How to build a curved rangehood cover?

Jcroberts001

Wanting to create a rangehood cover as per the pics below.

• 7mm Plywood for the base and top. Cut to size with curved edging.
• 90mm x 35mm framing pine for the pieces int he middle, attached to the top and base with screws. Following the curved edging.
• 3mm Plywood for the outer shell. Would love to use bendy ply but bunnings dont stock.

Any suggestions or tips?

JacobZ

Hi @Jcroberts001,

Your plan seems pretty reasonable, but there are a couple of things I would consider.

I would consider using a thicker plywood, in the region of 12-15mm for the top and bottom plate. There's no definitive standard that I am aware of and you might be alright, but 7mm just sounds too thin to me. If you're going to the effort of building this, I'd use a thicker material just to be safe. It will give the studs something much stronger to anchor to, which will help keep things nice and rigid. When cutting the top and bottom plates, I'd suggest sistering them by screwing or solidly clamping them together and then cutting them with a jigsaw. This will ensure they are both cut to the exact same radius and size, which will ensure the studs are perfectly square to the top and bottom plates.

The next thing to consider is how you are going to anchor it to the wall and potentially the ceiling. Something like this will have a fair bit of weight to it, so anchoring to studs and ceiling joists is a must. Before building, I'd say it is a must that you map out the location of the framing to ensure you can solidly anchor it in place. This could mean adding a solid back to the frame or adjusting the location of the frame to suit.

The other thing I would look into is using flexible plasterboard ( https://www.bunnings.com.au/gyprock-csr-3600-x-1200-x-6-5mm-flexible-plasterboard-re_p0210901_ ) instead of plywood. While it is not kept in stock, you could certainly put an order in through the Special Orders or Trade teams at your local store. As long as the radius of the curve is less than 250mm, then flexible plasterboard is an option that is much easier to finish and achieve a beautiful smooth look like in your inspiration image.

I'm very excited to see this one come to life, so please don't hesitate to reach out if you have further questions or would like further assistance.

Allow me to tag @Nailbag, @Dave-1 and @OurPretty_LittleHome to see what they think.

Jacob