# What kind of plywood should I use for a stand alone pantry (in my garage)



## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

I want to build this pantry in my garage:










It's kind of big (7' x 48" x 24"). I may be wrong but 3/4" plywood seems to be the best choice.

I don't want to paint it, just a light finish. The question is what kind of plywood should I use? And where can I buy it? The plywood we can find at HD or similar stores does not look good enough to me. I found this: http://www.langevinforest.com/en/products/woods/baltic-birch but it's expensive (70$ a sheet) and looks almost too nice for this kind of furniture.

Is there something in between?


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Yes, cabinet making sheets are expensive especially if you want both sides to be nice. But a lot cheaper than the real wood. You can make it out of AC plywood and may be go with 1/2" or 5/8". There are plenty of dividers and shelves that should hold it together. I will be very heavy if 3/4" was utilized.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

Menards has 'tigerply' 
WHich is basically Chinese Baltic Birch.

I would go for the real mcCoy Baltic Birch. it holds screws well, is dead flat, and can take a nice finish.
Looks like you will 4-5 sheets.
So if you go cheap on the ply you might save 70-80 bucks (maybe 15/sheet) but be stuck with the project - chinese ply has a history of delaminating..


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Thanks for the advice! for sure 1/2" is a lot cheaper than 3/4". Could I use 5/8" for the box and 1/2" for the shelves and dividers?


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Hmm. not for the 2' section selves unless you don't plan to put heavy stuff like gallon pint cans on it. It could ne done if you have enough bracing underneath; maybe 1×2's.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

What kind of ply does your Home Depot carry? Mine carries US made Columbia Forest Products ply which is good stuff.


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## jumbojack (Mar 20, 2011)

I would go with 3/4" for the majority of the build. The cubbies on the bottom could be 5/8 as well as the rails on the doors. This looks to be a permanent fixture, 3/4" is the standard for cabinets. This is a nice looking pantry dont cheap out on the construction materials.


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

jumbo is right. If you want it to be there forever, use the 3/4 but not on the little stuff.
This might help you with your choices:
http://www.bhg.com/kitchen/cabinets/styles/kitchen-cabinet-material-types/


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

My local lumber yard has what they call Varsity Birch. It is 3/4 and has more plies than the AC fir plywood we commonly see. It is a little hirer than AC but still reasonable. It doesn't have as many plies as the Baltic Birch has but it still a good product. I would look for something like this. It has a good outer surface and it will varnish out nicely.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Thanks a lot for all the useful advices! I'll see what I can find, worst case scenario I'll go with Baltic Birch.

I have another question though: would it be ok to use a 1/2" or even 1/4" panel for the back?

Thanks!


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Yes, the backing mostly serves as a stabilizer. 1/2" should do just fine.


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## Skippy906 (Dec 16, 2012)

Here is project right up your alley. I made it with 3/4 cabinet grade oak ply. This is probably one of the most useful things in my shop.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/77413


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Bought the wood today (Baltic birch after all), delivered tomorrow… Can't wait to start


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## Skippy906 (Dec 16, 2012)

Are you going with your original design?


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

More or less yes, I took mostly 3/4" except 1/2" for the back and 5/8" for the doors shelves and the wine rack.


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## Skippy906 (Dec 16, 2012)

I am sure you will be very happy with it, I know I am happy with mine. Tons of storage and not much shop fllor taken up. Be sure to post pictures.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

I will


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

Looks like it'll last you quite a while given your chosen materials, personally I would have used 1/2" for all vertical surfaces (sides, doors, interior dividers) and 1/4" for the back. I would have used 3/4" for all horizontal surfaces as that's where you're going to need beam strength. The Baltic birch should serve you well, AC would have been probably been a little cheaper, but in my experience, just not as stable.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

So I worked on this during the week end, and here's what I've done so far:










Now I have a bunch of questions:

What kind of finish should I use for a natural look? How many coat?
Should I finish the box now before mounting the wine rack and the shevles? It seems like a good idea cause it's going to be a lot easier, but I want to make sure I don't miss anything.

Now looking for help cause I can't move this big guy by myself 

Thanks for your help!


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

My preference is to dry fit everything, disassemble, finish, let it cure, assemble. Looks really good.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

I mostly use pocket holes, I'm not sure it's a good idea to disassemble that kind of joinery. Is it?


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

If you don't want to chance damaging the pocket holes, don't worry about it as what you have right now is the carcass which can be finished as it is. The rest you can finish as assemble as you go. Main reason that I rather finish then assemble is the fact that the material will expand when finish is applied and when it returns to its normal size, things move.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Understood, thanks.

And what do you suggest I use to finish baltic birch?


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

I have never done staining; like the natural look so, am not really qualified to suggest stains and such. Best approach is to keep your scraps and see what stain/finish turns you on.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

I like the natural look too. So sanding and a few coats of lacquer or polyurethane should do it?


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Yes. Both provide good protection. I would still try it on scraps to see what looks you get.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Oh yes, sure. Thank you.


