Drawers

[Jeff Miller]

Is MDF better for drawers than pine or plywood,this is for shop drawers?
Size is about 18" deep x 14" wide x 3 1\2" high

Thanks Jeff:)

[glenn bradley]

I have used MDF for false fronts for that 'shop cabinet' look. I have the best luck with 1/2" Baltic birch play for drawers. The ply will accept machining for drawer-lock joints unlike it's BORG cousins. If no BB ply is available then Poplar or (last choice) Pine. I don't think MDF for a drawer carcase is your best choice.

[Jeff Miller]

I think I ment to say the white coated partical board stuff I don't think thats MDF is it, I wasn't thinking:o

Whats the white stuff called thats what I ment for the drawers:)

[Jim Becker]

With limited exceptions, I wouldn't choose MDF for drawer boxes as they will likely not hold up well over time if used more than just occasionally. I do use 1/4" MDF for the bottoms of small drawers, but would not do that either as things get larger and the spans wider.

[Mike Langford]

I think I ment to say the white coated partical board stuff I don't think thats MDF is it, I wasn't thinking:o

Whats the white stuff called thats what I ment for the drawers:)

.......Melamine......

[Paul Comi]

Is MDF better for drawers than pine or plywood,this is for shop drawers?
Size is about 18" deep x 14" wide x 3 1\2" high

Thanks Jeff:)









I wouldn't use melamine or mdf for shop drawers. If you're inclined to use melamine for the cabinets, butt joint the parts and use confirmat screws for quick and pretty strong joinery in the material. I just did a bunch of it for a walk in closet at home. But, for the drawers, either 1/2" baltic birch in 5 x 5 or a veneer ply in sheets has been my choice for both strength and economy for shop storage.

[Laurie Brown]

I used 3/4" MDF for drawer boxes in my shop, in both my saw table and router table. No problems with any of the drawers so far, been a year now.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I have melamine cabinets with melamine drawers in my home shop. The cabinets came from Home Depot and are made by Mills Pride. The melamine is 3/4", white. Those cabinets are over 13 years old, and not a single failure. I also have melamine cabinets with melamine drawers in two closets and a utility room, and again no failures in over 13 years of daily use.

[Joe Chritz]

It will work and the 3/4 stuff will most likely last a long time unless you abuse them bad.

If you can find 1/2 BB plywood then that is the stuff to use. The remainder after doing the drawers is fantastic for shop jigs, crosscut sleds and the like.

I just did 16 or so drawers with 1/2 BB and half blind dovetails and they are very nice. My shop drawers are 1/2 BB with a lockmiter and some of those are very large.

Long way of saying if you have to buy material get BB if you have melamine scrap and edgebanding then have at it. Clear as mud?

Joe

[glenn bradley]

That's melamine and it is even weaker than MDF for your purpose. A good indicator is that you will see the furniture you can buy at K-mart uses this stuff for drawers. I had a sock drawer in a cheapo cabinet made of melamine fail. there were only socks in it.

However, in melamine's defense; if it was 3/4" (heavy) and joined well, it would probably survive.