Advice Needed: Custom built-ins

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bkc6j

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I am doing a big basement remodel project and have a really good area for my display. I am really leaning towards doing something custom and built in. Think it will fit the style of my basement better, and thinking that the real wood construction might be better for some of my heavier pieces (things like Halimaw King Hulk, P1 Batman, etc.) I will be displaying mostly 1/4 and 1/3 scale pieces.

However, I haven't had much luck finding good advice on the forums as most of the conversation revolves around the IKEA stuff.

I've got about 21' linear feet in an L shape, and am leaning towards having a door on the bottom third for storage and glass doors on top two shelves. Total ceiling height is like 8' but don't want to go all the way to ceiling as hard to see pieces. Other option would be to use all glass that can be locked (would like to have it be more infant proof).

If anyone has done this before, advice would be appreciated. Particularly I am trying to decide how many shelves and what heights, widths, etc. And even for those of you that have used a lot of Ikea shelves, are there dimensions that you don't like and wish could be different?

I'm also trying to decide on color (white or black) of the cabinets and lighting (LEDs in each cube?).
 
I am custom building my display right now and I am expecting it in the next two weeks, I will give you whatever tips I gathered in the last 1.5 year of researching.
My display will be 6 meter wide + 1meter from each side = 8 horizontal meters (it will go around the corners for 1 extra meter ( [ <<like this shape), 2.2 meter height.

- The whole 40cm bottom will be drawers because as you said you want your collectibles to be visible, and nobody will lay down on the ground to see the bottom pieces.
I Will use the drawers to store the figures accessories, collectibles cleaning tools, extra stands.. etc.
- The most important thing for me was the finishing quality "Paint" so I went back and forth with the carpenter until I decided to use top quality MDF (4cm thick), the painted MDF gives a cleaner look than the natural wood, unless you killed your natural wood with layers and layers of paint.. so what's the point of the extra wood and paint cost if you want to do so?, and such thickness will make the display look much classier than the regular 2cm shelves and will allow me to wire the LED lights from inside the shelf "the wire will go up from the end of the LED strip and go inside the shelf".
- I am using LED strips (Natural white color) it gives a museum like lighting, it's not white and not yellow, look for 4000K to 4500K.
https://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m590/indeedstore01/K01.jpg
- I am using LED strips diffuser channel so I can hide the strips inside the shelf, and it makes the light much more "diffused" XD, the carpenter will dig inside each shelf and screw the channels.
https://www.ledspace.co.uk/image/cache/catalog/channels/installs/ALU02-800x800.jpg
- With this much of LED strip you will definitely end up with more than one power supply, I don't recommend that you hang them behind the display because if in future you needed to change the power supply or one of the strips it will be a torture to remove the display for that, I will open a hole in the back of one of the drawers and screw the power supplies inside it.
- Don't connect all the LED strips to one power supply, usually the larger power supplies are very noisy "like an old PC", "listen" to the power supply before you buy it.
- I am going with the white color, personally I feel it make the details pop more and it give you a feel of the space.. I don't know.. just a personal preference.
- Regarding the dimensions, always plan for the future, you know your collection better than anyone, will you add some life sizes? some 1/6? keep that in mind, but DON'T FORGET TO KEEP SOME EXTRA HEIGHT SO THE LIGHTING CAN SHED BETTER ON THE PIECES, the light gives a bad effect when it just a few cm away from the top of the piece "personal preference".
- I don't like a "one height display" I like to mix different shelves heights together, so the concept I had for my display was "Mirrored from the middle".

Looking forward to see your display.
 
Maybe speak to a joiner?

I had to look it up, but I think a Joiner is a Carpenter for us. :) Yeah, I know a carpenter can do whatever is needed, but I am more trying to figure out the best dimensions for the various shelves in terms of what would be best for a collector to display the statues.
 
I am custom building my display right now and I am expecting it in the next two weeks, I will give you whatever tips I gathered in the last 1.5 year of researching.
My display will be 6 meter wide + 1meter from each side = 8 horizontal meters (it will go around the corners for 1 extra meter ( [ <<like this shape), 2.2 meter height.

....

Looking forward to see your display.

Thanks for the message and all the info and thoughts. This is very helpful. Sounds like yours will be up before I can get mine started so I am really looking forward to seeing pictures.

