Melamine vs Plywood Closet?

[Andrew Wayland]

On top of all of my other unfinished projects around the house, I’ve been tasked with building a closet-organization “system” for one of our bedrooms (we’re expecting our first soon... and the gifts are starting to pile in).

I’ve make some cabinets out of plywood before; but I’m tempted to try Melamine this time around, given that it’s already “finished”. I certainly think plywood has a far nicer look to it, but I’m in a time crunch to get it done quickly.

I’m curious what opinions you all would have? I was thinking of going with some adjustable pegs for shelving, and then maybe some boxes at the bottom to accommodate those fancy-square storage baskets?

[roger wiegand]

Pre-finished maple plywood. You can either edge band it if you're in a hurry, or, better, cut 3/4 x 1/4 strips to tack on the edges. Pre-finish the strips three sides, then glue them on tacking them in place with a pin nailer while the glue sets. I just hate everything about working with particle board.

I've ordered the ply online from Home Depot, much more often I go to Boulter Plywood in Medford for it. Pricy, but really nice material. They will deliver for a reasonable fee.

[Ron Selzer]

I've used melamine in the past, 1980-2000, and been happy with the results. Iron on edge banding or carefully paint all exposed edges. A little bit of caulk at all intersections and nice easy peazy cleaning. Also very heavy. Have been looking at the prefinished plywood's available now and keep thinking I will try some just have not had a reason to yet.
Go with which ever one Momma wants and "git er done".
Unhappy Momma with new baby on the way is not good!!
good luck
Ron

[Brian Tymchak]

This may come off as being cynical or being a grouch, but I'm of the opinion that there are times when buy wins out over build. If you are considering melamine, and are under time constraints ( Congratulations! btw) I would recommend visiting your nearest Ikea.

There is extra work involved in getting a clean cut on 2-sided melamine, the cut edges are like knife blades, you need a melamine/plywood blade if don't already have it. Since melamine is particle board, you need special fasteners or construction adhesive in dadoes to hold the cases together. The edge banding is prone to chipping when you trim it. So lots of extra precaution needed to build with melamine.

If you truly have time to build, I like the idea of using prefinished maple ply.

[glenn bradley]

I agree that unless your customization requirements are extreme, there are many ready made products for fitting out a closet in a particle board product. For the time and effort spent, something that is just functional doesn't make sense for me. In the shop, my needs are pretty customized and I do my own ply or other material fixtures. A closet can definitely be just as custom when it comes to requirements but, 'quick and dirty' says 'go commercial' to me.

[Stan Calow]

We had two custom walk-in closets put in by a carpenter using melamine. The finish is nice and clean (if you want white), but it chips on the edges (many were left just from the on-site cutting) and it lacks detail. That is, it looks like the common cheap knockdown cabinetry. You cant really rout profiles on melamine. If I was doing it again I too would go pre-fab.

[Andrew Wayland]

Pre-finished maple plywood. You can either edge band it if you're in a hurry, or, better, cut 3/4 x 1/4 strips to tack on the edges. Pre-finish the strips three sides, then glue them on tacking them in place with a pin nailer while the glue sets. I just hate everything about working with particle board.

I've ordered the ply online from Home Depot, much more often I go to Boulter Plywood in Medford for it. Pricy, but really nice material. They will deliver for a reasonable fee.

I’ve used Boulter several times for my Basement Bar project. Great material as you have mentioned: just not the easiest place to pull up to and grab material being in the city... I’ve also used Downes and Read in stoughton (a little easier to get to... seems like a nice selection of hardwoods and some plywood stock also.


This may come off as being cynical or being a grouch, but I'm of the opinion that there are times when buy wins out over build. If you are considering melamine, and are under time constraints ( Congratulations! btw) I would recommend visiting your nearest Ikea.

There is extra work involved in getting a clean cut on 2-sided melamine, the cut edges are like knife blades, you need a melamine/plywood blade if don't already have it. Since melamine is particle board, you need special fasteners or construction adhesive in dadoes to hold the cases together. The edge banding is prone to chipping when you trim it. So lots of extra precaution needed to build with melamine.

If you truly have time to build, I like the idea of using prefinished maple ply.


