Plywood suggestion for shop cabinets?

[rywilson]

I'm plan on building some shop cabinets soon. I started looking at Birch ply and see the price is about 85 a sheet for 3/4".

I'm really just learning how to build cabinets so I don't want to spent a ton of money yet I want something that will look decent when painted. I also want to stay away from MDF.

Any suggestions?

Also can anyone suggest a good source for learning about building cabinets?
Books, DVDs, tutorials....

 

[Douglas Robinson]

Ryan:

One thing to think about, whatever you build shop cabinet-wise you most likely will be using it for years. Almost nobody replaces their cabinets in the shop once they have built them once. So I would go with Baltic Birch.

Avois "Sandply" at all costs. The glue between plys is inferior. I used construction grade plywood from the BORG. It works fine,but I wish I had built nicer ones. When talking with Travis Porter one day I siad "why didn't I build nicer cabinets? Look at Alan in Little Washingon's." Travis said "You has to build what you have so you could put your tools away to build everything else." So I am staying with my ugly cabinets.

As for books, check out "Illustrated Cabinetmaking: How to Design and Construct Furniture That Works" by Bill Hylton.

Doug

P.S. Welcome to the site.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=279438501&pf_rd_i=507846

 

[rywilson]

Doug thanks for the reply.

With a signature like that... by any chance do you work for big blue?

 

[SteveColes]

I just finished putting mine up. I made one out of the SandPly and six out of BB. (There is a difference between Birch Ply and Baltic Birch, BTW) I prefer the BB, but if you very careful about the SandPly selection, you would be ok.

I guess it really depends on how the difference in looks is worth the price differential. In my case, it probably wasn't worth the differential. I played with different finishes with each cabinet and they don't look that great anyway.:rotflm: But I found BB is just easier to work with becuase of the lack of voids and cleaner edges that get after cutting and then letting them sit around the shop getting banged up.

Ryan, if you want, you could over to my place and I'll show you the way I did it. The basic carcass and shelves were very simple but very sturdy.

 

[Bas]

If you're going to paint, construction grade plywood should be fine. Yes, you'll have some voids, but those you can fill with putty. For prettier cabinets, you can use birch/ oak plywood. (Don't tell anyone, but I actually purchased a sheet of 3/4 oak plywood at Home Depot recently that didn't have any voids, was straight and the veneer didn't disappear when you looked at it. :eusa_sile). Plywood looks a lot better if you cover the edges with a face frame or edge band it.

I've used Sandply. I hate it as well. The little I have left is barely adequate for jigs. It's full of voids, the veneer is super thin, it's rarely straight, and costs too much. Sometimes, the layers come apart. Other than that, it's fine Oh, and it has open pores, so you'll need to fill those if you want to paint.

I've decided to go with a Scandinavian look in my workshop, which basically means I get to use cheap plywood and resaw a lot of SYP :rolf:. But seriously, you may just want to build a couple of cabinets using cheap plywood, then switch to BB once you feel more comfortable. Then stare at those cheap ones for the next 20 years, hating them but never enough to actually replace 'em

 

[McRabbet]

Ryan -- If you are going to make several shop cabinets, you need to buy plenty of plywood and I'm surprised none of the other members gave you a Link to our Wood Suppliers list (Under Where Are? on the Menu Bar). Although you'll need to travel a little, The Hardwood Store in Gibsonville has some of the best prices for Baltic Birch Plywood, which is what I'd use. You can also use Shop Grade Birch Plywood, which IMHO is you next best choice.

 

[Joe Lyddon]

I'm plan on building some shop cabinets soon. I started looking at Birch ply and see the price is about 85 a sheet for 3/4".

I'm really just learning how to build cabinets so I don't want to spent a ton of money yet I want something that will look decent when painted. I also want to stay away from MDF.

Any suggestions?

Also can anyone suggest a good source for learning about building cabinets?
Books, DVDs, tutorials....

I have found that I can get good Cabinet Grade quality ply from local "Wood Products" stores...

Like:

Cherokee Wood Products, Inc.
P.O. Box 1853
1390 E. Arrow Hwy.
Upland, CA 91786
909-920-1069
Fax: 909-920-5059

It's amazing how much better plywood can be in quality and price over the BORGS, etc. All the difference in the world!

As for Videos, etc.
Fine Woodworking has a nice NON-FREE (but reasonable) website of various subjects videos, pdf's, etc. (much cheaper if you're a magazine subscriber)
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesPDF.aspx?id=24118

WoodSmith also has some good videos... etc.

Hope this helps...

Also,
W e l c o m e . . . A b o a r d !

 

[Douglas Robinson]

Ryan:

I don't work for Big Blue. Never have. I am just a geek. I used punch cards back in the early 70's!:gar-La;

Doug

 

[walnutjerry]

I do not know how close you are to Greensboro or High Point. Century Forest Products in Greensboro has a good selection of plywood and so does McEwen In High Point. Either one may require a minimum purchase though. I am talking 400. to 500.00 order.

Maybe a power buy if enough people want plywood.????

Jerry

 

[Canuck]

Hi Ryan,

I agree with all of the responses, but on a retiree budget, I just couldn't swing all of the expense of BB ply!:BangHead: That BB is really nice stuff to work with though!:thumbs_up

I have found some pretty good 3/4" poplar plywood at HD that worked pretty well and only paid about $27 for 4x8 sheet. Last time I was in the HD they were sold out of the poplar, but had some "cabinet grade" plywood for the same price (~$27). This stuff was/is a lot easier to use than the old Sandiply - and cheaper. I found that with the Sandiply, not only were the voids numerous, but it really "fuzzed-up" when prepping it for primer and paint. Didn't even entertain staining it!