Interesting on the MDF. For some reason, I had it in my mind that real wood would be stronger for holding up the really heavy statues (I have a few 1/3 scale Prime 1s coming as well as the huge Halimaw King Hulk on Throne). But I hadn't really considered 4" MDF. I guess it is pretty strong, huh? Have you found any good research on strength of the various options?
 
I am custom building my display right now and I am expecting it in the next two weeks, I will give you whatever tips I gathered in the last 1.5 year of researching.
My display will be 6 meter wide + 1meter from each side = 8 horizontal meters (it will go around the corners for 1 extra meter ( [ <<like this shape), 2.2 meter height.

- The whole 40cm bottom will be drawers because as you said you want your collectibles to be visible, and nobody will lay down on the ground to see the bottom pieces.
I Will use the drawers to store the figures accessories, collectibles cleaning tools, extra stands.. etc.
- The most important thing for me was the finishing quality "Paint" so I went back and forth with the carpenter until I decided to use top quality MDF (4cm thick), the painted MDF gives a cleaner look than the natural wood, unless you killed your natural wood with layers and layers of paint.. so what's the point of the extra wood and paint cost if you want to do so?, and such thickness will make the display look much classier than the regular 2cm shelves and will allow me to wire the LED lights from inside the shelf "the wire will go up from the end of the LED strip and go inside the shelf".
- I am using LED strips (Natural white color) it gives a museum like lighting, it's not white and not yellow, look for 4000K to 4500K.
https://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m590/indeedstore01/K01.jpg
- I am using LED strips diffuser channel so I can hide the strips inside the shelf, and it makes the light much more "diffused" XD, the carpenter will dig inside each shelf and screw the channels.
https://www.ledspace.co.uk/image/cache/catalog/channels/installs/ALU02-800x800.jpg
- With this much of LED strip you will definitely end up with more than one power supply, I don't recommend that you hang them behind the display because if in future you needed to change the power supply or one of the strips it will be a torture to remove the display for that, I will open a hole in the back of one of the drawers and screw the power supplies inside it.
- Don't connect all the LED strips to one power supply, usually the larger power supplies are very noisy "like an old PC", "listen" to the power supply before you buy it.
- I am going with the white color, personally I feel it make the details pop more and it give you a feel of the space.. I don't know.. just a personal preference.
- Regarding the dimensions, always plan for the future, you know your collection better than anyone, will you add some life sizes? some 1/6? keep that in mind, but DON'T FORGET TO KEEP SOME EXTRA HEIGHT SO THE LIGHTING CAN SHED BETTER ON THE PIECES, the light gives a bad effect when it just a few cm away from the top of the piece "personal preference".
- I don't like a "one height display" I like to mix different shelves heights together, so the concept I had for my display was "Mirrored from the middle".

Looking forward to see your display.

Would love to see this display once you have it together.
 
Check this website, it can calculate the sagging that can happen to any kind of material based on weight, dimensions.. etc.
https://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/

I am mostly a 1/6 collector with a few large exceptions here and there but I told the carpenter that I will put around 50 KG on each shelf -I exaggerated just to be safe- so he can do his calculations and plan the supporting material accordingly (How to spread wall brackets? do we need to add a few solid wood or metal dividers here and there? etc.).
My agreement with the carpenter is (10 Years full warranty or don't do this project) and he gave me 50 years IN WRITING only in one condition I don't move the display from it's place, anyway it's custom built for that specific wall and it's fixed to the wall.. so I accepted his condition, if I got 10 years out of this display without any problems I am %100 satisfied.
 
I am definitely going to start a "Show your display" thread as soon as I get it, I will keep you posted.
 
I had to look it up, but I think a Joiner is a Carpenter for us. :) Yeah, I know a carpenter can do whatever is needed, but I am more trying to figure out the best dimensions for the various shelves in terms of what would be best for a collector to display the statues.

Yeah a carpenter :lol
 
As I promised, here is a few photos of my custom built display, still a LONG way to go to finish organizing and displaying my collection.
Opinions?

unnamed.jpg
555.jpg
444.jpg
 
Moving next month and already measured out a corner to build a display for all my iron man armors. Just finished the design this morning. Cables for the LEDs will run behind the panels and can be accessed if need be.
68c136926790953301a5ca3cc12c89a3.jpg
 
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