Source for 1/16" drawer bottom....

[Chris Harry]

Had to make a repair to one of the drawers of our nightstands. The drawer bottom is only 1/16" thick so naturally it cracked when I tried to remove the staples to get it out of the drawer.

HD didnt have anything that thin. Anyone know a source of something that thin? Best I could find was 1/8" hardboard, but Im not sure the slot in the drawer front and sides is large enough (I measured the thickness of the existing door bottom, not the slot)

Thanks.

-Chris

[Frank Drew]

Chris,

I've used veneer thicker than that.

I think your best bet would be to either remake the drawer, with grooves for a thicker bottom, or find a way to fit a thicker bottom in to that drawer -- enlarge the grooves, or rabbet a new, thicker panel so that it fits in the existing grooves).

[Chris Harry]

Chris,

I've used veneer thicker than that.

I think your best bet would be to either remake the drawer, with grooves for a thicker bottom, or find a way to fit a thicker bottom in to that drawer -- enlarge the grooves, or rabbet a new, thicker panel so that it fits in the existing grooves).

Yeah thats what I was afraid of. I put the drawer back together, which was probably dumb (shoulda just sent it thru the table saw with a full kerf blade to get at least 1/8" out of the groove). I *think* the groove is large enough for the 1/8" material, or its really really close. Ill check it tonight.

[Michael McCoy]

I think I would go with making the slot bigger. This is a case where I really enjoy the box slotting bits from Lee Valley.

[Dell Littlefield]

Isn't a luan door skin about 1/16? I bought one in Lowes a couple of years ago and I think that was about the thickness.

[Julian Nicks]

You can get 1/16 aircraft grade plywood. Here's a link to the place I get mine.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/wppages/finnishbirch.php

[Richard M. Wolfe]

The suggestion of getting a door skin sounds good. Those things are tough.....and pretty cheap, compared to other materials. Even if it's a little thick you could sand the edges on the bottom where it woudn't show.

[Raymond Gerdes]

When I need thin plywood I ususally use doorskin. Not to expensive and often surplus stores have it. Ck w/local Habitat for Humanity store

Ray Gerdes in beautiful Texas

[Robert LaPlaca]

Might want to consider using thicker plywood and rabbit the edge where it fits into the dado in the drawer to 1/16" thickness..

[Tom Veatch]

...HD didnt have anything that thin. Anyone know a source of something that thin? ,,,

Last time I needed anything that thin was for drawer bottoms in a small jewelery case. Got it at a local model airplane hobby shop.

[Lee Schierer]

Many craft stores sell thin plywoods. I'm not sure they would have a piece big enough for a night stand drawer.

[george wilson]

I think Woodcraft sells aircraft plywood.But,that is way too thin.If possible,make the grooves thicker,or at least get some thicker stuff,and taper down the edges to go into the slots.

[john bateman]

Rabbet the edges of some thicker, sturdier, plywood, until they fit the slots in the drawer.

[Chris Harry]

Thanks for all the replies.

In the end, I was wandering around Lowes and found what I needed: they sell it with their unfinished kitchen cabinets.......its called "end panel" for the cabinets (and oh my, would I never want to use 1/16" wood as an "end panel" in my kitchen).

Worked for what I needed and wasnt *too* expensive.