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

One thing I have done in the past, is to use a torch to manipulate the grain to darken it a bit. Also, have used charcoal from pine to stain bars and such. Lets see pictures as you progress.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

What would I do.. It's storage in a garage. I'd go to Home Depot and find the best priced sanded plywood they have. It's usually the variety of the day.. could be sanded birch, or poplar, or something they sometimes call sanded whitewood plywood. Whatever that is. 3/4" When you work with it it will work just fine and hold together for a long time if you glue and screw or nail it. And it will cost you less. Looking at they shelves and cubbies it will take a lot of plywood so I'd just go as cost effective as I can and still look good.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Hi Guys, so I spent a few hours this week end on the project.




























More pics here: http://cavacouper.blogspot.ca/2014/03/garde-manger-deuxieme-partie.html


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## brtech (May 26, 2010)

Does your garage floor stay dry 24/365 in the area you are putting this? If not, you probably want something that won't rot on the bottom. The usual solution is pressure treated 2x as a base, you can even lay them flat.

If your garage stays dry, then nevermind.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

It's always dry a this particular spot yes, so no worries.


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## MikeThrockmorton (Nov 4, 2013)

I can't tell if you are trimming out your ply edges with edge banding or similar.

If not, you may wish to do so as ply edges are fragile.

The iron-on edge banding is cheap and easy to apply (but not to trim. Buy a trimmer), though it can complicate finishing, depending on the type of banding you use. Red oak banding on birch ply can look bad if you put on a finish that darkens the oak and yellows the birch. As with anything involving wood, results vary.


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Wow, BenoitM.. It looks great so far.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Mike: I didn't, just sanded the edges, rounded the borders and put three coats of poly. It look nice to me, and seems durable.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Question for you guys: what kind of hinges should I use for the doors? They are going to be heavy. And the hinges are screwed on 3/4" plywood. I think this should be able to handle the weight, but I'm afraid it won't look nice, the bigger part of the hinges would be visible on the outside of the door.


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## MikeThrockmorton (Nov 4, 2013)

Benoit,

It looked nice to me too (the whole unit does!), which is probably why I couldn't tell if you had done something with the edges. My eyes were insufficient to the task.

I know people do that (round the edges, harden with finish) a lot so it must be a reliable technique.

The ply I am able to get usually has awkward voids so I tend to put on edge banding.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Mike: totally agreed, I wouldn't try that with basic plywood either. But with good quality birch plywood, it does look ok.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

Oh man… you've done such a nice job on the cabinet, don't put those cheap hinges on it. Use some hidden cabinet hinges. 3 or 4 on each door will support the door just fine.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

I was just wondering how strong it would be knowing that I will screw them on the edge of the plywood panels.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

There must be some hinges out there that work the same way as a refrigerator hinge works. If you screw into the edge it's sure to pull out and if you screw into the face the screw will only be 3/4 inch long and will fail as well. You may have to build things up with an additional rail or style to get more meat to screw into. Really fine job so far.


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

If your garage floor is pretty level, you can always utilize casters to support the doors so all the weight is not dependent on hinges.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Unfortunately it's not level so I guess I need to find a way to "add meat".


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

You always can create a level base using wooden tracks (or other material) that are adhered to the cement floor. There are also these spring loaded casters that adjust to various variations of uneven surfaces.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Would that be ok in your opinion? I could use 6 of them per door.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Or this?


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

I think either hinge you pictured will work. The "Or this" one you pictured was the type I was thinking. But after taking a second look at the cabinet plans I didn't think about the doors having storage shelves on them, so the first hinge of the two may be better.


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

I would certainly use some 1×2-ish strips on the inside of the box as well as around the door. Not only they will prevent warping, they also hold the hinges. Should the doors prove to be too heavy for the hinges; or when things get worn out; all you have to do is to replace the strips. (Don't glue them; use screws)


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

I still think you should look at how your refrigerator hinges work, a pivot style. In fact, if you have a scrap metal yard near you may be able to pick up a couple of sets. The bottom hinge bears all the weight and the top keeps the door aligned.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Oh, that's what you meant, yeah that could work too.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Mike, you asked so I took a picture and this is how the edges look like:


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

So I decided to use these: http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?p=41984&cat=3,41241,41257,41984
and I think it's a good choice, these are strong.










Project update:
http://cavacouper.blogspot.ca/2014/03/garde-manger-troisieme-partie.html

Thanks all for your help. It's not over yet, but I can see the end is near!


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

BenoitM, I admire what you have done so far… Great progress and great job.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

picture didn't work deleted. I'll try again.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I use these institutional hinges on my 8 foot tall shop cabinets made from cheap melamine covered partial board years ago. 3-4 per door will hold you door from now on. If you're worried about it there is always continuous hinges.

http://rockfordprocess.com/hardware/institutional-overlay-hinges/


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Project update:

http://cavacouper.blogspot.ca/2014/04/garde-manger-quatrieme-partie.html


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Absolutely beautiful. Amazing work!!


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## Yonak (Mar 27, 2014)

Sorry .. don't know how to delete a message.


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## BenoitM (Feb 12, 2014)

Done! Thanks a lot guys, you've been very helpful.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/99926


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