Is this cabinet strong enough to be used as a window bench?

[Vancity Boy]

Hi. I am making a DIY window bench and came across the following cabinet from Home depot. I am going to lay 2 of them sideways and attach them together to make it 98" wide. My question: This is made of particle board. Is it going to support the weight of people sitting on it? Also...this is a Euro style frameless cabinet, which is supposed to be stronger than framed. Will that make a big difference. I know that using plywood is best, but this is just the perfect size and i really hope it works. Here is the link, thanks in advance:

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/wall...8-white/935406 EARN CASH BACK

[Mars2012]

Are you putting a shelf on the top of the two units for the seating? That would work. Whether it is sturdy enough depends on how well you put the units together. If they are done properly, they should hold.

[Vancity Boy]

I am basically just laying them down and using the cubby holes for storage boxes, and dvds etc.... I just hope that it can support people sitting on it.

[Vancity Boy]

Just to get a mental picture: When you look at the picture in the link,. Just rotate the shelf clockwise to lay it down on its side. That's how it will be placed.. And I will place 2 of them next to each other to make the bench longer. (so from the front., there will be 8 cubby holes

[hitman_24]

By the pic it looks like the sleeves aren't fixed.
You would have to permanently affix the shelves, and it might hold 1 person.
This is probably particle board so I wouldn't recommend it be used as a bench unless you beefed it up

[thatguyxx]

Agreee with hitman_24. Just brainstorming how you would make this work. 1) Attached the floating shelves permanently - predrill your holes! 2) add supports with 2x4's at each end, in between the two units and behind to the floor 3) add plywood to the top for sitting 4) trim to cover support and paint as neccesary.

In addition, if your adding doors to the front of the unit you will have to raise it off the floor so the doors don't scape.

Just a thought????

[Capt.]

Of course there's no guarantee but I think it would work. Melamine particle board isn't known for its strength but you're working with a 3/4" thick board with supports about 12" apart so that's not bad. You would even have a double joist where the two cabinets join together. I'm not sure what the back wall is but that could make a difference in the overall strength and ridigity.

So melamine isn't the ideal candidate but it could do the job. Really it depends on how much weight you want to put on them. If it's just for kids and fairly small people you shouldn't have a problem. If you and/or your family are big then I'd recommend going another direction. Melamine can also sag so be aware that's a possibility. But again with the supports 12" apart I don't think this will be a big problem.

[Offspring22]

The back is most likely just a flimsy cardboard/hardboard. I'd replace that with some melamine as well mostly to give it some lateral strength. Secure the shelves in place with some MDF screws and I'm sure you'd be fine.

[manmanny]

hi. I am making a diy window bench and came across the following cabinet from home depot. I am going to lay 2 of them sideways and attach them together to make it 98" wide. My question: This is made of particle board. Is it going to support the weight of people sitting on it? also...this is a euro style frameless cabinet, which is supposed to be stronger than framed. Will that make a big difference. I know that using plywood is best, but this is just the perfect size and i really hope it works. Here is the link, thanks in advance:

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/wall...8-white/935406

no.

[Capt.]

To test out the theory I sat on a very similar shelf at rona and it held me fine. No noticeable give and I weigh about 240. Even had my wife sit down and it was all good. I wouldn't want to bounce up and down on it or anything though.

Another idea is to keep an eye on kijiji, there's all kinds of solid wood bookshelves for sale and they would probably be a much stronger option.

[onlineharvest]

Are the shelves going to fit INTO a slot of some kind, or free. What I mean is, will the shelves be recessed into the wall? If not, while it may be strong enough to hold you up, the stability will be compromised with repeated use (and if any of those supporting board crack, not good anymore) - also not good if the unit shift (warps) and you lose structural integrity.

If they are recessed, that will help.

I did some work similar to this, but with a laundry counter-top/folding station. I got 4 cabinets, put them together in a box, and had a custom table top placed on top. Worked well, but I hated working with the particle board. It was very brittle, had to use bolts with nuts, etc.

Now, there are other cabinets similar to this that are made with plywood and not that much more expensive (try Lowes). That is the ideal, because it would be an easier material to work with, reinforce, etc.

[gheart008]

To test out the theory I sat on a very similar shelf at rona and it held me fine. No noticeable give and I weigh about 240. Even had my wife sit down and it was all good. I wouldn't want to bounce up and down on it or anything though.

Another idea is to keep an eye on kijiji, there's all kinds of solid wood bookshelves for sale and they would probably be a much stronger option.

But the unit that the OP is getting was designed to be standing up, and he wants to lay it flat so not really using it for it's original intension in terms of orientation. The one you posted was meant to be laid down so probably was designed slightly differently to account for that.

[joejack]

I am trying to build something very similar to what you are trying to buy.

Based on the picture from HD, it's seem that the middle shelfs are adjustable and only the top and bottom are fastened to the sides. I assume/imagin that's being done using 8 screws (4, bottom and 4, top on each side). In my opinion this will not be very stong for people to sit on.

My unit has every shelf (vertial and horizantal) screwed in using pocket hole screws. It has just about 100 screws in it and I Don't think I feel it is stong enough for people to sit on.

[totheh8ters]

no.

+1