# Good paint grade lumber???



## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

Hello,

I am going to be building a TV table that will go right under our Flat Panel TV in the living room.

I pretty much have the design (long and narrow maybe 44 in length by 12 inches in depth and about 32 inches high with a table top and lower shelf). I am wondering what is a decent wood to use for a peice that will be painted black? The wife wants it nice and smooth like the rest of our furniture. Something like pine or poplar maybe? I can't see paying a lot of money for real nice wood that is ultimately going to be painted but I also want the finished product to look nice since it will be a focal point in the living room.

Suggestions?

Thanks,
Tom


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## Rob (Oct 31, 2006)

Tom,
Around here, poplar is cheaper than #1 pine but if it was me, I would still use something like maple as it's much harder and doesn't move as much as pine or poplar.
Though maple will be close to twice the price, it still would be my choice for the project.


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## CivilEngineer13 (Aug 29, 2008)

I get what Rob is saying, but if it were me I would make sure I have some A+ joints and go with pine or poplar. Because painted high $ wood looks the same as low $ wood.


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## ~WoodChuck~ (Jan 17, 2009)

get some cabinet grade plywood and use that where you can. Then I would do the rest in poplar. I wouldn't use pine because it is way too soft and it is not as stable as poplar. Maple will work the best but 2-3 times more expensive than the poplar.


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## AZ Termite (Dec 20, 2008)

Poplar would my choice. It is more stable than pine and poplar takes paint real well.


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## garyger (Oct 23, 2008)

My choice....Poplar...:yes:


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Tom,
I vote for the poplar also. Around here, clear pine is getting very pricey. Poplar is very nice to work with, and takes a paint with good results. You don't have to worry about sap or sticky parts messing up your finish.
Mike Hawkins


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*Birch ply with maple.*

Both are well suited for painting. Pine sometimes will telegraph the grain lines through and is also too soft as is poplar. 
If it were my choice I would be more concerned with my wife being happy and proud of the piece when company comes over than I would be about saving money. This is a one time expense and the difference in cost will not be that great.


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## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

Thanks very much to all who have replied.

I think I am leaning towards Poplar but I have a question about the birch ply though. I am new so bear with my ignorance. 

Since it's plywood, how do you use it for a table? With the solid woods you can rout a profile along the edge of a table top for example. But with plywood I wouldn't think that would look too good. I asume i would need to face the edges somehow? Same question for aprons as well. For legs I can glue up solid wood and cut to size easy enough, but I am curious how you all use plywood for the rest of the table...

Thanks,
Tom


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## AZ Termite (Dec 20, 2008)

You will just have to face it will solid wood. I usually use biscuits to attach to the plywood. I usually make the facing piece 1" or 1 1/4" wide. It will give it a lip that way. I don't know your application but you can always make it the same width as the plywood. This will allow you to rout what ever profile you want.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*Birch Plywood*

...is very flat and very slick. Great for painting or lacquering. You frame it out with a solid wood trim. I just thought it would be good for the table top and shelf.


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## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

Tony B said:


> ...is very flat and very slick. Great for painting or lacquering. You frame it out with a solid wood trim. I just thought it would be good for the table top and shelf.


Got it......

Yes we used it for some built in shelves that we did last year and they came out great. I just never considered it for making tables but I can see where it would be very nice. I haven't yet trimmed out a table top with solid wood but that sounds like a great solution. The top and shelf will be made from 3/4 stock. I assume just miter the corners and glue in place with some bisuits?

Thanks,
Tom


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## red (Sep 30, 2008)

Poplar and birch ply are great choices. Don't forget about MDF. It's strong, takes paint excellent and is affordable! Just my thoughts. Red


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## b00kemdano (Feb 10, 2009)

Alright, this is just a suggestion - please don't draw and quarter me... 

If money is a real issue, I'd buy the cheapest (but straightest) knotty pine I could find. Cut it up, put it together, then have at it with some drywall joint compound. That stuff can be sanded smooth as a baby's butt, you'd never know there was a knot. I mean, you can't see the screws holding your sheetrock on your wall, can you? :no:


















For example, I cut this cat door in a hollow core door. Glued in some cardboard about 1/4" in from the cuts and filled it with joint compound. Rasped and sanded until it was nice and smooth and, obviously, since it's in our walls, paints up nice and smooth. :icon_biggrin:

When I built my room dividers last week, the knotty pine was half the price of the heart pine which was cheaper than poplar. (Of course, this was Home Depot - lumber is probably cheaper at a lumber yard if you have one where you live) And a twelve pound bucket of joint compound is five bucks.


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## steve mackay (Oct 5, 2008)

*PAINT *wood ?


