What plywood for cabinets?

[ps2cho]

In 2025 with the cost of plywood, I want to build my own cabinets for the garage so it can be the exact dimensions I want.

With all the different species etc, I really don’t know what to go with?

I figure I will paint them, therefore what type should I go with? I see birch, maple etc…can I find what I need at Home Depot or Lowe’s?

Is 1/2” ok or stick with 3/4”?

Any advice from more seasoned woodworkers?

 

[Pablo]

You could frame them with solid wood, shelves and faces of ply

Painted just use ordinary softwood ply. Lower cost

 

[ps2cho]

You could frame them with solid wood, shelves and faces of ply

Painted just use ordinary softwood ply. Lower cost

That’s my question for the veneer ply — HD Lowe’s both have Baltic Birch, fir, maple, does it matter really? Or since I am painting it just anything that is smooth?

 

[Pablo]

That’s my question for the veneer ply — HD Lowe’s both have Baltic Birch, fir, maple, does it matter really? Or since I am painting it just anything that is smooth?

It wouldn’t matter just more money

Sanding before painting will look nice

 

[Jetronic]

pick one where you like the grain, it could show through the paint.

 

[snarl]

For the garage I would use 3/4 inch a/c plywood. Has one nice side (the a side) and is about half the cost of the birch. It's not as smooth as the hardwood faced ply but at around half the price and for a garage it will be fine unless you want them to look as good as kitchen cabinets.

 

[Randol]

In 2008 I built wall cabinets for my garage, like you they are painted. I used 1/2 ABC one side sanded plywood with 1 x 3 pine face frames. I can't recall the species, but it was a softwood (pine, fir, etc...) Each shelf has full cleats across the back. The cleats are also the attach points to the wall. The shelves are rabbited into the sides. Everything was nailed or screwed with glue. Each shelf is anchored to the face frame at the center, I did split doors, with one swinging to the left and one to the right.

 

[Randol]

Correction is was grade AB plywood, One side sanded.

 

[ps2cho]

For the garage I would use 3/4 inch a/c plywood. Has one nice side (the a side) and is about half the cost of the birch. It's not as smooth as the hardwood faced ply but at around half the price and for a garage it will be fine unless you want them to look as good as kitchen cabinets.

Great this is sort of what I needed thanks!
Plan to do a small one first as a test before I go for a wall to wall set, if lumber doesn’t go wild…

 

[doitmyself]

Cabinet building is fun, but a LOT of work. Please share your construction design. Like Randol shows, plywood boxes with a solid wood face frame and plywood doors is the standard method (lots of online instructions) and can be accomplished with less than ideal tools/machines.

I agree with others above. A good quality AC or AB 3/4 inch plywood will work fine for painted cabinets. I prefer 7 ply wood core vs. mdf core (biased old timer). Home Depot also has a slightly higher grade "Sandeplywood" for about $15 more per 4 x 8 sheet. Compare them and pick the one that is absolutely flat (not bowed/twisted).

Keep us posted with pictures.

 

[johnmyster]

I built some really awesome cabinets in 2020 using baltic birch for our apartment kitchen. Sprayed precat lacquer (white) on them. Frameless design. Did shaker doors/drawer fronts from maple. Full Blum soft closing hardware. Siamezed three 30" cabinets (with a sink base in the middle) into a single 90" unit for one run, consistent door gaps all the way across. I did a 30" blind corner...you can't order a 30" corner from most shops. Would love to do it again for our main kitchen.

I will build any day out of BB rather than veneer junk that goes for "cabinet grade." Not Birch veneer. Actual BB that comes in 60" by 60" sheets, face is same thickness as interior plys, 6mm, 12mm, 18mm. Holds screws, holds pocket screws, no voids, solid dados and rabbits. 12mm with box joints makes a fun drawer box.

Countertop guys came and I asked if they were sturdy enough. They said they were sturdy enough to park their truck on.

But that was before Russia invaded and 18mm AB grade BB was $37 a sheet. Talk to a local supplier and see if you can get baltic birch. (My local box stores don't carry it.)

For a garage I'd even consider Radiata pine plywood depending on the level of build anticipated.

 

[Carmudgeon]

True Baltic Birch is nice stuff, but probably overkill for a garage.

Keep in mind the real thing has many thin laminate layers, metric dimensions, and can be found from wood suppliers, not at big box stores.