Making a melamine box

secutanudu · 06-05-2011, 12:05 PM

I am trying to construct a little box to use as a 2-shelf unit. I have a square hole in a bedroom wall that looks into a hallway closet. The previous owners had a small CRT tv sitting in the closet, making a "recessed" tv in the bedroom. I am putting a flat panel on the wall, and I've thought of making a melamine "box" with a shelf in the middle (2 shelves total) to store a cable box/dvd player/etc.

I can buy the melamine, but I am no carpenter...what is the best way to hold it together? Just screws? I know when i buy furniture that you put together, there are usually pre-drilled holes and dowels to hold corners together. Is that a better option? I assume glue won't work well on the shiny melamine part of the shelf.

I am obviously not a skilled woodworker, any advice would be great!

Thanks.

acerunner · 06-05-2011, 12:14 PM

I would use wood screws to hold or together. It will be much stronger imo. Since you will be putting it in a recessed pocket, you wont be able to see the screw heads. Only reason you would use dowels in furniture is so you don't see screw heads

williamwiens · 06-06-2011, 07:05 AM

I would use MDF to form the box, using a good wood glue and predrill holes for screws.
MDF paints real nice.

SteelToes · 06-06-2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acerunner

I would use wood screws to hold or together. It will be much stronger imo. Since you will be putting it in a recessed pocket, you wont be able to see the screw heads. Only reason you would use dowels in furniture is so you don't see screw heads

Don't use any kind of wood screws. Use a melamine screws and predrill- counter sink the holes..

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/tools-h...ck-159307.html

TheGoodRobot · 06-12-2011, 11:01 PM

Make sure to predrill a hole using a smaller bit that the diameter of the screw before you drill the screw in. This will ease the tension.

secutanudu · 06-13-2011, 07:40 AM

Got it done this weekend...didn't come out perfect but it's way better than I thought it would be! I just have to get some molding or glue-on melamine on top to cover the one bare edge.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

RickyBobby · 06-13-2011, 08:03 AM

Now just get the iron-on melamine edging for the top shelf and you are set.

secutanudu · 06-13-2011, 10:19 AM

It's hard to see from the pic, but the box does not butt up against the molding. There is drywall between the molding and the front of the box, with an exposed edge visible when looking from the side. What's the best way to cover that? Is there some sort of edging or u-shaped channel I can put on the exposed drywall edge? Any other ideas? Thanks.

SteelToes · 06-13-2011, 10:22 AM

I think that a piece of 3/4"x3/4" quarter round primed pine would cover that up perfectly.

secutanudu · 06-13-2011, 10:31 AM

Quarter round...not a bad thought. I guess I could just glue it in, right? Might be tough, based on my skills with a hammer, to nail it in there.

SteelToes · 06-13-2011, 10:51 AM

Maybe its time to buy a smaller hammer

I think you should apply edging before quarter round ...that gap seems to be higher than 3/4rs ...gluing quarter round will still leave you with an 1/4" to 3/8" gap.
You can caulk or apply edging beforehand so that edge doesn't end up unfinished once you push the quarter higher.

secutanudu · 06-13-2011, 11:04 AM

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by edging...where would this be applied?

SteelToes · 06-13-2011, 11:13 AM

Right at the edge of the top board before quarter round.

secutanudu · 06-13-2011, 11:54 AM

Oh - i see. I have some of that edging already (I used it on the face of the shelf). As far as the exposed drywall, I am talking about all the way around the box, not just on top. I guess I can put the edging on the front of that exposed edge, then quarter round on all 4 sides.

dadflynn · 06-17-2011, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by secutanudu

Oh - i see. I have some of that edging already (I used it on the face of the shelf). As far as the exposed drywall, I am talking about all the way around the box, not just on top. I guess I can put the edging on the front of that exposed edge, then quarter round on all 4 sides.

Sounds like you didn't nail the unit even with the sheetrock when you installed it. It might be easier to remove the moulding, reinstall the unit even with the sheetrock then reinstall your moulding. This would require you to cut away the sheetrock at least the width of your shelf thickness.
Other then that, you did well.