I agree that unless your customization requirements are extreme, there are many ready made products for fitting out a closet in a particle board product. For the time and effort spent, something that is just functional doesn't make sense for me. In the shop, my needs are pretty customized and I do my own ply or other material fixtures. A closet can definitely be just as custom when it comes to requirements but, 'quick and dirty' says 'go commercial' to me.

I’ve explored the IKEA/HomeDepot closet organization options. They’re okay, but you’re stuck to the sizes that they provide. This will be a relatively simple build. The only real reason I’m considering melamine is the fact that it wont require much finishing: although I suppose I do have less forgiveness if I split the edges at all.

I suppose I could always go with rattle-can lacquer and be done in a day... Or just some wipe-on poly and be done in a couple days.

[Robert Engel]

We went through the same process. End of the day, we decided its a closet and we don't plan on selling anytime soon, so we "cheesed out" & went with the HD product. Yeah, pretty lightweight, but the cardboard backs can be replaced with 1/4 panels. The shelves are flimsy, but overall it serves its purpose.

I found some laminate that exactly matches to make drawers and fill in the toe kicks, which to date I've never done.

[Andrew Wayland]

We went through the same process. End of the day, we decided its a closet and we don't plan on selling anytime soon, so we "cheesed out" & went with the HD product. Yeah, pretty lightweight, but the cardboard backs can be replaced with 1/4 panels. The shelves are flimsy, but overall it serves its purpose.

I found some laminate that exactly matches to make drawers and fill in the toe kicks, which to date I've never done.

That’s what I like about those square baskets: no need to build a drawer and spend money on hardware for a closet.... Figured it’d be a nice way to store small toys too.

I think this would be wall mounted also: leaving a foot or two below to make vacuuming underneath easier.

[Jim Becker]

I actually based our master closet on some Ikea components that I made work together...two tall PAX white storage shelf units with a white 5' wide dresser that I turned into a built-in. Since we wanted white, this was the most expeditious way to do the closet at the time and other than the sliding baskets...which I'm soon to be replacing with closed drawers...it's been extremely functional for us. I'm not saying this to suggest using pre-built stuff is the best way; just that it's an option and one worthy of considering when you have a lot of your plate, like an expected child on the way.

https://bn3pap090files.storage.live.com/y4mJJi_ZKPZFOfMp2rGWrrOIlV4Y5ECsjt_pXbUpVJ8RhIUJXY OzOHSAVJsE6MO9vX0KO6wmWhdRCguYIT_SQSpUx_vahd63ldpO fP-Ad4IxrWX5fQ10ft8i1pmNOLAy0hPHV9XTBZqV5XSAENrcmna89 GP_0SWQoZgzrMutJISU-iyMYXLl16WGkc9WrRrhKN2?width=399&height=600&cropmode=none

[Brad Shipton]

The decision of melamine v plywood will come down to your equipment. If you are not setup very well to cut melamine you could end up with a ton of little chips that make your end product look amateurish. Personally, I would find a supplier of melamine parts other than Home Depot and use those. The companies I have looked at offer a lot of standardized parts and they can edge band in many different thicknesses or materials. This will allow you to still customize a bit better than a HD product and it should not be a lot more.

[David Stone (CT)]

If you do use melamine, an easy way to solve the chip out and nasty, sharp edge issues is to rout a 45 degree chamfer on all exposed edges. It actually makes for a very nice tactile surface.447169

[Mel Fulks]

Closets often have the hanger rod so far back that sliding the apparel causes more wear to them from the wall paint
than wearing them does. I like the Mel- amine, it's slick stuff.
-

[John Hulett]

Years ago, I had good results using a Freud blade (https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Ultimate-Plywood-Melamine-LU80R010/dp/B0007WKBEQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=OG61AHIXP2LG&dchild=1&keywords=freud+10+inch+melamine+saw+blade&qid=1608060274&sprefix=saw+blades+freud+mel%2Caps%2C242&sr=8-1) on my TS that was specifically made for melamine. Also, I found a local lumber yard that had an excellent selection of melamine that were in faux-woodgrain designs. I went with melamine because I had poor results with pre-finished ply and I had shelves in my plan that I felt would be a better surface for sliding clothes or what not around on, without any fear of snags. Maybe a meritless concern, but that was my thinking. My best tip if you go with the melamine is to make sure you take a few minutes to knock down the sharp edges; edge-banding wasn't enough. My first closet, I didn't take the time, and it was a nuisance until I remedied it.

