Home Depot SandePly

I’ve had a terrible time keeping it flat. If you’re using it for the cabinet carcass and narrow shelves, you should be ok. I wouldn’t recommend it for doors or unsupported shelves because I doubt it’s stability.

-- Friends don't let friends use right tilt contractor saws......

I’ve used it for a few jigs and have no complaints

It’s ok, not pretty stuff, but it works, if you do make shelves, as with all plywood, after 18 inches , you need to add a strip of 3/4 by 1 1/2 inches to avoid warping as for doors, as long as you finish them they will be stable, otherwise you may have issues with uneven moisture exposure.

P.s if you plan on putting heavy things on the shelves I’d go ahead and add that nosing strip anyways for strength.

-- The mark of a good carpenter is not how few mistakes he makes, but rather how well he fixes them.

I have used the 23/32” cabinet grade plywood they sell for shop cabinets and been satisfied with the composition so far. Obviously it’s not Russian or Chinese Birch with bunches of layers, but it works pretty well. Not sure all stores carry it, but the ones in TX do.

Cabinet Grade Ply - HD

-- It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.

I used some to make my first cabinet for my shop. Used a pocket hole jig to assemble. No problems at all. That was five years ago. For me the price is right and it ain’t gotta look pretty!

-- Rick

I used SandePly for the cabinets I made. Only the “box” of cabinet.
Worked great and will use again. Sands and finished well too. This stuff comes from Columbia and uses plantation lumber, so I feel better using it over the china crap.

HD has the Arauco ply on sale quite often – $26 – 29. I used it and I liked it. It is 23/32 but you can work with it I also used sandeply for a project that I painted. Both come from South America.

Edit: I noticed Pete is referring to the same thing.

I have used the Arauco plywood from Lowes (same as the Home Depot cabinet grade ply) for making cornhole boards and it is the best plywood you can get from Lowes or Home Depot. Its not great but the price is right and its much better than the regular plywood they sell.

It’s an excellent product for what you intend to use it for. Your shop cabinets will say a lot about how you work and if done with care they will be an example of what you can produce. Clear finish or paint is best as it blotches real bad with stain….don’t know about dye though…Shellac?

-- Tom, Melbourne Florida The hands are controlled by the Brain....but driven by the Heart

I made my shop cabinets from it and was satisfied. Maple frames.

-- "Actions speak louder than words but not nearly as often." - Mark Twain

I’m glad you asked this question! I can find great deals on pretty much all the wood I want, but plywood is so darn expensive! It would be cheaper for me to just use wood in most cases, but plywood is so much faster and more stable for most cabinet projects and such…ugh I get frustrated lol. I don’t like overpaying for stuff but when there is no other option I guess I have to!

I did not like it.

-- Wood-Mizer LT15

I was mistaken, the SandePly was actually $43 which is the price that menards and HD sells other hardwood plywood for as well. The $34 was pro TigerPly shop grade cabinet ply (I made a list on my phone of all the prices and didn’t reference it before posting). That being said, I’m not sure if its worth then to try it or just stick with the hardwood stuff I’ve worked with in the past. Not perfect but worked out ok.

I’d love to try the Arauco as I’ve seen good reviews for it and the price is DEFINITELY right (HD online has it listed for $25/sheet) but its not sold or out of stock everywhere in my area :( that’d be perfect for this if I could get my hands on a batch. I’d probably buy like 10 sheets right off the bat but its nowhere to be found.

I also stopped into lowes tonight and the one in my area had ABSOLUTE garbage for sheet goods. Some crap “blood wood” ply that was $50/sheet and looked terrible and some “white wood” that was $45 and also looked like trash.mthats literally all they had which was VERY disappointing. I literally did two walks up the isles to make sure I didn’t miss anything but unfortunately I hadn’t.

-- Matt, Illinois, http://www.reintroducing.com

Matt, those two stores sell to home owners, they don’t expect people to want to use the better grade plywoods and don’t stock them. It’s kind of a kicker because they really don’t stock for the hobbyist either, which hurts them in the long run as well, but at least the lowe’s in my area does stock a few more specialized wood working tools.

-- The mark of a good carpenter is not how few mistakes he makes, but rather how well he fixes them.

I’ve had good luck with sandeply. It will warp if you don’t store it carefully, but that’s true of any plywood. It stays flat in a utility cabinet construction. And it’s cheap.

-- Miles