"Built-in" top surface

[Jeremy Taylor]

Hello all. I'm about to start my first "real" project that started my obsessive tool collecting early last year. Most of my shop projects (aka: practice projects) are complete and the wife is ready to see some return on our investment.

Anyway, I'm currently designing it in Sketchup and am trying to iron out some details. I'll post it in the Design Forum when complete for some input and opinions. It will be a 14' long painted wall unit that will consist of some base cabinets with bookcases on top. The center section will house a new TV (my motivation ;)) I'm trying to incorporate a small desk at one end as well for our computer. As far as a top surface, will MDF be durable enough? I had planned on laminating 1/2" pieces for a 1" thick total thickness but was concerned about it being gouged / scratched, especially when sliding around the TV. I' guessing the finish I put on would have a lot to do with that. Also, how do you deal with the seam where two pieces will meet?

Thanks for any advice / input.

Jeremy

[Bill White]

MDF is not a great top for formal living areas. OK for some shop applications.. We do a lot of tops for entertainment centers from cabinet grade ply with a solid wood edge banding. Paint grade or stain grade is your call.
Just feel that MDF is too soft.
Bill

[keith ouellette]

No matter how you seal mdf it tends to swell if you put a wet glass on it. If you have a desk portion in the living area this will happen. I'm sure money is part of the motivator but I would use either cabinet grade plywood banded in poplar. The good think about a painted finish is there is no limit to the amount of wood filler you can use and never see under the paint.

If you use 3/4" ply with a 1 or 1 and 1/4" poplar edge you can make a very nice decorative and durable edge.

[Lee Koepke]

What about plastic laminate?

You can use mdf or plywood for a substrate and an edgeband.

[Jeremy Taylor]

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen, confirmed my thoughts on MDF. I'l just go with ply and a poplar edge band. I'll use filler where the top 2 pieces meet to hide the seem annd make sure they meet over the top edge of a cabinet partition.

Lee - I thought about the laminate but was afraid of trying to match the white laminate with white paint for the rest of the unit.

Jeremy