Once You Get The Right Plywood Your Cabinet Building Changes IMMEDIATELY

Discover how choosing the right plywood can make a huge difference in your cabinet building. Don't settle for cheap plywood - watch this video to learn how to choose the best plywood for your project!
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[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Great testimonial for buying furniture grade materials from a good lumberyard or hardwood supplier. The big box stores (e.g. Home Depot, Lowes, Menards) are fine for construction grade materials, but not for furniture grade materials. While “Baltic Birch” is touted as the best ply, your local hardwood supplier may have domestic alternatives that are very similar. Plus, Baltic Birch is often only available in 5’ x5’ sheets - an odd dimension that may increase your waste depending on project dimensions & your cut plan. Depending on your project, “Paint Grade” ply might be just what you need (assuming you are painting - not staining - the project). As you wisely said, it all comes down to the number of plys (layers). I won’t build anything with sheet goods that have less than 7 plys, since anything less than 7 plys will yield unsatisfactory results.

[@danielst.pierre1030]

I got my plywood from the lumber supplier, unfinished 3/4 ", made in China (yes I know). Was basically 1/2 price for a 4X8 sheet compared to the box stores, and it actually was the best that I worked with; no voids, the edges were NOT damaged, and a true 90 degrees. Going back there again as I need more cabinets.

[@DebtFreeDIY]

Heck yeah! Love to hear that!

[@pcbatl]

I came here to say this too. Working on some cabinets now. Better quality and HALF the price.

[@chingonbass]

I recently built around 7 wall cabinets, probably cost me around $150 in birch 2 sided finished ply from a plywood store. Would have cost me $345,345 at home depot.

[@John-NeverStopLearning]

Menards is a good place for unique plywood. If you are not going to see or paint the plywood or the bottom of a sink base I use MDO, medium density overlay. I have told they use to use MDO for making road signs.

[@mycowboyways915]

I love using Baltic Birch Plywood. It has become impossible to find here in mid Nebraska. If you can find it, you are looking at $140 for 1/2 in 4x8 sheet and over $200 for 3/4 4x8 sheet. Still would be y go to if I could get it. I just stopped building cabinets for awhile to see what the market does. Great Video.

[@TheFalconJetDriver]

You are not buying Baltic Birch plywood in a 4X8 sheet! Birch yes but not Baltic Birch. Baltic Birch only comes in 5 foot by 5 foot sheets.

[@DebtFreeDIY]

Actually my hardwood supplier has both. I was buying 5x5 until they told me they had 4x8. But it became too expensive so I quit buying it altogether and opted for the 11 ply option that they carry.

[@TheFalconJetDriver]

@@DebtFreeDIY count the ply’s of of the 5X5 sheet compared to the 4X 8 sheet’s I like like to know the difference!

[@chrisanthony579]

@@DebtFreeDIY Agree, but I have to order 4x8's (Wurth Wood Group) 5x5 has a lot less waste when building cabinets compered to a 4x8 so it's rare when we need it.

[@freeflyer6170]

⁠@@TheFalconJetDriverExcuse me and allow me to retort. Baltic Birch plywood is available in 4 x 8 sheets. I am a professional cabinet maker with over 40 years of experience. Right now, in the hear and now I have 4 x 8 x 3/4” Baltic Birch in my shop. Although it is mostly common to see 5 x 5 sheets in warehouses, my supplier and others I know of carry 4 x 8 sheets of both 1/2” and 3/4”. …….it also became nearly impossible to find because of the war in Ukraine but I was able to find some last year, haven’t look this year; and the price increase has been obscene.

[@gungasam3000]

I recently changed from 3/4" to 1/2" plywood for cabinets. It's a box, it has a strength intrinsic to it's shape, so the 3/4" really only adds weight and cost. However, I agree with the overall message. Go for proper plywood over box store plywood, and definitely over cheap ready made cabinets.

[@wameier84]

I did this for my last few projects and it holds up!

[@zhjiyun]

could you tell me for 1/2” door how to hold hinge?

[@DebtFreeDIY]

In my opinion, your rails and stiles need to be 3/4 on the door to allow for concealed hinges to be installed

[@BassadorWoodworking]

I usually stock up on large materials once or twice a year from a building supplier. It has definitely saved me a decent amount of money in the long run! Great Tips!

[@DebtFreeDIY]

Thanks brother! Stocking up is always a good plan!

[@patmash]

I purchased birch finished on both sides plywood at a lumberyard for almost half the price that the big box stores were charging me with no finish. Check around your area people, it pays off.

[@DebtFreeDIY]

Exactly!

[@b3arwithm3]

In my area, the lumber stores have more selection and a bit cheaper. But not by much. I would say 15% less.

[@flowerytrailsfarm7261]

Great video! Now do a cabinet building video please.

[@DebtFreeDIY]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll try to do that pretty soon!

[@thomasvispisiano4663]

Always look forward to your videos! I am a beginner and find your videos very inspirational!

[@DebtFreeDIY]

Thanks so much! Appreciate you!

[@allensketchclub8579]

very good information to know, thank you for sharing.

[@DebtFreeDIY]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@Wolfpacker]

Not sure where you live but using baltic birch around here would about double the price of that big box store cabinet.

[@chrisanthony579]

Good points but will add a few of my professional "opinions". You can't build a oak, face frame cabinet and raised panel doors with hinges and drawer slides for $130.00. Buy the lowes cabinet, knock the thing apart, save the faces and build your own boxes. I highly recommend buying prefinished plywood from a cabinet material distributor, Baltic birch is your best option but not available in prefinished Avoid pocket screws and "blind screw" the horizontals members to vertical members when at all possible. (won't see the screw) A pocket hole screw relies on glue to make a strong joint The Melamine particle board sourced at a commercial distributor is a different quality that the big box stores. We use 5/8 melamine quite often in our commercial millwork. There's nothing wrong with using 1/2" plywood for sides and tops but would recommend 5/8 or 3/4 for shelves and bottoms. Good video, keep them coming!

