14
Pro tip: I switched from a 3/4 inch plywood box to a 1/2 inch with a solid wood face frame for my casework.
For years, I built everything with 3/4 inch ply, thinking it was the only way to get a solid feel. About two years ago, a job in Tacoma needed lighter weight cabinets for a floating wall, so I tried 1/2 inch ply for the box and added a 3/4 inch maple face frame. It cut my material cost by almost 20 percent and the weight by a third, with no loss in strength once assembled. The glue and pocket screws on the face frame make it rock solid. I haven't gone back for standard upper cabinets since. Does anyone else use this method, or do you stick with the thicker material all around?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
lily571d ago
Funny how we get stuck on the "right" way to do things. It's like the thicker plywood became a rule nobody wrote down. You see it everywhere, from kitchen tools to software. People use the heavy, overbuilt option because it feels safe, not because it's needed. Your post is a good reminder to actually test the assumptions.
3
cameronp471d ago
Oh man, this hits home. I was helping my dad build a simple shelf last month and he insisted on using these massive brackets, like the kind you'd hang a porch swing from. I kept saying a small L bracket would be fine, but he wouldn't budge. It's totally that safety feeling you're talking about. The shelf looks ridiculous now, but hey, it's not going anywhere.
6