Cabinet design help

[Al Willits]

I'm building a storage cabinet to put household items in (two CD cabinets were enough for awhile) and the basic measurements will be 36" wide, 18" deep and 60" tall.

It will have adjustable shelfs and two doors that are about 60" high x 18" wide, these will probably be raised panel with a rail in the center of the door to break up the long thin look.

So far looks doable.

But...I'm wondering if 3/4" Birch shop grade plywood is strong enough for the 60x18" side panels and if 1/4" ply is OK for the back panel that is 36x60" approx.
Will either of these need support and what would you suggest if needed?

Doing this with out no plans so I'm kinda faking it here...:)
tia

Al...who finally made it past Borg plywood.... :D

ps...just figured maybe a stip down the back to strengthen the 1/4" and add a shelf rack to, hoping that helps the shelfs from bowing too????

[Mark Singer]

Al , Make one shelf at about mid height fixed 3/4". Rabbet the sides and top and bottom to accept the 1/4" back. Stop the center shelf at the rabbet. Glue and brad nail the back....use pocket screws or dados and rabets or confirmat screws and you shoud be good

[Al Willits]

Thanks Mark, would the back be two pieces then?

Al

[Jim Becker]

Thanks Mark, would the back be two pieces then?

Al
It could, but if you hold back the depth of the fixed shelf so it aligns with your rebate for the back, you can use a one-piece back and use some nails/screws into the fixed shelf, too. If you're not doing a rebate for the back, the same thing applies if the shelf is flush with the sides.

[Al Willits]

Rebate...now there's a new word for the newb..:)

I was trying to keep all the shelfs adjustable, and I was gonna use them metal strips that go down each side and the shelfs attach to them.

If I have to make the center one permanent so be it, but I was thinking if I split the back and attached a 1x2 or ? across the back and rabbited the top and bottom of it and glued it to the sides of the cabinet it would add enough strenght...maybe..:)

Nailing would work to, just on a glue kick right now..

Al...who after a few more Norm shows will probably convert to nails though...

[glenn bradley]

Tomayto, tomahto, rebate, rabbet . . . I wonder what the short history is on the two spellings?

[Bob Childress]

Al,

You don't say if you are going to use face frames in front and a stile where the doors meet. If so, you will probably have enough strength to make all shelves adjustable. Or, you can opt for 1/2" ply for the back and gain strength that way. Mark's suggestion is the simplest but will limit shelf adjustability. I don't like two-piece backs in 1/4" ply because they tend to not meet well and show a seam (they like to "pucker" slightly).

[Al Willits]

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You don't say if you are going to use face frames in front and a stile where the doors meet
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Ya...gotta give that some thought...:)
Would be good practice, .... ya maybe I will...handn't planned on it, but it would give more strength to it wouldn't it?
Thanks.
Al

[Mark Singer]

One piece back is much stronger

[Dave Falkenstein]

I'll add just one thought to the good advice you have from Mark and Jim. Consider making your cabinet with 4 doors, and split the doors vertically at the fixed center shelf. I think the doors would look better if they were not so tall and narrow, and the doors will have less tendency to warp over time if they are not so tall.

[Al Willits]

Thanks guys.
Dave I was gonna split each of the doors horizontally with a rail (?) that was routered on both top and bottom, so I'd be using two panels on each door.
I just wanted to try this and see what happens, seemed like a good idea at the time anyway.
I'm thinking with the rail splitting the top and bottom section I shouldn't get as much warpage and they would kinda look like two doors per side.

Probably could have bought a cabinet for far less than what this will cost in parts and labor, but it is the last (hopefully) project before the kitchen and I really need the practice and learning that this will hopefully give me.

You'll know if it works if ya see pictures....:D

Al