How to work out how much melamine to buy for my project?

[Waters]

Hi all, I am considering trying to build a wardrobe out of 16mm melamine.I would like my wardrobe to be 2000x1790x595mm. How do I calculate how much melamine to purchase?

[Jason]

Hi @Waters,

A very warm welcome to Workshop. We hope you find plenty of information and inspiration here on the site. 

This sounds like a great project. I'm sure community members will be happy to assist. Perhaps some of our community members who do a lot of woodworking and other projects like @darylhewston, @ProjectPete, @She_Skills, @Wayne, @Brad or @AndrewJones will be able to help with calculations. 

Jason

[Johnnynl]

This raises so many questions, but simply, we know its 1800mm high, so add the depth x 2 sides and width of wardrobe, 595 + 595 + 2000 = 3.190m total width, so divide 3.190 by the width sheets you want would be around 5.2 sheets of 1800mm x 600mm sheets. This assumes you are using the existing wall as the rear.

But, there are a stack of questions about design, are you building this free standing, or is it against a wall, or fixed between two walls, how are you dealing with doors, sliding, overlapping front, All of the above will determine exactly how many sheets you need, 

As melamine sheets come in preset widths I would design according to whats available, ie if you make it 600mm deep then a couple of 1800x600 will do that nicely without you having to cut. Again for front work out how many doors, how wide, remembering if you slide them to allow for overlap, and that just leaves the probably 3 front panelsto fill in between doors. 

If ypu have a drawing / plan, post it 👍 And ofcourse you may need to think about a small frame inside as well 

[darylhewston]

@Waters

As @Johnnynl said, there are a number of variables to be considered.  Can you answer the following:

Doors, sliding, pivot/swing or none at all?

Do you intend installing a kick panel?

How many shelves do you need?

Being quite wide, do you intend installing interior supports?  Or maybe build 2 seperate units and tie together so they can be moved at a later date.

Is it freestanding or built in?

Do you want adjustable shelving?

Of note, panels come in precut lengths so maybe consider this for sizing

Most come in the following sizes:

2400 x 1200

2400 x 900

1800 x 900

1800 x 600

1800 x 450

1200 x 900

1200 x 600

1200 x 450

1200 x 300

and the list goes on.

Sounds like a fun project.  I enjoyed making my parents wardrobe quite a few years ago.

Cheers

Daryl

[Jason]

Hi @Waters,

As per the very helpful replies from @darylhewston and @Johnnynl, if you could provide some more information about your plans I'm sure the Workshop community would be more than happy to assist. 

Thanks,

Jason

[Wayne]

Dare I be the one to mention it, "measure twice, cut once". Also of consideration will be how you intend to cut it, as saw cuts can chip out melamine easily, it may well be worthwhile drawing up your plan carefully and getting it all precut to size.