Best Plywood for Cabinets
The best plywood for cabinets is 3/4 in (18 mm) hardwood plywood with a birch or maple face, on a veneer or combination core, A or B grade on the visible side. Use it for the sides, bottoms and shelves; 1/2 in (12 mm) for drawer boxes and 1/4 in (6 mm) for the backs. Prefinished maple or birch saves you finishing the inside of every box, and Baltic birch makes the strongest drawers.
Types of plywood for cabinets
| Plywood | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Birch hardwood plywood | Boxes, shelves, painted or clear | Smooth, light colour, takes paint well; stain can blotch |
| Maple plywood | Boxes and visible ends | Hard, pale face; often sold prefinished |
| Prefinished maple or birch | Cabinet interiors | UV-cured finish on both faces: no sanding or varnish inside |
| Oak or walnut plywood | Visible ends, matching wood doors | Matches solid-wood face frames and doors |
| Baltic birch | Drawers, shelves, exposed edges | All-birch core, no voids, attractive layered edge |
| MDF-core hardwood plywood | Doors, panels, painted work | The flattest; heavier, weaker screw hold |
| Softwood / CDX sheathing | Not for cabinets | Rough faces, voids in the core |
See hardwood plywood and Baltic birch plywood for each board in detail.
What thickness of plywood for cabinets
| Part | Thickness |
|---|---|
| Sides, bottom, top, fixed shelves | 3/4 in (18 mm) |
| Adjustable shelves up to 30 in span | 3/4 in; longer spans need a front edge strip |
| Back, screwed on (structural) | 1/2 in (12 mm) |
| Back, set in a groove or rabbet | 1/4 in (6 mm) |
| Drawer sides and backs | 1/2 in (12 mm) |
| Drawer bottoms | 1/4 in (6 mm) |
"3/4 in" plywood is really 23/32 in (18.3 mm) or less: measure your sheets and enter the real thickness in the cut list. See the plywood thickness chart.
Grades and cores
Hardwood plywood is graded by its face and back: A-1 has two good faces, A-3 or B-2 has one good face and a sound back. For cabinet boxes, buy one good face for the visible ends and a cheaper back for the insides. See plywood grades.
The core matters as much as the face:
- Veneer core: lighter and the best screw hold; can have small voids.
- Combination core: veneer plies with thin MDF just under the faces, flat and smooth.
- MDF core: the flattest and smoothest, but heavy and weak at the edges.
Plywood or melamine for cabinets?
Melamine on particle board is cheaper and ready to use, but it is heavy, swells if it gets wet and needs confirmat screws. Plywood costs more and lasts longer, especially under a sink. See particle board vs plywood and MDF vs plywood.
How much plywood for a kitchen?
A 36 in base cabinet box, with one shelf, uses a little less than one 4 × 8 sheet of 3/4 in plywood; a 30 in wall cabinet about half a sheet. Count one sheet of 1/4 in plywood for every three or four backs. For the real number, enter your cabinets in the cabinet calculator and let it lay out the sheets.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best plywood for kitchen cabinets?
3/4 in hardwood plywood with a birch or maple face on a veneer or combination core, grade A or B on the visible face. Prefinished maple saves finishing the insides; Baltic birch is best for drawers.
Should I use 1/2 or 3/4 plywood for cabinets?
3/4 in (18 mm) for the sides, bottoms, tops and shelves. 1/2 in is fine for drawer sides and for a screwed-on back; 1/4 in for a back set in a groove or rabbet.
Is MDF or plywood better for cabinets?
Plywood for the boxes and shelves: it is lighter, holds screws and survives a leak. MDF for painted doors and panels, where its flat, smooth face matters more.
What plywood for cabinet doors?
For slab doors, MDF-core hardwood plywood or Baltic birch, which stay flat. Veneer-core plywood can warp on a tall door; for shaker doors, the panel can be 1/4 in plywood.