[roger wiegand]

Boulter is a much easier trip since they moved a year or so ago. Now they have both actual parking and a nicely accessible door to back up to to pick up your stuff. As always they are happy to load it in the truck for you. The bad part is that they are no longer next door to that wonderful Mexican/Guatemalan restaurant in their Somerville location.

[David Stone (CT)]

Boulter is a much easier trip since they moved a year or so ago. Now they have both actual parking and a nicely accessible door to back up to to pick up your stuff.

It certainly is a lot easier. Amazing that they stayed at the old location all those decades.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Why not make your own prefinished ply? I take whole sheets, and using an edge painting pad do whole sheet (one side) at the time, using Varathane water based Diamond Gloss Floor finish. After first coat, sand off nibs, and second coat. Dries in about 30 minutes, so you can do multiple sheets in day. Forget about raising grain first. Turn sheet over and do other side.This stuff is tough as nails, so it doesn't scratch when machining.

[Dan Rude]

I built my closets with . Melamine, white and a faux pine print. Trimmed with hardwood to reduce sagging in the shelves. I bought both sheet and shelf material. I started from a closet system I liked and used parts of it. The only issue I have had is the plastic rod holders have torn out over time and then you have to fix it. It just happened in my 15 year old closet. The solution was taking a board and drilling a hole for the closet rod. to go on both sides, need to paint them white. Dan

[Jim Dwight]

I did cabinets for a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchenette in my last house of melamine. I used iron on edge banding. They were servicable and the material is less expensive. The bedroom in the basement was our second guest room and did not get a lot of use but the cabinets worked OK. I made drawer fronts and a door for the vanity out of white washed pine. We thought it went well with the melamine box. I think I did the same for the kitchenette cabinets.

I am also into using water borne poly at the moment. I apply it with a small roller. If i was doing a whole sheet instead of a project, I would probably use a full sized roller. I have a Fuji mini mite 3 stage but rolling is less setup and less cleanup. I like working with plywood a lot better than particle board and would put up with the need for finish just due to that factor. But if you want the project to be white, melamine is certainly a viable option.

Last white project I did was a crib and dresser/changing table (I made the curb removable). I sprayed white tinted Resisthane on it. Resisthane is another water borne product that is very durable and dries very quickly. You can easily prime and shoot on 2 or even 3 coats of finish in a day.

[Rod Dilyard]

I've used melamine for a lot of cabinetry using both a face frame and euro-style though I'm just a hobbyist. Its hard to beat the durability of the surface. I use a triple chip grind blade (Freud LU97R010) with good results and finish the edges with a plastic Tee molding (https://www.amazon.com/Outwater-Industries-Center-Moulding-Molding/dp/B07M95R1HV/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-drs1_0?cv_ct_cx=white+tee+moulding&dchild=1&keywords=white+tee+moulding&pd_rd_i=B07M95R1HV&pd_rd_r=36367fc0-1e55-4964-b1fa-76febb217ff3&pd_rd_w=CsIJe&pd_rd_wg=2ac8R&pf_rd_p=c33e4373-edb9-47f9-a7e6-5d3d6a7a4ad0&pf_rd_r=EVTYE4QHRT0M3ZRPPSHF&psc=1&qid=1608141626&sr=1-1-5e875a02-02b1-4426-9916-8a5c26cd5a14). You'll need to buy one of these (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002TUCRA/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0002TUCRA&pd_rd_w=UXl4R&pf_rd_p=f0355a48-7e73-489a-9590-564e12837b93&pd_rd_wg=2RNZJ&pf_rd_r=2Y3VQS8E031BS3G0VQAR&pd_rd_r=be3e2e14-61be-4520-8f5a-4766fca684cd&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzTDBVWVBYTFQ3TFJYJ mVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjE0MzgzMjI3T0k3MERBOUNCTSZlbmN yeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDcxMTA5NFpMREVNN0wzWFhOJndpZGdld E5hbWU9c3BfZGV0YWlsX3RoZW1hdGljJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1J lZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==), too.
A couple of tips if you decide to go this way:
1) I get really clean cuts if I raise the blade significantly higher than normal which seems very counter-intuitive. Not really scary since it's pretty easy to keep your hands clear when cutting large pieces.
2) Fence and blade alignment have a big effect on how clean the cut is. Unless you have a scoring saw you will have some chipping on the bottom edge. Plan carefully and try to put that edge against another cabinet or wall and flip the shelves as necessary so you can't see it. If the blade is sharp the chipping is minor.
3) I use a wide wooden mallet to drive the tee molding into the groove and then go over it with a small laminate roller to get even seating over the length. The molding will slightly overhang the surface so I use a sharp razor blade to trim the edge flush with melamine, but this is optional. I cut it to length with a sharp 1" chisel after it is seated in place. The tee molding is soft to the touch and quick to install.
4) I use 2 1/2" drywall screws to assemble the cabinets. The key here is to drill a pilot hole that is nearly the same diameter as the threads of the screw and drill it the total depth of the screw. This will keep the melamine from splitting and I am amazed at the holding strength. Experiment with some scrap to get the right combination of drill and screw. I can sink a screw completely through the side without stripping the hole.
I hope this helps and good luck!

