Best type of material for a 6x4 board? TABLE BUILT!

[Gibby]

Hi chaps.

So I have made room at last in the geek room to be able to set up a 6x4 board. I have two identical desks now against one wall, and they will act as support pillars to rest the board on. They are only 1.5 x 2.8 and with one at each end, should support a board enough provided no one leaned on the table too hard

Anyway, I assume some kind of MDF will be the key, and I know B&Q will cut it to size for me, but does anyone have any better ideas? I suppose something weighty will be best given my support mechanism, and it has a big wall to lean up against when not in use. Thanks for any help in advance

[capt.carson]

Since I work for Block and Quayle I'd recommend no thicker than 12mm. A full board of 18mm is a younger man's game.

[Mitch K]

9mm MDF works well enough for me. I got B&Q to cut a sheet into four 4'x2' sections. I'm toying with the idea of putting piano hinges along three pieces, to keep it as one piece but easy to fold and carry.

[Momotaro]

I sense a plan forming David... look forward to seeing what you come up with!

[Eric the Shed]

Depends on how much weight you are going to put on the table....

Personally I would go with either 12mm mdf or 12mm ply

If you want a light top you'll go for 6mm mdf but you would need to strengthen with battens

Good luck

[Glitzer]

I would not use MDF without a supporting frame. It's going to get bended during the time you lean it to the wall.

[Gibby]

Hmm, the bendiness is something I would like to avoid. I suppose nailing on some support struts will be an inevitability, unless any other material is a bit sturdier.

[FramFramson]

I would not use MDF without a supporting frame. It's going to get bended during the time you lean it to the wall.

This. MDF can be quite susceptible to bending.

[Glitzer]

How about Oriented Strand Board (OSB) ? I'd still use a supportive frame, but they should be much more stable (and less heavy)

[Dewbakuk]

I'd batten it. As others have said, MDF picks up bends from leaning against a wall, I can definitely confirm this 

If you batten it then 9mm will be fine. If you don't want to batten then 9-12mm Ply is a bit more robust but I'd still recommend storing it on it's 6' edge.

[Glitzer]

Ah, batten is the technical term for those frames. Now say you don't ever learn something usefull from gaming again 

[Gibby]

It shall be leaned up using its 6' edge for sure. Thanks for the advice, chaps. How intensely will it require strengthening? A full on frame, or just three or four strips of wood going across at various intervals?

[cacofold]

I suggest hollow core, flush style interior doors. They don't bend or warp, can hold a lot of weight, and are still light enough to pick up and move. They're cheap too.

[FramFramson]

I suggest hollow core, flush style interior doors. They don't bend or warp, can hold a lot of weight, and are still light enough to pick up and move. They're cheap too.

Now there's an idea!

[Eric the Shed]

Doors are a great shout...even read somewhere that somebody even cut in their rivers.