Expert: Jamie Yocono - 5/5/2004

Question
I want to build a bar for my house. This piece would not be a "walk behind" bar but instead a serving bar much like a dining room buffet only taller. My question is regarding the materials I should use for the project. For cost reasons I have considered using plywood as a base and then applying a veneer for finishing. I have also heard of a material called MDF (not sure if this is correct), but do not know much about it. What are your thoughts? I would also be interested in getting an estimate on your price to build. I have a drawing of my design that I can email to you so that you will have a better idea of what I am thinking. If you send me your shop email address I will forward it tonight. Thank you for your help.

Answer
Hi John,

I know the type of bar in which you are interested-freestanding, almost like a dining room buffet.  Unfortunately, I don't know the style that you wish to design it after-contemporary, traditional, country, mission, or whatever. The design style is an important factor in choosing the type of material you wish to use.

This would be my thought- MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) is a decent material, but not a great one. You can find MDF 4 x 8 sheets available covered in a variety of melamine (sort of like a plastic laminate) colors. Right now, in my woodshop, I have Hunter Green, White, and Gray sheets of MDF Melamine board. It's cheap (maybe $30 a sheet) and basically, all you have to do is cover the edges.

Better yet, they make a plywood that has melamine on one side, and wood veneer on the other. I made my entire kitchen out of it- Oak plywood with white melamine on the insides of the cabinets. It totally eliminates the need for lining your cabinet bottoms with paper. It's clean and very easy to work with. I think it runs about $60 a sheet.

I like plywood better than MDF.  MDF is not very strong, as far as spans go, so you wouldn't want to use it for shelves that are very long. But with short distances, it would be fine.

I wouldn't use plywood with veneer whatsoever. Too hard to work with and difficult, too. You're not saving anything in the long run, and it's easy to screw up. A better solution might be plywood with plastic laminate, but that's labor intensive too.  

If money is the big factor, I would construct the cabinet with this material, and then cover the edges with a 1/4" strip of solid wood. The solid wood really looks nice with the colored melamine panels, and it's easy to do, too. You could make this bar with nothing more than a Table saw for cutting, and a router table for making the dados and rabbets. Or you could do it all on the Tablesaw.

Check out Paul Levine's book- Making Kitchen Cabinets, published by Taunton Press. He goes over working with melamine stock and facing the edges extensively in this book, and it would be helpful to you.

I am relocating my woodworking shop across country and am not taking any orders right now. I probably won't be taking on anything new for 3 months or so.

My website is www.wooditis.com and you're welcome to check out my style and see if it's in line with what you're looking for. If so, click on my "design form" link and you'll be able to send me some info about the piece. My e-mail address is Wooditis@aol.com and if you want to send me a drawing, you should send it there.

I hope this helps, please feel free to write back if you have any other questions. Good luck, this is an easy project to build and you should do fine.

Jamie Yocono
www.wooditis.com
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Akron, OH (Soon to be Las Vegas)