# Solid Wood or Plywood for Drawers?



## Hellaenergy (Mar 2, 2008)

I'm wondering what peoples opinions are in regards to the material that make up drawer sides and backs? Is it considered higher quality furniture when they are made from solid wood? From a stability standpoint it seems like plywood would be the right choice hands down. What do all the artisans out there use for their high end furniture?


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## dennis (Aug 3, 2006)

Solid wood.


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## Hellaenergy (Mar 2, 2008)

Dennis, how did you come to that opinion?


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## dennis (Aug 3, 2006)

It is all about looks. Plywood is a very practical material for drawers. In any kitchen where money is an issue I use plywood drawers. Same with furniture. They are just as strong as an Omnijig Dovetail Alder drawer, but the ladies don't go googly eyed over plywood. Both materials work, both can do the job. The rest is all opinion. Then again with poor workmanship, or cheap materials, you might as well make them out of melamine.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

I do both solid and baltic birch drawer boxes. It depends on the level of project.

I am currently building a paint-grade banquet and it will have two large drawers coming out the ends. These drawers will be made from baltic birch.

These same clients had me build an entry bench that was stain grade from tiger maple. That project called for solid maple drawers.


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## Hellaenergy (Mar 2, 2008)

So do those who use solid wood use quarter sawn? What cut is best for solid drawers?


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

I have only used plain or rift sawn and not had a problem.


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## Hellaenergy (Mar 2, 2008)

Have any of you ever used Spanish Cedar for your drawers? If so, what are your opinions of it in this application?


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

I use both plywood and solid material for my drawers depending on the end use of the project, much as Todd is describing. I use plywood in those situations where the end result is not as demanding such as for shop furniture. For those situations that involve a more visible use I use solid material.

Another difference I have with the two is in the joinery. Plywood works better for me using dado/rabbet or simple butt joinery. I generally use drawer lock joints with solid material. The other drawback with plywood is the exposed plys. To get a better looking drawer these need to be edge banded.

For furniture I have only used cherry, maple and oak for drawer material. But Spanish cedar should work just fine.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

its all about the "budget".


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

For fine furniture I always use oak. It will last forever.

For my cabinets in the shop I used ply.

Both will work.


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## anotherbrick (May 22, 2008)

though i'm a plywood manufacturer,if not think about budget,i'll prefer to solid wood


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

This is kind of interesting to see where people fall on the subject.

I would prefer solid wood but "building to budget" is a term that comes to mind.


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## Hellaenergy (Mar 2, 2008)

I agree with Todd this is very interesting. I appreciate all the feedback from everyone.

CessnaPilotBarry, I'm glad you brought up finishing. Why no finish on the inside? Why finish them all?

What type of cedar do you use? I hear Spanish Cedar can leak sap for quite a while after cutting if not kiln dried properly. I am drawn to the benefits of cedar, though. I like the smell and stability factor it brings.


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## CharlieM (Mar 28, 2008)

I prefer solid, either soft maple or yellow poplar especially on fine furniture. However plywood is permissable in cabinetry if you are using metal drawer sides.

I always use iron on veneer to hide the plys when using plywood. It makes it look real good and the ladies really like it better.

That's my opinion.

Charlie M.


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## Radish (Apr 11, 2007)

I use sheet goods for the bottoms only, as I am not fond of seeing the laminated edges on a drawer box, but the bottom line is time and money, especially if you are a business person. As the other gentlemen have noted it's the client's choice.

As to Spanish Cedar, which I routinely use in jewelry boxes in some form (love the smell), I have not been happy using it for a bottom - it's rather soft and dings easily. I sometimes use resawn SC laminated to the inside of a lid (unfinished), or for ledger strips to hold up tills or trays, dividers etc. Usually what I have on hand has been dry for a long time so I haven't had much sap bleed, and I usually burnish it with very fine grit sandpaper to close off the pores.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

I have lined the bottoms of some drawers with countertop laminate. These drawers were intended to house shoes and required a more durable surface for the bottom. White laminate is bright and holds up well. The rest of the box I sprayed with pre-cat lacquer and it has held up well. These drawer boxes were made of baltic birch.

I have had a very positive response to the baltic birch drawers from my clients. They see them as a high quality plywood alternative to solid wood. Keep in mind I prefer wood appropriate to the project.

I have not had an issue with my finish continuing to smell after a long period of time due to continued gas-off. I know guys locally that have had an issue with this. It may be more or less an issue with specific products.

Maybe CessnaPilotBarry can expand on that a bit?


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## tooldad (Mar 24, 2008)

I used prefinished drawer sides from a cabinet supplier. They come in 4-12" widths (2" increments) with the groove already cut. Dovetailed them on an omnijig no problems. Yes you do see the ply then, however as everyone else has said, it's all about the budget. Prefinished 1/4" maple ply for the bottom.

I agree about the smell. My wife is very smell sensitive and a couple of the projects that sprayed poly or lacquer in them, she claims the smell lasts a month or more and sometimes she can smell it still years later if the shirt was on the bottom of the drawer for a while

I use pine or poplar for solid if I do on low cost projects. However I have recently come across a bundle of 5/8 mdf melamine with a gray overlay. Left over from job of someone that knows someone, type of thing. Solves the finishd vs no finish debate, without the cost. Then I use hardboard masonite for the bottoms


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

Glad to spark a moment of genius.
Between this thread and the other one on HVLP's & lacquer I am picking up info from you.


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## Shalalagirl (Oct 19, 2010)

Hello, I am new to this forum. I found this post when I typed in a question to Google. I have a question regarding this topic about a Pine Dresser that I own. I always think that pieces of furniture are higher quality when real wood is used on the drawer sides and backs, or when it's all solid wood. When we bought our pine dresser, we knew it was good quality. When I was looking at it more closely, after someone asked me if it was "veneered" I realized that it was not all solid wood like I thought it was. ( I don't know much about furniture).

After close inspection, I realized that the only parts that I could identify as solid wood were the drawer sides and backs. Looking at the inside of the fronts of the drawers, I could see that there was no wood grain like the sides and backs, and it felt different to the touch--much smoother. But it definitely does not look like particle board, more like Medium Density fiber board. Also, the dresser itself, not the drawers, looks like MDF also. I'm also wondering about how they got the design on whatever it's made out of--doesn't seem to be veneer, unless it's extremely thin. There's no edges that are showing any sign of layers.

I am attaching some photos of it, could anyone here tell me their opinion on what exactly my dresser might be made out of? It's a really nice dresser, and the fact that it's not all real solid wood doesn't change my view of how 'good' it is, because I know that how sturdy, well made, and how it's held up over the years. It's about 9 years old. But I'd like to know the answers to the same questions you posted about. Thank You all.


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