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*Glue and Brad Nails*

should be all that your need. I am not a bisquit kinda guy. It's a personal preference. Roll 'em if you got 'em. LOL



Tom5151 said:


> Got it......
> 
> Yes we used it for some built in shelves that we did last year and they came out great. I just never considered it for making tables but I can see where it would be very nice. I haven't yet trimmed out a table top with solid wood but that sounds like a great solution. The top and shelf will be made from 3/4 stock. I assume just miter the corners and glue in place with some bisuits?
> 
> ...


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## the miz (Feb 24, 2009)

Tom5151 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am going to be building a TV table that will go right under our Flat Panel TV in the living room.
> 
> ...


Tom, Birch ply is usually the best paint grade. It is the in the maple family and has almost the exact same grain. If you want a glass smooth finish I'd use MDF. Once sealed and painted you can get is as smooth and glossy as a piano. Are you spraying or rolling the paint? I recommend spaying if at all possible.

Hope this helps.

The Miz


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## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

Thanks everyonel......

Price is really not the MAIN obstacle. I just didn't want to spend more money than I needed to on something would only get painted (yes i hate it too !!!) anyway. My main concern is that it will take paint well and give a nice smooth finish. Unfortunately I don't have spray equipment so I'll be deferring to the old-fashioned method.....

I had originally thought about MDF as some of you have mentioned. I would assume only for the table top and shelf? I have never worked with it to date. Does it allow one to rout a nice edge profile? Would it be advisable to use for a leg blank? Will it hold up to a mortise and tenon joint? I would think not, but just wondered....

I think I am leaning towards one solid wood table top and shelf as opposed to the birch ply with some type of solid wood edge facing. So if I do use solid wood I am thinking my best candidate would either be maple or poplar from what I am reading. I am real curious about MDF so if any of you can shed light on that, please feel free.

Thanks again to all,
Tom


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*MDF is a cheap substitute*

MDF has it's place. I generally wont use it in furniture unless I am completely covering all four sides and the top and bottom. If you paint it, make sure you paint all surfaces. If something spills on it and the liquid finds a place where the paint chipped off, it will bloat like oatmeal. 
You definately can get nice edges with it but I wouldnt use it for legs. It's not strong enough. I believe its made from fine sawdust and glue but it is more akin to very dense cardboard. It would definately would not hold up to a mortise and tenon joint. It is primarily used as a cheap alternative to plywood. 
If you go with a solid top, maple or birch will both work fine. Make sure you get the hard maple not the soft maple.


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## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

Tony B said:


> MDF has it's place. I generally wont use it in furniture unless I am completely covering all four sides and the top and bottom. If you paint it, make sure you paint all surfaces. If something spills on it and the liquid finds a place where the paint chipped off, it will bloat like oatmeal.
> You definately can get nice edges with it but I wouldnt use it for legs. It's not strong enough. I believe its made from fine sawdust and glue but it is more akin to very dense cardboard. It would definately would not hold up to a mortise and tenon joint. It is primarily used as a cheap alternative to plywood.
> If you go with a solid top, maple or birch will both work fine. Make sure you get the hard maple not the soft maple.


Thank you sir......

That kind of confirms what i was thinking too about MDF. It likely will be either poplar or maple (hard maple)

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

Tom


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## bzbatl (Feb 10, 2009)

MDF is great for cabinets that will get abused, speaker boxes, and shelving for the garage 

I'm not sure why you're asking about MT on MDF... are you planning on mortising 3/4" plywood? Typically MDF is jointed by rabbets/dadoes or splines/biscuits like any plywood.

You just have to seal the ends using glue, then sand the ends a bit to get a nice, even edge on MDF. It paints up perfect.

Chances are, you probably already have a bunch of stuff in your house made from MDF. Check your cabinets, speaker housings if you have a home theatre, or any children's furniture (or hell, maybe even your own furniture). You probably have a few things made out of MDF in your house. Best bet is if it's made in China and feels like wood, it's veneered MDF.

3/4" MDF is a strong way to make a good painted stand. Only major drawback is the sheets are typically heavier than most plywood.


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## bzbatl (Feb 10, 2009)

Oh, and MDF will take a routed edge nicely... but it apparently really burns through bits.


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## bandman (Jan 15, 2009)

3/4" Baltic Birch would be my choice. Baltic Birch used to be only available in limited areas in 1/2" thickness and in 5'x5' sheets, but it is now readily available in 3/4", 4'x8' sheets and it is available in most Big Box stores (Mennard's, etc.) the joy of Baltic birch is the number of plys used to make up the sheets, 30% more, and that really makes it stable and sturdy. Have you ever thought about "dying" your wood black so the grain shows through? You can then apply any clear top coat you wish and make it very smooth. I find that many people can make a nice piece of furniture but when it comes to finish/painting it 
they quite often make the piece look worse....and it doesn't have to.
Investing in some good finishing equipment is not very expensive and it is something you can use on EVERYTHING you make.
Applying solid wood to the ply edges is fairly easy, just take you time.

Bandman


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