Edge plywood or not?

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Brogan

New User
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I'm going to use a single piece of 6' x 2' x 3/4" plywood for the seat/lid of the shoe storage I am building.

There will be a 3"-4" lip at the back and sides and the cut out pieces will form the two lids, which will have piano hinges along the back edge.

Rough sketch ...

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It will be in an alcove so only the front edge of the top will be visible, which I plan to finish with a strip of hardwood.

However, would you also recommend finishing the edges of the cut outs of the top face and the sides of the lids with hardwood, to hide the edge of the plywood?

Or is that overkill for something which will only be seen when the lids are up?
 

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Skymaster

New User
Jack
absolutely finish all sides, it seals the edges. edge banding iron on tape, is fine. Fastcap makes peel and stick, if you dont want to bother with ironing. :gar-Bi
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
I've always used hardwood, primarily because I think it looks great, and secondly I've only just now became aware of iron on edge banding. I'll probably continue to band all edges with hardwood.
 

Brogan

New User
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If I absolutely have to then hardwood would be my preferred option.

I've used the iron on stuff in the past and in my experience, it never holds up well - especially for something which is likely to be knocked about by shoes, etc.

I was just being lazy and trying to get away with just having the cut edges of the plywood ...

Ideally I would like to glue up some lengths of hardwood and do it properly with solid wood lids, but I don't have a jointer or planer, so have to resort to this.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
From our earlier discussion months ago this is a "drop zone" for shoes, umbrellas, jackets etc. in the mudroom alcove. Correct?

I like solid hardwood edge banding but in this case maybe it's overkill for a utilitarian box that no one is gonna notice or inspect close up. If you get high quality plywood similar to baltic birch you'll have nice edges with no voids so it's not a structural or visible disaster.

http://www.hgtv.com/remodel/interior-remodel/making-sense-of-the-mudroom-drop-zone

https://www.bhg.com/decorating/storage/mudroom/mudroom/
 

Brogan

New User
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Correct.

I've just checked some of the good ply I have in the workshop and the edges are very clean with no voids.

As it's going to be painted, I suppose I could get away with it.
 

Canuck

Wayne
Corporate Member
Correct.

I've just checked some of the good ply I have in the workshop and the edges are very clean with no voids.

As it's going to be painted, I suppose I could get away with it.

If the plywood does turn out to have a few voids, I have used Durham's Rock Hard Putty as an overall skim coat over plywood edges.

Built kitchen stools for all my daughters using 3/4" plywood, skimmed all exposed edges of the ply with Durham's, sanded smooth, primed then painted and they have all held up fine with all of the abuse.

Wayne
 

Charlie

Charlie
Corporate Member
Paul,
I have a jointer and planer and would be glad to mill the hardwood for you.
 

JohnnyR

John
Corporate Member
Definitely edge band the sides, otherwise it's likely that the veneer will eventually chip off.
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
There is nothing to prevent using wood strips thicker than veneer for banding the edge. I routinely cut 3/4" strips on the table saw from 3/4" stock boards to band the edges of plywood panels. Use a good glue and it will work well.

One advantage to a thicker band on the front is that you can round it over on top to make it more comfortable to sit on. Advantage to a thicker band on the back is that it gives a better structure to screw the piano hinges to. I have found that screws too close to the edge of ply spell disaster in the long run.

As a rule, I cover all exposed edges of ply. If its going to be painted, nothing wrong with using SYP pine.

Go
 

Wyatt Co.

New User
Bill
If the plywood does turn out to have a few voids, I have used Durham's Rock Hard Putty as an overall skim coat over plywood edges.

Built kitchen stools for all my daughters using 3/4" plywood, skimmed all exposed edges of the ply with Durham's, sanded smooth, primed then painted and they have all held up fine with all of the abuse.

Wayne

+1
 

Brogan

New User
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One advantage to a thicker band on the front is that you can round it over on top to make it more comfortable to sit on. Advantage to a thicker band on the back is that it gives a better structure to screw the piano hinges to. I have found that screws too close to the edge of ply spell disaster in the long run.
I was already planning to use a strip of wood on the front for that reason, and to give it a nicer profile.

Good point on the hinge screws - I hadn't considered that.

I'll likely use poplar as it's not that much more than pine but is harder wearing.

Now that I'm going to edge band, I won't bother using a single sheet of ply - I'll also use poplar for the back and sides of the top.
It's less work than edge banding the ply there.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Paul,

You lost me on your design and dimensions in post #1 (length, width, overhangs, etc) regardless of whether or not your going to edge band the plywood. The alcove in the pics looks about 36"w x 30"d. Correct?

A few thoughts for clarification based on your first pic.

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So it's one continuous plywood lid across the top of those cutouts, maybe 3/4" thick and a piano hinge along the back edge?

brogan2.jpg


Or two separate lids with 1 piano hinge for each?

brogan1.jpg


Just curious about the design and what everything sits on below the lid(s) to support them.
 

Pop Golden

New User
Pop
If you're going to keep doing this type of work you might want invest in a set of plywood edging router set. This set has one positive and one negative "V" profiles. With more surface area these provide a edging that stays put.
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​Pop
 

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Brogan

New User
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Or two separate lids with 1 piano hinge for each?

brogan1.jpg


Just curious about the design and what everything sits on below the lid(s) to support them.
That's the one.

The lids will be approximately 30" wide and 20" deep.

There's a 2x4 across the front, clad in plywood, which the lids will overhang.

I'll post some images once it's done, which should make it all a bit clearer.

Framing is complete, so just need to get some plywood and clad it all now.
 

Brogan

New User
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Thanks Pop, I already have a matched set of tongue and groove bits, which I haven't yet used in anger, so maybe now's the time.
 
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