what wood for drawers?

[fiasco]

In my 36" vanity, what kind of wood should I use to make drawers?

[LarryG]

I presume you mean the drawer bodies. Poplar is one common choice ... fairly inexpensive, machines easily, etc. Basswood is similar although it's harder to find and will likely cost more.

Baltic birch plywood makes an excellent drawer body unless you object to seeing the plies on the top edges. BB plywood has numerous thin plies and virtually no voids, so its edges are a lot nicer looking than ordinary plywood. It makes a very nice, very strong drawer body that'll you'll never have to worry about warping or splitting.

For the bottom, either 1/4" plywood or 1/4" tempered hardboard (Masonite) is the norm.

[cabinetman]

For solid wood drawers, I've used poplar and piranha pine. I buy or plane it to 1/2", and use either maple or birch 1/4" ply bottoms. On occasion I will use 3/4" stock.

For plywood drawers, you can use 1/2" in whatever specie you can get, preferably in maple, with maple ply bottoms. Unless desired, less figured wood is used in drawers.

To cure the plys showing on the top edge (if necessary), glue solid wood to running lengths of the ply drawer sides before cutting them up. It can be as thin as 1/8". Trim and smooth the edges while the stock is still in lengths (it's easier that way). When you start cutting the sizes you need they will be finished looking. For a somewhat fancy look you can glue a dark wood to the ply.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[vaking]

I second (or third) the statement that 1/2" Baltic birch ply is the most common material for drawer body. My lumber supplier sells various hardwoods but only one type of plywood and this is the type. Comes already prefinished so you don't have to spend time on it. Please note that Baltic birch plywood normally comes in sheets 5'x5', not 4'x8' as regular ply.

[gsmittle]

Personally, I prefer my drawers be made of cotton or cotton-poly blend. I should think that wood drawers would be stiff, uncomfortable, and probably have splinters...

C'mon, you were all thinking it!

g.

[gary]

Maple is great for drawers.

[fiasco]

Thanks guys. I think I'm going to use solid wood and not plywood.
So poplar or birch?

[L. D. Jeffries]

Actually I go with "Cabinetman"s suggestion. I like to skinny down good pine for the sides/back and front, then put on a front out of "good" wood. Ply or masonite is good for bottoms as its stable (no movement). There are lots of ways to go, just depends on how much time and money you want to put into it.

[Doug Jones]

So poplar or birch?

poplar,,,,

[fiasco]

I have 1/4" oak ply left over is that bottoms?

[LarryG]

I have 1/4" oak ply left over is that bottoms?

That'll work, sure, if you don't have any better use for that material. Basically, any thin, stable material like plywood or hardboard makes a good drawer bottom ... species doesn't matter much, although there's no point in using an overly-expensive material.

Whiteboard (hardboard coated with a slick, white writing surface) makes great drawer bottoms, too, especially for kitchen and bathroom cabinets.