A quick and easy drawer question for you guys.

[joseph dake]

I have soft maple I will be using for my little one's bed. My wonder is given a choice of any thickness of drawer what would you make them? I am planning on using my keller jig to join everything but I just can't decide. The drawer will be 18x 36x 5 1/2 tall if it matters at all. I am leaning to 5/8 or 3/4 but don't want it to look out of place.

[George Bokros]

My personal opinion is that 3/4 is too thick. I would run with 5/8 or 1/2.

George

[Richard McComas]

1/2 inch would be my choice.

[Myk Rian]

Absolutely no thinner than 3/8". 1/2" is the better choice.
If there is a chance they will be used as steps, then I would go 5/8".

[William C Rogers]

I use 5/8 for all of my drawers. Gives me more for the bottom support for larger drawers.

[joseph dake]

Looks like 5/8 is the answer. Thank you for the help.

[Brian Ross]

I use 5/8 with a 3/8 Baltic Birch bottom. Just finished a job for a client that included a kitchen and 3 vanities. A total of 29 drawers, a big thank you to Mr Leigh.

Brian

[Charles Lent]

For most drawer construction I use 1/2" for all of my usual drawer work unless the drawer needs to be "heavy duty" or is exceptionally large. For these I usually go with 5/8, but I have gone with 3/4 when the need required it. For these heavy drawers the bottom thickness is also increased. For the light duty drawers I usually use 1/4" Baltic Birch. For the heavy duty drawers I go with 3/8 or 1/2" Baltic Birch for the bottoms. I've only made a few very small drawers for a jewelry chest where I used 1/4" for the drawer sides and 1/8" for the bottoms. I've never had a drawer failure.

Charley

[glenn bradley]

With a 36" width I would go 1/2" box and a 3/4" face. I do have drawers that wide in use that are all 1/2" with drawer-lock joints and a false front. With a drawer that wide I use two pulls and so this provides a little additional support but, I wouldn't factor it in as a design parameter ;-).