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Hi folks,

I'm looking to make a 6 x 4' board that'll lie atop an existing dining table. It'll be broken down into 3 4 x 2' sections, with some 1 x 1" battens underneath to hold it snugly in place.

My questions are: what's the best material to use, and how thick should it be?

Looking through previous topics, there seems to be a split between decent quality plywood or MDF. Which would be better?

Also, what thickness? Would 1/4" be too flimsy? It won't really be taking too much load, as there shouldn't be too much of an overhang from the existing table.

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

To reduce weight you may want to use the 1/4" MDF but build a frame under the boards for extra strength. Plywood would be stronger but may be too heavy to move around and there is the problems with splinters.

I got a 8 x 4 1/2 inch mdf board from B&Q for about £16 and they cut it into two 4x3 and a 4x2 in the shop for free, and I just stick it behind the wardrobe when not in use, and if you wanted you could get them to cut the 4x2 into 2x1 strips to act as your stiffeners?

Thanks both - looks like it's MDF.

To the B&Q cave!

Plywood is lighter than MDF, and if you prepare the wood properly (by sanding down the edges and priming) you shouldn't have any splintering. My boards are about 10mm thick, and that's plenty.

Having said that, plywood is more expensive, at least comparing equivalent sizes on the B&Q website.