# tall cabinet



## yogert909 (Sep 10, 2007)

Hi, I'm designing an 11 ft tall freestanding cabinet and I want to make sure that it'll support it's own weight and the contents stored inside. It'll be constructed of 3/4 inch baltic ply-wood and each vertical section will be 3 feet wide. It's probable that the ceiling will not be able to support weight, so the bottom closet units will have to support the weight of the units above.

My question is will the side and back panels support the weight without distorting?

I'm a novice cabinet builder, so any advice is appreciated...

Thanks!
adam

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/6056/closetrv6.jpg


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Welcome Adam.

It looks like from the picture that most of the top is supported by solid wood members is that true? 

If not is this a frameless carcass? 3/4" baltic birch is plenty stout enough to support the upper units if the construction method is sound but it is hard to tell from the rendering just exactly what is going on. Except that those peeps need to get dressed. :laughing:


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

I'd probably dado in any of the top/bottom/fixed shelves possible. But the Baltic should support it. What's planned fo bieng styored in the top?


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## yogert909 (Sep 10, 2007)

since it's in the bedroom, it'll be just clothes up there probably. maybe some other stuff if I have room. chances are that I'll load it pretty full though, since I'm moving to a smaller apartment downtown.

I'm still in the design phase. Those vertical supports could be solid, but right now, I'm thinking of a 2" box made of the baltic cut at 45 degree angles so it looks solid and matches the finish the rest. If I think I might have strength problems, I may change them to solid wood or even aluminum for a contrast (I'm just not sure how I'd join the metal to the wood).

regarding the dado, I'm not sure where you mean. If you're talking about the area I'm calling "the gap". these will be seprate units. the closet area under the gap will be 3 side-by-side units and the top will be a further 3-6 units. corners of each unit will be joined at a 45 degree except where it sits on the floor.

...and of course the naked couple are a crucial part of my design:yes:

Thanks:thumbsup:


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

yogert909 said:


> . . .Those vertical supports could be solid, but right now, I'm thinking of a 2" box made of the baltic cut at 45 degree angles so it looks solid and matches the finish the rest. . . . .


If you glue and join (here is where biscuits will be okay to use) this chanel from 3/4" BB you'll have a 1/2" square void inside which is fine. But making this look good with those sharp mitered ply corners, even BB, is going to mean zero room for error. 

If it were me, I would use a solid hardwood that you did not attempt to match to the cabinet itself, but coordinate it to some other design element in the room that will also compliment the cabinet. This means that the character of the supports will be way different than, or different enough that you can tell it wasn't an attempt to make a charachter match with the cab's, but still compliment it.

Just a thought I am thorwing out there I have no clue what theme or common elements the room is built around if any.


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## yogert909 (Sep 10, 2007)

Thanks TexasTimbers, I'm thinking the same thing, but I'm not sure what to make them out of, or how to finish them. I haven't moved into this place, so it's just concrete and glass, so nothing to really coordinate with. If I think of something slick, I'll definitely do that. so I'm gonna do some tests with the mitered box method or if that doesn't work, maybe some solid hardwood with birch veneer.

Unless someone can clue me to a smart way to join a square aluminum extrusion to the birch panels..?

Thanks again, 
Adam


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