Cabinet Box Material

[@silverbackag9790]

One shitty thing about being rural, this kind of stuff is unobtanium without a six hour round trip. Menards is a two hour round trip (not counting shopping time). We have a Lowe’s and couple basic lumber yards local. Hardwood is actually easier to source for me.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

I guess I take it for granted when my plywood and lumber yard is 2 miles away. I haven't bought plywood for cabinets from the big box stores since the 90s!

[@tom18410]

Good choice on using Classic core pre-finished maple from Columbia Forest Products. The UV finish is very durable because of the curing process and not just a dried film. I worked in wholesale plywood distribution for 20 years and was able to visit their Old Fort, North Carolina facility. The process is amazing. Good video, thanks.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

That's good to know about the UV finish. I have seen though some sheets show a "sprayed" look near the edges sometimes.

[@2chipped]

How does this factory compare to others you have visited?

[@rayjackson4547]

Nice explanation on options. I was glad to see you did not trash MDF, it has it uses.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Thanks. Yes, MDF has its uses

[@AJonahU]

Love the content. Thanks for sharing. Liked and subscribed!

[@johnmullen478]

Thanks for suggesting confirmat screws. Will look into those.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

If I can use a screw rather than a dowel these are the ticket for me.

[@LeYuikin]

I have a couple of rentals built in the early 50's. Keeping them that way except for the doors. Got new one by refacing the old ones with maple veneer. Thanks for the tips.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Right on

[@schl8675]

As a lifelong cabinet maker and wood finisher it is my belief that the MDF of the 90s and earlier was better. It was more of an extrusion and the glue was forced to the surface, and a light sanding made for a very good flat finish, today's MDF made with the more environmentally friendly glue is factory machine sanded to size, and it takes a lot of sanding to remove the tracking lines. I also prefer the plywood for boxes, I think it looks better, it cuts nicer, and is much easier on my back.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

I agree with the weight, the Classic core is heavier. I've just lately had better luck with it being flatter and now bowing. I think batch to batch the Veneer core varies in its quality and flatness. For frameless boxes this is more important for me. What are "tracking lines"? Lines the machines leave from their rollers when it's manufactured?

[@schl8675]

@@theoriginalwoodchuck The tracking lines the lines left from when they sand them at the factory, if you hold a piece of MDF up to the light you can see the scratches left from sanding when looking at the face, the lines move from left to right as the belt tracks back and forth to keep itself centered.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Good to know. I'm not a finisher and don't use raw mdf much. I can't see the lines on the 1/4" MDF I have. Thanks!@@schl8675

[@alexanderbaker4083]

You are correct. Baltic birch with edge banding is the way.

[@tristancalderon4317]

@@theoriginalwoodchuckp😢

[@yannisvaroufakis9395]

I like Baltic Birch plywood for the boxes

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

It's a very strong material.

[@vmoutsop]

Great information, very insightful.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Glad it was helpful!

[@zephyr1408]

Just found your channel ! I am a finish carpenter/ contractor ( small co. I do solo custom projects). I do builtins , vanities, doors, ect.,. Your is the 1 st channel where it speaks to different materials, and why to use them. I do not do full kitchens that is not my expertise! I refer to guys like you! If I was asked? How do you do a lay out? Plans? Yours or GC’s and how do you start & finish an install? Or do you just build them?

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

I work with contractors who sometimes have a designer involved where I get the plans, or I do them, for the cabinets. I use Mozaik software to design and build with. I Install as well. There's back and forth with meetings and drawings before building. And coordinating such things as electrical locations, under upper cabinet lighting, toekick heat registers, appliance locations, etc. Thanks for subscribing and I'll try to post what people are asking about, like yourself.

[@zephyr1408]

@@theoriginalwoodchuck Thk u for making these videos I know it’s time and not much compensation !

[@martincrippen3107]

Thank You!. Super informative video!!!!

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Thanks for the feedback. Glad I can help.

[@LuisSanchez-wf9zw]

What would you use for a dual oven / microwave cabinet (or for a pantry) that needs to meet heat prevention/protection? Would it be prefinished inside the cavity or not?

