Buying pre cut "board" on the high street?

DorsetDude

DorsetDude

Spud
Messages
7,018
Name
Keith
Edit My Images
Yes
I want to buy an MDF or plywood board 1500mm by 1250 mm. About 15mm thick.
Do Wickes/Homebase/B&Q cut a board exactly to sizes required? Or would a timber yard do it if I walked in does anyone know?
I cant cut it myself because I am absolutely useless with a saw/drill/plane/(insert any carpentry tool of choice)

Thanks.
 
Some B&Q's will do up to 4 cuts free
 
Most of the bigger DIY chains will do board cutting.
The store finder at B&Q lists if they do it.
e.g. https://www.diy.com/store/1277
You'll have to choose a thickness from stock though - MDF tends to come in 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 18mm etc.
 
Homebase here certainly do it for nowt.
Very helpful.
 
B&Poo will cut to size.
BTW watch that MDF material. Not good in a wet or damp area.
 
Those vertical board cutters can be highly accurate, but not all the operators can manage closer than +- 3mm.
 
Not all B&Q will cut board, it depends on the size of the store.
Ours rarely keeps anything DIY related (well nothing that I ever need anyway), but by God if I need a crappy BBQ they are the go to store.
 
Standard boards are only 1220mm wide, so you won't get the size you're looking for in one piece.
 
Your more likely to get what you want from a local timber merchant.
 
As comfortably numb says, you won't get it in one piece from a standard size board so you may need to go to a timber yard.
Not all have saws though.
What do you want it for, as ply and mdf are fairly different..
 
stevewestern said:
As comfortably numb says, you won't get it in one piece from a standard size board so you may need to go to a timber yard.
Not all have saws though.
What do you want it for, as ply and mdf are fairly different..
Click to expand...
Its to make a sound proofing "plug" to slot in a window recess. Going to stick some sound proofing felt/material to one face, then stick some of those egg box type sound proofing foam tiles on top of that, then jam it into a window recess. Two handles screwed to the back so I can get it out again. I have the roller blind in the window down most of the time anyway so loss of light not an issue. As its for sound proofing the "heaviest" densest material will be best but tempered by the fact I have to be able to lift it.
 
Comfortably Numb said:
Standard boards are only 1220mm wide, so you won't get the size you're looking for in one piece.
Click to expand...
Cheers, that leaves me 3cm short I think. I might be able to just have the foam tiles Im glueing on stand proud by 1.5cm top and bottom and that might be ok. Maybe some sort of draught proofing seal stuck to the edge of the board also to narrow the gap. Im tempted to try the board on its own first to see if thats enough but for that it would need to be a decent fit I think.
 
DorsetDude said:
Its to make a sound proofing "plug" to slot in a window recess. Going to stick some sound proofing felt/material to one face, then stick some of those egg box type sound proofing foam tiles on top of that, then jam it into a window recess. Two handles screwed to the back so I can get it out again. I have the roller blind in the window down most of the time anyway so loss of light not an issue. As its for sound proofing the "heaviest" densest material will be best but tempered by the fact I have to be able to lift it.
Click to expand...
MDF would be the best option then - if you get any condensation I'd go for water resistant MDF which is only a little more expensive and green-ish in colour. 18mm or even 25mm would be good. However, have you thought about secondary glazing as it is often very good at soundproofing, don't know about cost.
Another thought would be to have two layers of mdf with a decent gap between them. The gap is all important in soundproofing.
 
stevewestern said:
MDF would be the best option then - if you get any condensation I'd go for water resistant MDF which is only a little more expensive and green-ish in colour. 18mm or even 25mm would be good. However, have you thought about secondary glazing as it is often very good at soundproofing, don't know about cost.
Another thought would be to have two layers of mdf with a decent gap between them. The gap is all important in soundproofing.
Click to expand...
Cheers Steve. Trouble with secondary glazing is thats its more permanent. When my noisy t*** of a neighbour is at work or out, I could open the windows. Its just to put up when he's there and being a jerk. Longer term I think a new double glazed window entirely might work/help. untl then hoping the "plug" might do the trick.
18mm mdf I think then. Need to check on costs.
 
DorsetDude said:
Cheers Steve. Trouble with secondary glazing is thats its more permanent. When my noisy t*** of a neighbour is at work or out, I could open the windows. Its just to put up when he's there and being a jerk. Longer term I think a new double glazed window entirely might work/help. untl then hoping the "plug" might do the trick.
18mm mdf I think then. Need to check on costs.
Click to expand...
Secondary glazing can be opening and can also be easily lifted out of its frame.....
But yes, a new double glazed window would be a better permanent solution if you can't hire a hit man.
 
I'd be tempted to use a thick heavy blanket, rather then the board. You could still have your eggboxes on the other side, held in place with a simple timber frame.
This would be much easier to handle & store.
 
have you thought of using a sheet of insulation. probably as cheap as wood/mdf but will be lighter to fit in and out, with a 40mm option would give extra sound deadening
 
Popped into B&Q last night, they will cut the MDF for free (up to 15 cuts) so more than enough. I should have enough left over from my main window cut (150cm by 125cm) to also do the two smaller windows further down the lounge which have their blinds down permanently(95cm x 53cm these are, secondary glazing a viable option for these maybe).

I am going to use 12 mm rather than 18mm for the 150 x 122 as I will have job to lift 18mm of that size easily on my own. ( In the shop I tried two 61cm x 122cm panels together in 18 mm to give me an idea of weight)

The mdf , after its cut will have "rough" edges. I want to stick a self adhesive rubber sealing strip to this. Anyone know what I need to coat the rough edges with first to make sure the strip sticks really well?

Thanks
 
Hope you get on ok.

Years ago I had some stuff cut at B&Q and it was spot on, I didn't need to do any finishing on it at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top