[Andrew Wayland]

Boulter is a much easier trip since they moved a year or so ago. Now they have both actual parking and a nicely accessible door to back up to to pick up your stuff. As always they are happy to load it in the truck for you. The bad part is that they are no longer next door to that wonderful Mexican/Guatemalan restaurant in their Somerville location.

Ah; when you said Medford, I just assumed it was the old location. I forgot it was Somerville.

I’ll have to check it out then!


Why not make your own prefinished ply? I take whole sheets, and using an edge painting pad do whole sheet (one side) at the time, using Varathane water based Diamond Gloss Floor finish. After first coat, sand off nibs, and second coat. Dries in about 30 minutes, so you can do multiple sheets in day. Forget about raising grain first. Turn sheet over and do other side.This stuff is tough as nails, so it doesn't scratch when machining.

I like this idea. I was looking at prefinshed first, but this may be the ticket.

[Bruce Wrenn]

To charge paint pad, I pour some varnish into a pie plate, and use it to dip pad into. When done, return excess to container, wash out pie plate and pad. The last time I bought Varathane Diamond gloss, I ordered it thru a "Do IT Best" hardware store, as I could get single gallons, while other sources needed two for shipping

[Dave Sabo]

Why not make your own prefinished ply?


because Andrew already said :

"but I’m in a time crunch to get it done quickly "

[Curt Harms]

1) I get really clean cuts if I raise the blade significantly higher than normal which seems very counter-intuitive. Not really scary since it's pretty easy to keep your hands clear when cutting large pieces.
2) Fence and blade alignment have a big effect on how clean the cut is. Unless you have a scoring saw you will have some chipping on the bottom edge. Plan carefully and try to put that edge against another cabinet or wall and flip the shelves as necessary so you can't see it. If the blade is sharp the chipping is minor.


I haven't done much melamine cutting but what I did I used a blade intended for sheet goods (triple chip grind) and made 2 passes. The first cut mostly the coating. The second pass was a through cut. These were rip cuts so relying on the fence, not a sled or something. I sort of expected a 'step' but there wasn't one, it was a clean as a single pass. Maybe I was just lucky.

[Jim Becker]

I like this idea. I was looking at prefinshed first, but this may be the ticket.

Most good sheet goods suppliers carry prefinished plywood in stock as long as you are fine with maple or birch. Some is available prefinished both sides, too, and shelving stock, prefinished both sides is commonly available in both ~12" and ~15" depths. But if you have a couple of days, doing your own pre-finishing on the species of your choice is relatively easy if you have a heated space large enough that you can roll on waterborne finish as has been suggested.

[Andrew Wayland]

Thanks all,

I guess I should have been a bit more clear on the “time crunch” portion: I have a few months left, but it’s winter here, so to try and finish anything would be a challenge (My old go-to was Arm-R-Seal, but it’s not an option for working indoors at the moment).

Water-borne likely wouldn’t carry the fumes? In that case, I could pre-finish as suggested... or even assemble the cabinets and finish in the room over some drop cloths / hardboard.

[Jim Becker]

Water-borne likely wouldn’t carry the fumes? In that case, I could pre-finish as suggested... or even assemble the cabinets and finish in the room over some drop cloths / hardboard.

Most waterborne products are low- or no-VOC and can be used indoors just like any other waterborne product...like house paint. Temperature matters, of course. And obviously, you don't want to be spraying them without proper ventilation and PPE. But for rolling/brushing on...have at it.