course, it won't…