melamine-faced chipboard or mdf

[Stephen]

Hello,

I am looking to box around a boiler. I was going to use melamine faced chipboard, though I have read here of melamine faced mdf. No-one locally has heard of the latter!

Regarding the chipboard variety, I need something 3' wide. Unfortunately the "sheds" only sell up to 2'. I have asked the local timber merchants: one does not do it at all and the other only goes up to 2'.

Help! Where can I get it from or what do you recommend I do as an alternative?

I have read here about people joining chipboard with those "white blocks". Will that be sufficient? The blocks don't look very big to me, or is it better to put a frame or some form of support underneath?

Thanks.

[Tim S]

Stephen coughed up some electrons that declared:

Conti board?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Easy enough to get large sheets of melamine faced board - 6 x 4' is a common size. Try a better timber merchant.

[YAPH]

I know it's now what you're asking but please check the boiler's ventilation requirements before you do this.

In particular, if it's a conventional-flued boiler (chimney going vertically out of the top) and you fully enclose the boiler you could cause the boiler to produce carbon monoxide and kill you, or your family.

[Stephen]

Don't worry it is a balanced flue but since so many "banter" sites seem to archive this group and pass it off as their own, it is an important point for anyone reading these posts to consider before they do the same in their home.

The old boiler had a conventional flue and was boxed but did have an air brick behind and vents in the boxing. The new boiler could be left visible but all the valves and pumps are at the side and they could do with being hidden. I'm also nervous about anything falling onto the capillary (oil fired boiler) and cutting off the fire valve, so it would be nice to have that enclosed too.

It would be useful to have something across the top to act as a "shelf" as extra space is always welcome in a kitchen. Despite being a new boiler, the top is quite scratched. I did wonder whether a tin of enamel paint as used for radiators would bring it back to life?

Thanks.

[Stephen]

[Dave Plowman (News)]

What finish did you want? This sort of stuff is sometimes called furniture board and comes in a variety of finishes. But you'd probably have to get it delivered.

[Stephen]

I found a better merchant and he can get some of the chipboard variety in an oak finish, thanks.