[@bierbarrel]

Bought 3/4 inch oak ply last week at Lowes. The stuff is not very flat. I wish I had a dealer near me.

[@actionjksn]

I had been using a company called Capital City Millworks for years. They ended up getting bought out by someone else and the reviews from the time they got acquired are much worse. They respond to good reviews with a thank you and ignore bad reviews with no response . This is a pretty disturbing development. I will probably still have to use them but I'm not happy about it. A lot of these places will also make some really nice cabinet doors for you if you need a door design that is more fancy than you are equipped to build, like raised panels. I have bought 4 x 8 sheets of veneer and refaced cabinets like this. Basically use contact adhesive to glue on the wood veneer and trim it flush. Then you install the new doors and stain and varnish everything, and it looks just like a brand new set of cabinets., you can get them with good hinges included. You can also glue the veneer over multiple cabinet face frames at once and make it look like one large cabinet without the seams. This is not always a viable option but when the boxes are a good design and still in good condition it works fine.

[@freeflyer6170]

Old man musings……when I started out building cabinets some 40 plus years ago, we built a lot of cabinets using 3/4” AC Fir plywood. Of course back then it was a much better quality. Today I almost exclusively use maple veneer plywood and have for the last 30 years. Don’t much care for the look of birch, but do like Baltic Birch. I’m pretty sure Home Depot carries plywood manufactured by Columbia Forrest Products, they offer a plywood that uses “PURE BOND” adhesive which I prefer as it doesn’t outgas formaldehyde gas. Don’t know about Lowe’s or Menards. I think you have to be sure it’s made in the US as they also manufacture over in China and don’t use the same adhesive with their overseas products. We found that there was a greater propensity for warping with the Chinese plywood, and stopped using it because it was a hassle to fabricate with although once a box is built this would not be a problem as the construction of said box would inhibit any movement. As a disclaimer, all of my info may not be up to date but should be pretty close to true. Personally I would seek out a wholesaler that is willing to sell to the public. They will offer a wider range of materials, better quality at better prices. No you won’t get the cabinet makers discount but you will get much better sheet goods and still save money.

[@cjsawinski]

This advice completely depends on the project and the customer. DO NOT try to build them a $150 cabinet or vanity or whatever from one sheet of Baltic Birch that is going to cost you $100. After your time and effort your losing your rear end and just over some plywood that no one is ever going to see or appreciate. If your working in higher end, custom stuff that you can charge a fair hourly rate for your labor to actually build the cabinets then by all means go for it. And this advise is coming from a guy who used to build complete custom solid wood “Amish” style cabinets out of Douglas Fur and other hardwoods. (They were for rich and famous people at ski in/ ski out resorts in Montana).

[@fatdaddy109]

I haven't been able to find other good plywood supplier near Lexington, KY. Anyone have any sources?

[@JJJJJJJJJJonathanLis]

Don’t sleep on sande plywood - it’s an excellent birch alternative, same weight and strength.

[@SLickev92]

Yeah that sanded plywood is junk. Found out the hard way when I went to screw into it and hit a soft spot. It just broke apart , screw didn’t even have anything to grab.

[@LincolnHawk-bk5yr]

There's no store like that anywhere near me. I've been looking for years.

[@DebtFreeDIY]

Sorry to hear that. Like I said, Lowes or HD will work if necessary!

[@LincolnHawk-bk5yr]

@@DebtFreeDIY I make do. I like to think that all of these years working with crap has made me a better craftsman. I've certainly learned how to sand.

[@mattroy2772]

I don’t agree with the 3/4 need.

[@DebtFreeDIY]

You don't have to. 🙂 I prefer 3/4 but that's just my personal preference. I'd rather be guilty of overbuilding than underbuilding and the cost doesn't bother me enough to go down to 1/2 but as long as it's quality material, 1/2 will do a fine job!

[@billjonesnation]

Found a supplier but they don't ship and I don't have a truck. Maybe I need a new tool? (Big Truck! :P)

[@DebtFreeDIY]

That's a great reason to buy a new BIG tool! 😂

[@bigk4755]

So you don’t know anyone who owns a pickup that might be willing to go and get your order on Saturday morning?

[@billjonesnation]

@@bigk4755 no not really. The plywood supplier is 1 hr away. It's a big ask for a couple sheets.

[@reloadNshoot]

Hey Mr. Diy man. You should be calling it harwood veneer plywood , not "oak" or "maple" plywood. Dont be fooled, hardwood suppliers sell cheap imported plywood too just like the big box stores do as well as better grades so dont asssume you are getting better stuff simply shopping at one. They sell cheap Asian / Chineese with paper thin outer venners and junky cores. Did not hear you mention what the samples in front of you were that had many plys in them, the cost or the availability. That might help a person that doesnt know.

[@countryflyer4536]

I have made LOTS of cabinets out of the Sande plywood..there is nothing wrong with it...

[@DebtFreeDIY]

Yeah in the early days, I used it quite a bit too. I didn't have great luck with it though. I found it was much more prone to bow or warp etc. Anymore I much prefer birch or maple.

[@nathanclaytor4083]

Nothing wrong with the viewing here. Must be a fog in your house. Time to buy a fog knife.

[@joevaldivia6733]

Sorry I had to stop watching the back round music was very annoying