# What material do you use?



## WoodRic (Jun 17, 2009)

What material do you use for the finished ends on cabinets & builtins?

Obviously it needs to match the door & faceframes, but do you use solid wood, or ply?

For that matter, what ply do you use for the carcass?
I'm planning 3/4" ply, but do you just use garden variety 3/4" from the box store, or ???

Thanks!

-Ric


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## jlord (Feb 1, 2010)

I make the case out of plywood. Your plywood sides should butt into the backside of your face frame which is hardwood so end grain does not show. For a corner or end unit the ply should be flush with the outside corner. I usually use same type of material but will build using different materials if customer wants. If you want a raised panel end on your cabinet then you will build just like a raised panel door sized to fit your cabinet end & substitute for the plywood side.

When I build a cabinet out of cherry for instance I use 3/4" A-1 cherry ply (little more expensive than shop cherry but 1/2 the weight) & cherry hardwood. For shelves I use ply for the shelf & edge the front with 3/4" x 1" cherry hardwood. This is for stain grade work.

You could also edge band the edges with the same type of wood you are using for your project. It comes in small rolls & has the glue already applied. You just cut length a little long & apply with an iron then trim flush. Avoid having any end grain or plywood edges showing. 

For paint grade I use birch ply with popular face frames. If there are raised panel doors I use popular for the frame & mdf for the center panel.

I do not buy my materials from Home Depot or Lowe's. I buy at a hardwoods supplier as the quality is much better. If you are just building a cheap unit for your garage, shop, or something you can use the birch ply from the box store.

If you go to Sommerfeld tools you can find some good dvd's that will show the process of building cabs.

http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/Instructional-DVDs/products/4/


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

jlord said:


> If you want a raised panel end on your cabinet then you will build just like a raised panel door sized to fit your cabinet end & substitute for the plywood side.



I don't do raised panel ends that way. I use a plywood end and add a framed raised panel end to the plywood. My reasons are that a true raised frame & panel has a loose (floating) panel, and IMO, is not a structural enough member to use as an end to a cabinet.

There is also the considerations of adding drawer slides or shelf clips, or doing any machining (for a fixed shelf) like dadoes.


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## WoodRic (Jun 17, 2009)

Thanks Guys!

In this case, I will be doing raised panels on SOME of the ends, but not others.

So if I'm reading this right, for just a plain, flat, finished end panel, you're using ply? (cherry for example if the doors & face frames are cherry).

How do you find finishing the plywoods?
Comprable to regular hardwoods, or different because of the thin veneer?


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## WoodRic (Jun 17, 2009)

cabinetman said:


> I don't do raised panel ends that way. I use a plywood end and add a framed raised panel end to the plywood. My reasons are that a true raised frame & panel has a loose (floating) panel, and IMO, is not a structural enough member to use as an end to a cabinet.


There is also the considerations of adding drawer slides or shelf clips, or doing any machining (for a fixed shelf) like dadoes.

I agree with you on adding the panel end to an existing ply sub-structure, for all the reasons you mentioned.


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## jlord (Feb 1, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> I don't do raised panel ends that way. I use a plywood end and add a framed raised panel end to the plywood. My reasons are that a true raised frame & panel has a loose (floating) panel, and IMO, is not a structural enough member to use as an end to a cabinet.
> 
> There is also the considerations of adding drawer slides or shelf clips, or doing any machining (for a fixed shelf) like dadoes.


You are right Cabinetman, I guess I left that out. What I was referring to was on the corner you would have the raised panel showing flush with the f/f on the outside corner instead of the ply. The ply panel is moved over. You can also just apply it to the top & leave the thickness as a reveal. Most times I set it flush behind the f/f. & the ply panel flush to the inside of the f/f if it is a drawer bank so I do not have to pad it out.

Many times I have just had a plain side but route a detail in the outside corner of the f/f such as a roman ogee to dress it up. 

Sometimes it is easier doing than explaining the process.


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