Advice on Cabinet Carcase Material

[ragswl4]

I need advice on the material to use for kitchen cabinet carcases. Danny Poulux (Book) recommends melamine covered partical board while Udo Schmidt (another book) uses plywood. I am leaning towards birch plywood. Also what are your thoughts on thickness of the material, 1/2", 5/8" or 3/4"? I want to have a cabinet that will last. It for our own home so I want to do it right. Getting close to the time to order the material. I am using Goncola Alves for the face frames and doors. Your advice is appreciated. Thanks.

[Pappy]

I wouldn't use anything other than 3/4" ply.

[drumpriest]

I'm with Pappy on this one. 3/4 ply all the way.

[Stytooner]

I concur 100% with Pappy's suggestion.

[jackellis]

Particle board won't hold up, especially if it gets wet or the humidity is high. Kitchen cabinets get very heavily loaded. Anything less than 3/4" won't hold the load, which could be many hundreds of pounds. You also want a safety factor in case someone grabs the bottom of the cabinet to steady themselves or prevent a fall.

Done right, you can even use plywood for the doors and drawer fronts. Ours are 1/2" ply with no edge banding, stained dark. You have to know what you're looking at to tell it's plywood.

A friend of ours has made what he calls a boomerang table. It's made of laminated baltic birch ply, so the plies become a decorative item. Looks quite nice.

[cabinetman]

Before euro hinges came out, I made two basic kitchen boxes. For a wood kitchen the carcass would be 3/4" hardwood plywood in the specie of the exterior specie. For formica (mica) cabinets, the carcass would be 3/4" plywood (usually A/C) (BTW, it was about $8.00 a sheet then), covered in formica.

All interior components would have the same material, either 3/4" hardwood plywood, or mica. Have never used any 1/2" for carcass material.

When melamine became popular, I used that for the carcass as a price option to customers, in lieu of mica. Never had a problem with cabinets coming apart regardless of material. Proper fabrication methods will yield a structurally sound cabinet.

I remember upon installation of a kitchen with oversized cabinets. The customer asked if they will hold the weight OK. I got up inside one of the upper cabinets (that was a feat of physical dynamics all by itself), and croutched inside I said: "I not only stand behind my work, I stand inside my work". Even though I was crouched, it was funny at the time.

[timb]

Top line Kraftsmaid cabinets fex. are all plywood construction and use 3/4 in ply. They offer two other lower grades which contain various amounts of particle board. If price is not an object I'd go for 3/4 in ply. It holds up better over time and is much less prone to water damage or decomposition.

The only pain is that you will need to apply a finish which is a major PITA. Melamine would avoid that I would assume.

Our kitchen cabinets are melamine particle board circa 1972 and there is nothing to do but rip them out and replace them. If they were plywood then they could be easily be spruced up and given new life. Its not so much that they are falling apart although some bits are - more the melamine finish has out lived what ever attractiveness it may have had to the original owner and particle board near sinks and diswashers where leaks and overflows will occur is just not a long term proposition.

Tim

Tim

[Ken Massingale]

As others said, 3/4". But, in addition to the strength factor, I priced 5/8 Melamine (per Poulux's suggestion that 5/8 is sufficient) at HD. They stock 3/4 4 by 8 sheets for around $20, 5/8 is special order around here.
Get this, $80+ a sheet!!! Back to 3/4 for me, for sure.
k

[jziegler]

Like others here, I built my cabinets with 3/4" plywood (I used oak). I've now done some work with melamine PB, and it's quick and easy. Great for bedroom bookcases, if you want white, closets, basements, laundry rooms, etc. I think ply is better for a kitchen.

Jim

[kyle.w]

when my grandpa and i built our cabinets we used melamine and it is great. it lasted the winter and the summer months. so i don't think the humidity was a big factor. its also a good clean up if you spill something.

[ejs1097]

Definetely plywood.

I've also noticed Norm's been building alot of cabinets with pre-finished plywood lately. This seems nice for not having to do it on the inside of the cabinets and he states the finish is harder then applying it yourself. I haven't seen it discussed here in the past and I'm not sure of the cost but might be worth considering.

[cabinetman]

Definetely plywood.

I've also noticed Norm's been building alot of cabinets with pre-finished plywood lately. This seems nice for not having to do it on the inside of the cabinets and he states the finish is harder then applying it yourself. I haven't seen it discussed here in the past and I'm not sure of the cost but might be worth considering.

A problem with assembly with prefinished parts is that any machining to make grooves or dadoes has the possibility of the finished surface getting scratched. Another problem is that unless the finish is removed along areas that are used for glue surfaces the adhesion qualities will be compromised.

[LinuxRandal]

I'd like to find Melamine on plywood (one side). Makes the inside of the cabinets lighter and fairly decently cleanable. I think I can find a place locally that can get them, but am afraid to find out the cost.

[cabinetman]

I'd like to find Melamine on plywood (one side). Makes the inside of the cabinets lighter and fairly decently cleanable. I think I can find a place locally that can get them, but am afraid to find out the cost.

Melamine faced sheet stock IIRC is only available on a composite board - I may be wrong. Plastic laminate suppliers sell a very thin laminate in a few colors that is less expensive that the V32 (1/32")(vertical grade) material. For lining the inside of a plywood cabinet, my procedure would be to cut the parts, laminate the one side pertinent to the interior, and allow the laminate to be short of an edge just enough, that has to get seated in a dado or rabbet, so there will be good gluing surfaces.

If you can cut and trim the sheet accurately, the inside can be laminated after it has been assembled, but it's a PITA.

[scorrpio]

Poulux book, AFAIK, is for a beginner, and as such, goes with 'beginner materials', and is very budget minded. It is a good primer on overall design and joinery, but I think it's a 'first step' thing, after which one 'graduates' to better materials.

The distinction really, is 'building to sell' vs 'building to use'. If you want to get the cabinets made cheap, and plan to sell the house in a year or two, most buyers won't notice a difference.

For personal use that's to last years, I would use quality plywood only.