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Just follow the manufacturer's recommended specs. Paint grade, pre-finished, or melamine- none of that has mattered in all my years. Ovens are made to go into cabinets, as long as you follow the dimensional guidelines given to house them, width, height and depth-wise. I would not personally leave it raw wood, but finished with some sort of protection on the wood is always a good idea.

[@markdaugherty6378]

Thanks for sharing, that was very enlightening as to your thought process when building the carcass. I am still boycotting baltic birch since it is sourced from Russia, love using maple core, had no history of that waterproof MDF that sounds useful if it acts as well as you described in the back of your truck. Looking forward to your next episode.

[@TheBenjammin]

Russia bad! America good! Idiot.

[@EOTE_TX]

Interesting perspective on cabinet making...however, if you turned the clock back a hundred years I wonder what the preference would be with no plywood, mdf, or melamine...I've been exploring traditional cabinet making with hardwoods (4 species of elm, red oak, post oak, water oak, and hackberry so far) as well as pine and eastern red cedar. Oak and elm tend to be extremely stable in my observations and if carcass panels are made using rail and stile construction along with tongue and groove joinery, they stay straight and flat. My preference is to build the carcass separately from the base. I will generally use either oak or elm for drawer boxes. I will use 1/2" birch plywood for the back on some cabinets and cupboards. Most of the time I use rail and stile construction for the doors with raised panels (generally using bookmatched boards to form the panels). I know this method is not conducive to production cabinet making as everything is about price but it produces very satisfying results and the cabinets last for decades.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

WOW! Sounds interesting. Wouldn't you consider it furniture the way your doing it? I also believe most kitchens these days don't honestly stay put for more than 10 or so years, sadly enough. Maybe 20 at most. But keep up the good work!

[@joenguyen4092]

"Solid wood box?". NOOO 😯. 🤣🤣🤣🤣. I love that. Your channel is truly for cabinet makers.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

😁Thanks!

[@EatDirt1]

Thanks for the info. Good talk.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

You bet. Thanks

[@62ccain]

I've searched high and low for good plywood -- where do you buy this classic core, who makes it? I'm in Pittsburgh and all I get is crap plywood...grade c mostly.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Here in Southern California I use Phillips Plywood. Maybe try Columbia Forest Products website and find a distributor near you. Also, ply core is not always bad or bowed. It's just my luck has been better with the classic core. Even the C2 grade is decent. The Classic core is heavier, too.

[@jamespotter4878]

He is talking about products you can't go to Blowes and get. Gotta find an actual lumber supply house.

[@thehawkc]

Thanks, you have my subscription ! Finally a pro.

[@stanc4629]

Love the Ipe chest. Been thinking of doing something similar around my hot tub. Is the stainless steel lined? How is it heated? Is it something in that metal box on the end. Thanks. Great channel. Subscribed after one vid.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Thanks! Yes, that's stainless. I was provided that and some heating element for the bottom and that box (part of the heating mechanism). Don't know where the designer or contractor got it all. I just mounted it. Over 11 years ago.

[@johnford7847]

Very informative and interesting. Thank you for sharing.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@troyqueen9503]

Melamine =hampster shavings. It does have a place in cabinets, but I prefer pre finished

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Is it hamster or hampster?

[@troyqueen9503]

@@theoriginalwoodchuck it’s is hamster and I do like ham.🤪

[@tbc210]

Have you ever seen or worked with melamine faced veneer core plywood? I have seen it advertised for a number of years. But where I live on the East Coast, every time I’ve asked about it at a lumberyard they act like I’m nuts. I have seen it advertised for sale on the West Coast and in Canada though. Seems like it would be an awesome material for cabinet boxes. Thanks for the video!

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

It exists. I even priced it once at Phillips Plywood. Never used it. I think it would be good but I think it was about the same cost as prefinished maple plywood classic core. I may some day try it though. Probably would be great.

[@johnmullen478]

Melamine or MDF can be disappointing if you move it around assembled or knock it down and put it back up lots of times (move homes). If you build in place and leave it there then it is solid. Who moves their kitchen cabinets?

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

I heard in Europe they take their kitchen with them, but I heard that long ago.

[@BobL1]

Solid information

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Thanks for that!

