Thread: Cabinet top help

Hi all,

Been dithering over a silly detail with the top of a filing cabinet I'm making - can't decide which way to go - would appreciate some help.

As you can see by the pictures I've got a cabinet top sitting on the outside walls. The top is made up of 2 bits, a bottom support and a thinner top layer. The support is 12mm plain mdf and the top is 4mm tassie oak veneered ply. The top is framed by a rebated strip of vic ash, total dimensions 48 x 19mm. The last bit is some cove moulding.

Now a bit of basic maths reveals that the strip is 19mm high and the 2 top bits together only 16mm. My original specs were to leave 7mm at the top of the strip. Pics are not quite to scale, but in A, the strip is rebated by 12mm, so there is 7mm left - with the 4mm ply I'm left with 3mm to machine off the 12mm mdf. In B, I rebate 15mm off the strip, leaving 4mm to match the ply top.

I figure if I use B, then the whole thing is neater and I don't have to mess with the 12mm mdf, but the 4mm part left on the outside strip seems a little thin - might cause problems later (or during assembly).

If I use A, then the strip is stronger with the 7mm part, but the 12mm mdf has 3mm shaved off - this might weaken the mdf (I gather the outer parts of the mdf are the strongest, like the older particle boards) and might create a weak spot that might fail if someone puts something heavy on the top, or sits on it.

As I'm typing this, I find myself leaning toward B as the top seems to be stronger overall. But I'm still unsure. Any takers?

Cheers,
Adam