Frameless cabinet back mat'l?

[Jay Yoder]

I am in the final stages of designing my shop cabinets and have a question for you'all. I will be building frameless cabinets using 3/4" dbl-sided melamine and wondered what would be the best choice for the back. I am designing them similar to Danny Proulx' book and he uses a full thickness back. Is this full thickness backing really necessary? It seems kinda like over kill to me. I have checked out regular face-frame cabinets and they have 1/4" thick "cardboard-like mat'l). The old cabinets even supported the center-mount drawer tracks off of this!

[Nancy Laird]

I would suspect that the only time a full-thickness back is necessary is if you are going to hang them on the wall. Our base cabinets all are backed with 1/4" d/s melamine.

By the way, Jay, a word of caution and advice. If you are using rabbet or dado joints to join your cabinets, do NOT under any circumstances use that crappy glue that's made for melamine. You'll be joining wood to wood, and the melamine glue won't hold worth anything. I know this from bitter experience - the joints in my china cabinet came unglued and the thing fell off the wall - destroying about 100 years worth of antique china, crystal, and cut glass that were family heirlooms. In any event, put a screw in the joints about every 6-8" - use drywall screws and pre-drill. You don't want your cabinets falling apart.

[frank shic]

1/4" melamine inset from back the dimension of your material (5/8 or 3/4) so you can use a scrap as a nailer.

[Jay Yoder]

Nancy, I am sorry to hear about the loss! That is a tough lesson to learn. From my understanding the glue is only for butt joints and not rabbeted or dadoed. I have been typically using 2" cabinet screws that are 8 ga every 6".

You both mention 1/4" melamine. Where is this available? The closest I can find around here is the paneling type which i think is only 1/8 I think...

[Jay Brewer]

Hi Jay, I use 3/4 backs on frameless cabinets. Maybe overkill, but the your only buying one thickness for the entire project. Around here 1/4" and 1/2' Melamine cost just as much as the 3/4".

Also without a face frame, the back is the only thing that keeps the box from racking. Hope this helps.

[frank shic]

i used 3/4" melamine in the past... man, that is HEAVY Stuff lol

[Jay Yoder]

Like I said, around here 1/4" mel must be a special order. I have always used 3/4" but i found out I can get 1/2" for $4 less. Maybe it is best to stick with the same thickness throughout. makes one material for costing only...3/4" definately would resist racking better! :)