Have a look next time your Home Depot and you may get lucky. (Here in Cary they don't typically stock it in the same location as their other plywood. Here it is usually stored along with the pressure treated fencing/posts and miscellaneous stuff.

Oh ya!

Welcome to site !!!!!!:eusa_danc:eusa_danc:eusa_danc

Please drop by the "Who We Are" forum and tell us a little out yourself! If you haven't noticed, we love pictures of your projects, tools and shop and are always her to offer our assistance, opinions and general support!

Have fun and good luck with your plywood search!

Wayne

 

[PeteM]

For a different perspective . . .

You can get decent cabinets from Habitat Restore for less than the cost of materials to build your own.

If you enjoy building cabinets that's fine but I'd rather be working on something a bit more creative.

FWIW
pete

 

[gator]

For a different perspective . . .

You can get decent cabinets from Habitat Restore for less than the cost of materials to build your own.

If you enjoy building cabinets that's fine but I'd rather be working on something a bit more creative.

FWIW
pete

The ones I have seen in Raleigh are way overpriced. I think, if memory serves, the cheapest I've seen there was like $600 for a 8' run of bottoms.

George

 

[rywilson]

For a different perspective . . .

You can get decent cabinets from Habitat Restore for less than the cost of materials to build your own.

If you enjoy building cabinets that's fine but I'd rather be working on something a bit more creative.

FWIW
pete

Pete I'm more interested in the learning process then just having cabinets. This is really more of an exercise to build my skill so I can start working on some built-ins.

 

[DavidF]

I bought some of this at Lowes recently to build some nice show crates and was impressed for the price. It is cheaper than full 3/4 and in my case didn't matter. I would use this if I was making shop cabs.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=161485-999999999-XXXXXXXXXX

 

[FredP]

For a different perspective . . .

You can get decent cabinets from Habitat Restore for less than the cost of materials to build your own.

If you enjoy building cabinets that's fine but I'd rather be working on something a bit more creative.

FWIW
pete

DING DING!!!! give pete a cigar!!
I have all used old cabinets in my shop. several different kinds and colors too but ..... THEY ARE SHOP CABINETS!!!:gar-Bi they are gonna git banged up scuffed and scratched. old counter tops work as well. if somethin gets spilled or dropped on em it dont matter. I would never build nice new cabinets for tool storage unless that was my only way out. spend more on nice wood for projects and make due with cheep or free stuff for the shop. IMHO... YMMV. :laugh: but then again I'm a cheep #$@$##%%$#%.

fred

 

[Jim Murphy]

DING DING!!!! give Gator a cigar, too!!

There was a time, not so very long ago, that you could get a real deal at Habitat. Those days, like the good 5¢ cigar, are gone.

The real deals, if you're not picky, are the close-out items at the BORGs. I bought drawer pulls today that were originally $4.39. After clearance markdown, I paid 59¢ each. They're going on drawers with slides that were originally $14.77, marked down to $2. Last week, I was gonna buy a coupla hundred feet of the 16ga lampcord wire that was 2¢ per foot, but they were all sold out.

 

[jerrye]

Several here have bought at Jackson International. Surprised no one has suggested them yet. I haven't, but plan to check them out soon. Find them in the link Rob posted under "Region 3".

 

[Gotcha6]

I'm with the guys here that say shop cabinets don't need to be too fancy. I'd love to have Nahm's shop, but I know I'd be afraid to use it. Besides, the cobbler's children always go barefoot! :eusa_danc

 

[Gofor]

I'm plan on building some shop cabinets soon. I started looking at Birch ply and see the price is about 85 a sheet for 3/4".

I'm really just learning how to build cabinets so I don't want to spent a ton of money yet I want something that will look decent when painted. I also want to stay away from MDF.

Any suggestions?

Also can anyone suggest a good source for learning about building cabinets?
Books, DVDs, tutorials....

I will probably be tossed off this forum for posting this, but go to BDC (yeah, el cheapo Builder's Discount Center). See if they have any of the 3/4" Hardwood MDO (Medium Density Overlay) plywood. Its $20 for a 4 x 8 sheet (actually 1/2" longer in each dimension), very few voids and they are small (about 1/8") good hardwood face on one side and paintable MDF face on the other. Stays flat and stable, strong, one good hard hardwood face, 7 hardwood plys not counting the finish hardwood and MDO faces. Better quality, cheaper, and more resistant to dings than HD's Sandply or Lowe's Arauco.
You will have to paint one side unless you don't care about the MDF appearance. The other side is a good looking hardwood that looks a lot like a reddish walnut when coated with a "tung-oil" finish.
I have five 48"h x 32"w x 20" deep hanging cabinets on the wall now, and am finishing up the doors. (Doors and facing made from 2 x 8 SYP and 1/4" bdx ply) and have about $300 in materials for all five (approx $60 ea) , including hinges, door pulls, paint, wood and fasteners for the French cleat hangers.

Could not find anything with near the storage space and that was strong enough to hold the weight at the local Habititat store. The one here in Goldsboro wants premium $$ for trash (with the exception of floor tiles, which are a good buy).

Go

 

[junquecol]

HD also sells a C-3 grade (shop grade) of 3/4 birch for about $46 a sheet. It is made in Old Fort NC, by Columbia Forrest Products. The last twenty sheets I picked up were pretty good stuff. Check with both Wurth (Raleigh Hardwood) and Horizon for prefinished ply. It is often less than the birch at HD. Don't get any birch from Lowes, as their is the junk from China, but at US made prices. Remember that HD always has the no interest/ no payments for 6 months on purchases of $299 or more. Open a new account and get 10% off, or get someone who is moving to give you their 10% off coupon. On my last order (over $900) of plywood, I used a 10% off coupon that can in the mail.