PDA

View Full Version : Drawer carcase material?



DJPlata
02-17-2003, 10:12 AM
Good morning. My first post on SMC is a question. My next project is on the home improvement front, which is to modify a closet in our spare bedroom. I'll be installing eight drawers, 9" high by approx 24" deep by 24" wide. The false drawer fronts will be white melamine with edge banding. My question is, what material to make the carcases out of. They won't see that much use and I don't want to go with solid wood for reasons of time and cost. Half-inch MDF is attractive due to cost and flatness, but I'm not to sure how they would hold up. Half inch plywood? Baltic birch? Do they sell that at Menards or HD? Your input will be appreciated. Thanks. Great site.

Regards,

DJPlata
Wadsworth, IL

Terry Hatfield
02-17-2003, 10:15 AM
Baltic birch would be my choice. I have made many drawers from BB ply and it works great!!

Terry

Jason Roehl
02-17-2003, 10:16 AM
Originally posted by DJPlata
My question is, what material to make the carcases out of. They won't see that much use and I don't want to go with solid wood for reasons of time and cost. Half-inch MDF is attractive due to cost and flatness, but I'm not to sure how they would hold up. Half inch plywood? Baltic birch? Do they sell that at Menards or HD? Your input will be appreciated. Thanks. Great site.



Well, here's some input. I would go with ¾" plywood, like birch (can't say I've seen baltic at Menard's). It wont flex under the weight of whatever you put in those drawers, plus the drawers themselves. I would definitely NOT go with ½" MDF, as that stuff is VERY flimsy.

Just my 2¢,
Jason

Bob Lasley
02-17-2003, 10:19 AM
DJ,

While 1/2" poplar is my material of choice for furniture drawers, I use 1/2" baltic birch ply for utility type drawers. I like to use and interlocking rabbet/dado joint to hold them together.

I don't think HD carries bb ply and wouldn't know about Menards as we don't have them around here. Good lumber yards quite often stock it.

Good luck,
Bob

Ken Salisbury
02-17-2003, 10:25 AM
First I would suggest you reconsider using solid wood. Poplar would be my choice because of it's stability. Poplar is used by most good furniture makers for drawer carcasses. If not I would recommend ½" birch plywood.
Here is how I construct drawer carcasses:
<p align="center">
<IMG src="http://www.klsal.com/Drawer2.gif">

Ted Shrader
02-17-2003, 11:02 AM
Originally posted by DJPlata
Good morning. My first post on SMC is a question. My next project is on the home improvement front, which is to modify a closet in our spare bedroom. I'll be installing eight drawers, 9" high by approx 24" deep by 24" wide. The false drawer fronts will be white melamine with edge banding. My question is, what material to make the carcases out of. They won't see that much use and I don't want to go with solid wood for reasons of time and cost. Half-inch MDF is attractive due to cost and flatness, but I'm not to sure how they would hold up. <b>Half inch plywood? Baltic birch?</b> Do they sell that at Menards or HD? <i>YES</i> Your input will be appreciated. Thanks. Great site.

Regards,

DJPlata
Wadsworth, IL

DJ -

I would opt for baltic birch style plywood. HD is selling some right now in cut sheets that is reasonably priced and has many layers. Definitely would NOT use MDF is this case.

With a couple of coats of shellac on the drawer carcasses, they will look very nice, even the edges.

Good luck,
Ted

Dennis McDonaugh
02-17-2003, 11:47 AM
Ken, why don't you recommend using 1/2 ply for drawers? I wouldn't use it for furniture, but in builtins or shop cabinets it works fine, especially if you apply a top coat.

Ken Salisbury
02-17-2003, 12:02 PM
Originally posted by Dennis McDonaugh
Ken, why don't you recommend using 1/2 ply for drawers? I wouldn't use it for furniture, but in builtins or shop cabinets it works fine, especially if you apply a top coat.

Dennis,
It would be OK for shop drawers, etc however, I ALWAYS dovetail my drawers and dovetailing plywood leaves a little to be desired. I use poplar for the reasons stated and I have sources where I can buy poplar cheaper than plywood anyway;)

Dennis McDonaugh
02-17-2003, 12:09 PM
success. Doesn't Norm do it regularly on NYW? I buy rough 4/4 poplar for about $1.75 a bf here in SA.

Ken Salisbury
02-17-2003, 12:51 PM
Originally posted by Dennis McDonaugh
success. Doesn't Norm do it regularly on NYW? I buy rough 4/4 poplar for about $1.75 a bf here in SA.

I buy poplar for $1.50/ft
I don't know about Norm --- but I was making drawer carcasses when he was still in diapers.:)

Chris Knight
02-17-2003, 1:31 PM
I am with Ken on this. I always use dovetails for drawers and ply stinks for dovetails - even box joints. Tearout is my problem and while I can eliminate it if I try hard, for utility drawers, I don't want to be pre-scoring, using masking tape or triple sharpening router bits etc.

With Poplar you have a pretty stable wood that is easy to work is cheaper than Baltic Birch ply (where I live anyway) and available in widths upto 14 inches without much difficulty.

Chris

Andrew Field
02-17-2003, 2:37 PM
I've made a number of larger drawers for our closet and for a couple pantry's. I like to use 1/2" birch ply and I have no problem dovetail them together.

Solid wood is always best, but it's more expensive and you usually have extra milling work to do (planing, jointing, ect). The birch ply is quick and looks pretty good.

Rik Rickerson
02-17-2003, 10:37 PM
Lately I've been using White melamine particle core board for drawers in the kitchen, bathroom, and our master closet. The end result is a very heavy drawer that has a solid feel to it. They are also easy to clean.

Rik