Drawer side sizing

[Anthony Whitesell]

Now that I have my router table up and running, I need to get making drawers. What sizes drawers sides do you typically use?

[Lee Schierer]

I use 1/2" poplar for 95% of the drawers I make, the only exception would be the heavy duty drawers in my shop that were designed to be large and hold lots of weight.

[Ted Shrader]

I use 1/2" poplar for 95% of the drawers I make, the only exception would be the heavy duty drawers in my shop that were designed to be large and hold lots of weight.Yep. What Lee said.

Shop drawers get Baltic Birch plywood (or a clone). The edges look good when rounded off and finished.

Regards,
Ted

[glenn bradley]

I checked 1/2" because I think you are asking about size "in general". Almost all my shop drawers are 1/2" BB ply. Furniture drawers are scaled to the piece; wall cabinet = 3/8", Night stands = 5/8", dresser (planned) = 1/2", etc. Oak, ash, poplar, maple or whatever gets me the 'look' I'm after ;-)

[Geoff Potter]

When using 1/2" poplar do you plane 4/4 stock, resaw it or do you have a source for this material?

[frank shic]

geoff, i plane it down and flip the faces to try to avoid any later warping that you may get if you just resawed the wood.

[glenn bradley]

When using 1/2" poplar do you plane 4/4 stock, resaw it or do you have a source for this material?

My yard has poplar and other woods in 1/2" but it is not of the quality I prefer to use. I buy double-plus the size I need and resaw.

[Steve Clardy]

My standard is 1/2", unless I build a drawer for pots and pans. Then I will use 3/4"

[Chris Rosenberger]

I make my drawers from 5/8" poplar.
I buy 6/4 lumber & resaw it.

[Peter Quinn]

I voted for 1/2" as it seems the most natural balance between strength and delicacy and winds up the choice for 90% of what I do. I have made thinner for small drawers but never thicker. If a drawer is large enough to require thicker material I start looking for a way to design smaller drawers personally.