# What to use when there is no Baltic Birch?



## JKB33 (Mar 27, 2021)

I'm looking for an alternative for 1/2 Baltic birch for some shop drawers. Already made the cabinet out of oak plywood ($ ouch!) because there isn't any Baltic birch to to had for miles and miles. But I'm having a hard time finding an alternative for the drawers. I've always made them out of 1/2" stock. 
Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

Do your local suppliers have anything decent in 1/2" plywood? Any decent plywood will do for shop drawers.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

There are lots of alternatives though the cost of everything is higher - including baltic birch when it's available.

If you have a commercial supplier 1/2" fir underlayment ply is decent quality and good enough for drawer boxes. The fir we get from Raynor Rinn Scott is flat and reasonably smooth unlike fir plywood from big box stores. Last price we paid was $75/sheet for 1/2".

There's always the option of using solid hardwood like soft maple or poplar. The cost isn't much more than plywood these days.

If you're using good drawer glide hardware, you can even get away with melamine boxes.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

Use the oak ply. Or look for 5/8 or 3/4


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

I used Aruaco Ply for my shop drawers. Good quality with thick face veneers.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

> I used Aruaco Ply for my shop drawers. Good quality with thick face veneers.
> 
> - Redoak49


I used to use this a lot. Right now in my area, its more expensive than hardwood plywood. l Long for the days it was 27$ per sheet.


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## RClark (Jun 1, 2012)

I had a hard time justifying spending on BB back in the "normal times." I haven't even looked at the stuff in years.

I second the suggestions about finding a decent sheet of 1/2" ply at one of the box stores; I acknowledge it could be a significant hunt.

If you go out to me shop right now and open all the drawers, you'll find that none of the boxes match. When it comes to shop furniture, I use whatever is on hand, and only buy new stock if there's no alternative. There's a mish-mash of construction grade ply, particle board, melamine, and even dimensional pine. For me, the construction of my shop drawers has no impact on projects.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

I made some shop drawers for my lathe cabinet (and the rest of the cabinet as well by the way) out of Doug fir by resawing an 8' 4×4 and planing it flat to 1/2". At my local Home Depot an 8' 4×4 goes for about $16 right now. You should be able to get 5 or 6 half inch slices. I select pieces with no pith and minimal knots and resaw them so that that they have a quarter sawn or vertical grain for appearance and stability. When I made the cabinet, the 4×4 were about $11 each and all of the wood for the entire cabinet was just over $100.

EDIT to add: You obviously have to glue multiple boards together for drawers deeper than about 3" .


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I prefer using solid wood for drawer boxes that will be seen much. I just don't like the look of ply edges when you open drawers. I typically use Pine, Maple or Poplar because I can get those in graded KD stock for about the same price as 1/2" plywood. And cheaper than BB ply.


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

I personally use only solid wood for drawers but, I have a friend that just built himself some new shop cabinets and he went with 1/2" Sande ply from HD for the drawers, 3/4" for the end panels and 1/4" for the backs.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

You don't need Baltic birch for shop drawers. Even the Home Depot shop grade plywood would be fine…


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## JKB33 (Mar 27, 2021)

> I prefer using solid wood for drawer boxes that will be seen much. I just don t like the look of ply edges when you open drawers. I typically use Pine, Maple or Poplar because I can get those in graded KD stock for about the same price as 1/2" plywood. And cheaper than BB ply.
> 
> - HokieKen


I like this idea. I'll look at poplar. Thanks HokieKen


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> I used Aruaco Ply for my shop drawers. Good quality with thick face veneers.
> 
> - Redoak49
> 
> ...


I miss those days too. Menards has "1/2 for 58 bux a sheet. It's down from around 70 a sheet a few weeks ago.

I'm very glad to have piles of plywood in storage.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

+1 on solid wood.

But the Sandeply isn't bad stuff.


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## MyGrowthRings (May 4, 2008)

I've had great experience with a product called "ApplePly" from States Industries. It's also made from birch but unlike Baltic birch ply it has almost no voids. Scott


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

Why would you buy expensive plywood or solid lumber for shop drawers?


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