Anyone use the Ikea veneered particle board counters?

[Matt Meiser]

Looking at using a couple of these in my shop office as I can buy them for about the same cost as making laminate tops. They have a particle board core and 1/8" thick veneer. Like engineered hardwood, I figure that means you can get one complete sand-and-refinish which would mean they would be likely to last a very long time. The surfaces aren't subject to moisture so I'm thinking they might be a good value. Real wood is about 33% more which isn't bad but they show as out of stock at our "local" Ikea.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00208514/ (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00208514/)

[Rich Engelhardt]

I'll stick my face in a badger's hole and give it the raspberries before I'll (willingly) use particle board for anything again. :(

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I'll stick my face in a badger's hole and give it the raspberries before I'll (willingly) use particle board for anything again. :(

Can you please post a video?

[Stephen Cherry]

I've seen those, and they look OK, but the solid ones are so cheap I would look at one of those first

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20057854/

- 25-year Limited Warranty. Read about the terms in the Limited Warranty brochure.

- Countertop in solid wood, a durable material that brings a warm, natural feeling to the kitchen.
- Solid wood is a natural material that is easy to repair, refinish and change whenever you like.
- Solid wood is a natural material with a special feeling. Normal variations in color, texture and appearance are due in part to the size and age of the tree and give the countertop a personal character.
- Beech is hard wood with an even grain through the timber. When exposed to sunlight, beech ages from a light red tone to a more rose-brown color.

[Matt Meiser]

I've seen those, and they look OK, but the solid ones are so cheap I would look at one of those first

The light color is out of stock locally, but that color is in stock and I think it will look good for what I want too. Thanks!


Can you please post a video?

+1!

[Myk Rian]

I use a solid core door. Takes a hammer beating, and waits for more.

[Tom Bain]

Does anyone know if there is any metal in these Ikea butcher block counters? In some pre-fabbed butcher blocks I've dealt with, there are metal splines used to internally reinforce the glue-up. It wasn't obvious until I tried to crosscut it :(

[Matt Meiser]

Picked up 2 of the ones Steve linked to tonight.

I don't think there's any steel in them but I can't say 100%. But there's no warning on the box, and the samples were cut from full size ones (obvious sawmarks on each side.)

[Tom Ewell]

Did a kitchen using Ikea butcher block, mitered corners and long sink cutout revealed no metal.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Can you please post a video?
:D
Sure!

FWIW - I spent a very unpleasant two days removing a particle board roof from a tool shed earlier this year.
Had the original roof been a proper material, I'd have a nice 14" bandsaw in the garage instead of horrible memories of shredded moldy mildewed stinky sticky nasty heavy horrid to dispose of pieces of particle board.

[Matt Meiser]

Rich, I was proposing to use it for office countertops. But after LOML and I looked we decided the essentially permanent solid wood ones for another $60 overall were a better deal. LOMLjr left the mini-fridge open out there once and the fridge frosted up. Then we had a power failure and I didn't think about or find the puddle from the melted ice for a few days. That would have left repairable damage to wood, probably ruined particle board.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Matt,
Wise choice.
I have a one man vendetta against PB :D!

The stuff is so misleading. It's flatness can rival MDF and it's heft is deceptive.
It would seem to have some sort of strength to it, but, the only strength the stuff has comes from the laminate or whatever is used to coat it.
It seems like it would be a perfect substrate where a nice flat hard surface is required - as in a lot of lower end pool tables.
But - unless it's sealed up 100% on all six sides it wicks moisture out of the air.
(I see @ least they foil the back of the Ikea stuff.)

Did you ever try to paint the stuff?
I rolled coat after coat of oil based floor paint on some once and watched in horror as the paint just disappeared!
I used the better part of a gallon of dark gray on two pieces of 4x8 - that's roughly 60 sq. ft. and a gallon of oil based floor paint normally does 500 sq.ft.!

I'll use MDF and OSB, but, I draw the line @ PB.

[Matt Meiser]

Really happy with these and I'd definitely recommend or use them again. They'd make fine workbench tops for a utility bench.

Pics here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?210212-Some-shop-improvements&p=2184015#post2184015

[Stephen Cherry]

Really happy with these and I'd definitely recommend or use them again. They'd make fine workbench tops for a utility bench.

Pics here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?210212-Some-shop-improvements&p=2184015#post2184015

That looks great!