Prefinished ply choice recomendation or thoughts

[ADAM GROSS]

I'm thinking of building some kitchen cabinets and am going to use prefinished ply. I have a good lumber source by me selling prefinished maple for almost $100. I see Menards sells the brand "Tigerply" in oak and birch for around $50. anybody ever use the tigerply brand? At half the price sounds good but I don't know about the quality of it. I know the maple will be of good quality but if I could use the tigerply and save money that would be great. Color is not that important. All the ply will be used for the cases so won't be seen normally. Any thoughts or comments would be apprieciated. Thanks.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Ask country of origin on "Tiger Ply." With a name like that, I would rather buy the good stuff. You can always buy plain birch from HD (less than $50), which is made by Columbia Forrest Products, and then do a wipe on of Varathane Diamond Floor Finish (from Lowes.) Because it's water based, you use a lambs wool applicator. Put first coat on, wait about 30 minutes, sand lightly for raised grain, and then second coat. I prefer to do whole sheets prior to breakdown.

[Sam Murdoch]

I buy Columbia prefinished maple - the 2 sided prefin sells for about $80.00 and the 1 sided sells for about $ 75.00 depending on how many sheets in increments of 10 you buy. This is an excellent product. I have tried substitutes and have been unhappy - mostly with the quality of the face veneers. Not all prefin is created equal. Go look at the Tiger brand, maybe even buy a sheet and see if it is up to your expectations. At that price you can do no worse than have 1 sheet for shop table tops if it isn't up to your preferences.

[scott vroom]

Have you looked into C2 grade maple at your local hardwood supplier? I live in one of the most expensive regions of the country and pay only $48 for Columbia C-2 grade pre-finished 3/4" 4x8 maple ply, about half of what I'd have to pay for A-1. I find that the Columbia C-2 differs little from A-1 and is more than adequate for kitchen cabs....I've never had a complaint and it saves a LOT of money. If you prefer A-1, then my suggestion would be to use it for uppers and use D-2 for the bases.


My local suppliers carry both Murphy's (crap quality) and Columbia (excellent quality).

[David Wong]

I live in one of the most expensive regions of the country and pay only $48 for Columbia C-2 grade pre-finished 3/4" 4x8 maple ply
Hi Scott, Where in the bay area do you get your sheet goods? -Thanks, David

[William C Rogers]

Hi Scott

I am also building cabinets for a new house. I am starting with the laundry room and I bought two sheets of the Menards pre fin birch. I am guessing it comes from China. I haven't found any other pre fin here so thought I would try it. I am using it for the interior bottoms and shelves. I use Maple for the exterior as I am staining it. The pre fin seems to be fine to me. For the price it will reduce the amount of finishing. I haven't noticed and voids or problems cutting. I am doing tongue and groove it is no different from the maple. I did look up the finish before I used it and was satisfied it would hold up. As I have only used two sheets, I will be interested to see other post here.

Bill

[Rich Engelhardt]

You can always buy plain birch from HD (less than $50), which is made by Columbia Forrest Products,
Make that $79.00 from Home Depot...
That's what it's priced at in my area.
That's for plain unfinished Birch.
Plain unfinished Red Oak is priced the same - $79.00 for a 4x8 sheet of 3/4".

I thought it was a mistake - but - it's been that way for some months now.
When HD "introduced" it a year/year and a half ago, the had it priced on sale for $30-something a sheet.
After that, it went up to ~ $50, then jumped to $79.

Pity - it looks like decent material & if the local HD stores weren't gouging people so bad, I'd have used it in a heartbeat instead of driving past no less than 4 HD stores on my way to Menards to pick up some Tigerply.

[Peter Kelly]

Tigerply is that Chinese garbage that delaminates as you cut it. Bought a few sheets of it once when I was in a pinch. Never again.

[Jefferey Scott]

For my kitchen project, I've been buying a domestic maple pre-finished ply from States Industries for $59.00 a sheet finished both sides. It's really good stuff, has a decently thick veneer on it. From the looks of this thread, I think I'm lucky I have the supplier I do.

[Sam Murdoch]

Have you looked into C2 grade maple at your local hardwood supplier? I live in one of the most expensive regions of the country and pay only $48 for Columbia C-2 grade pre-finished 3/4" 4x8 maple ply, about half of what I'd have to pay for A-1. I find that the Columbia C-2 differs little from A-1 and is more than adequate for kitchen cabs....I've never had a complaint and it saves a LOT of money. If you prefer A-1, then my suggestion would be to use it for uppers and use D-2 for the bases.


My local suppliers carry both Murphy's (crap quality) and Columbia (excellent quality).

Lucky you. The ply I wrote about is the Columbia C2 (it is an excellent product) but I guess we end up paying for the freight here on the East coast - even the 1/2" costs more than you pay for the 3/4" :(.

[scott vroom]

Lucky you. The ply I wrote about is the Columbia C2 (it is an excellent product) but I guess we end up paying for the freight here on the East coast - even the 1/2" costs more than you pay for the 3/4" :(.

Sam, us left-coasters make up up for it with the prices we have to pay for Eastern hardwoods :(.

[Mark Burnette]

Make that $79.00 from Home Depot...
That's what it's priced at in my area.
That's for plain unfinished Birch.
Plain unfinished Red Oak is priced the same - $79.00 for a 4x8 sheet of 3/4".

$44.97 S.E. MI for 3/4" unfinished birch or oak. I'm surprised you're so much higher considering your proximity to me. Big box stores use local market pricing so I would assume most your local options are at the high end of the scale.

[Jeff Monson]

Tigerply is that Chinese garbage that delaminates as you cut it. Bought a few sheets of it once when I was in a pinch. Never again.

I'll second that, I HATE the tiger ply that Menards has now. Just the 3" wide veneer strips is enough to make me sick, let alone whats under it.

[zayd alle]

Adam,

I'm in the Detroit area and just wrapped up a kitchen build myself. I bought my prefinished maple ply from All American Plywood in Detroit for about $68/sheet. They only sell to businesses, so you'd need to open an account with them I suppose. I just had a fellow woodworker with an account order it for me.

There is also Kencraft in Toledo where I paid roughly the same last year, although I'd call to ensure they stock the quantity you need before making the trip.

Zayd

[Phil Thien]

I'll second that, I HATE the tiger ply that Menards has now. Just the 3" wide veneer strips is enough to make me sick, let alone whats under it.

+1, for three.

Very inconsistent. You will go out of your mind using the stuff.

[scott vroom]

Hi Scott, Where in the bay area do you get your sheet goods? -Thanks, David

David, I have 2 suppliers in San Jose: Macbeath Hardwood on Ringwood Drive, and Aura Hardwoods on Phelan Ave.

Macbeath is usually a dollar or two cheaper on sheetgoods and they typically carry Columbia brand which is excellent quality.

Aura sells a Columbia "shop grade" 3/4" domestic maple for $38/sheet. Don't be fooled by the "shop grade" tag...this stuff is great for drawer base cabs. Aura also sells Columbia C-2 maple.

Both locations also carry various other hardwood species of plywoods and lumber.

For the best selection of hardwood lumber I go to either Aura or Macbeath in San Francisco.

PM me if you want additional info.