[@sheph7]

My objection to any version of MDF is the weight, very difficult for me in a one-man shop to handle. I have used MDO a number of times with great success on cabinet boxes. I'm curious do you have any experience or comments on its use?

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

I believe I used MDO once (it's basically classic core plywood without the decorative outer layer- so mdf is the 1/8" outside layer) . It bowed like crazy if I remember, so I've been leary of it. But I should check into it again now that you mention it. Thanks!

[@sheph7]

I have used only type with paper on both sides, I can see where the type with paper on one side might bow. Never noticed any MDF on any layers. @@theoriginalwoodchuck

[@MIKE-oq6su]

I agree about the weight of MDF, I built my kitchen cabinets 30 years ago and they still look great, I painted mine with a high quality lacquer. MDO plywood is ment to be painted and alot of exterior signs are made with it.

[@ST-0311]

Very informative. The algorithm keeps putting your videos on my front page. It seems to want me to subscribe, so I did. What's your opinion on 1/4" MDF core veneered ply as flat panels for framed cabinet doors?

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Totally fine. I order those a lot

[@finmlpal7370]

very nice!

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@bmacaulay18]

Beautiful work on the Ipe chest! Did they not have any spare gold bars around for you to fabricate the chest from instead? LOL

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Ha Ha! I guess gold was in short supply.

[@bmacaulay18]

@@theoriginalwoodchuck The way Ipe is priced it would have been pretty close in total cost. Probably easier to cut and drill as well.

[@farbermania]

What would you recommend for painted cabinets, inside and out?

[@farbermania]

And what for face frame? Also painted.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

I use paint grade Maple, classic core if I can get it. Or find the best ply core you can get. The big box stores don't have it. Need a real lumber yard. Lower cost solution is MDF, don't get lightweight MDF (it's for molding usually). MDF is heavy but 1/2 the cost. Again, use confirmat screws or dowels of some type. Regular screws split MDF.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

I standardly use Poplar for frames. But it's not hard like Maple, which costs more and is harder to sand.

[@jamespotter4878]

For FF I like maple, I think it looks better painted.

[@LuisSanchez-wf9zw]

@@jamespotter4878 hard or soft maple?

[@earlhurick4629]

What about using MDO to build cabinets?

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Never used MDO. I checked with Phillips Plywood and it's an exterior plywood with a resin impregnated paper overlay, usually used for signs, etc. There's such a thing as Pro core or "Classic Lam" that has MDF exterior layer. It's paint grade and can be laminated with something else.

[@earlhurick4629]

Do you think you can use it for kitchen cabinets?

[@zephyr1408]

Melamine ply? Can you tell us about that?

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Never used melamine plywood. I know it exists and is about the same cost as prefinished Maple plywood.

[@zephyr1408]

@@theoriginalwoodchuck ok I might buy a sheet if my dealer has it ? And just build a storage box for me ? Curious I seen it however ; I also I hv not used it! The mystery continues!

[@danielwoods5316]

Not a pro by any stretch of the imagination, just a hobbyist/DIY type, but why not use mdf for the cabinet box? You mentioned that for slab doors or drawer fronts it would be ok, but not the box. I was considering using it for a set of cabinets I wanted to build in a laundry room, because it was cheaper and they are going to be painted. Just don't want to make a mistake and use the wrong materials. Thanks in advance. Enjoyed your video.

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

You can definitely use MDF for the boxes. It's just not done for my clients as they always ask for prefinished plywood, plus the finishers don't have to finish the interiors. Just use good paint to seal it all and you should be fine. Make sure you use good fasteners for assembly like Confirmat screws and you should be good. Good luck! Have you considered using Melamine so you don't have to finish the boxes?

[@danielwoods5316]

I hadn't thought about melamine. That's an interesting idea. I'll check the pricing and available colors near me. Do you find that it chips or cracks easily. I guess I always associated it with being less durable than other products. Thanks for the reply and the alternative idea! @@theoriginalwoodchuck

[@FB-mh9kk]

Super knowledgeable. Confident you’re very competent in materials, etc. thanks.

[@jvarblaze7495]

Put me to sleep

[@theoriginalwoodchuck]

Glad I could help 🥱