# Plywood for cabinets



## Zag73 (18 Aug 2022)

Hi

I’m wanting to build some base cabinets for my workshop (hobby shop). Wickes offer two types of plywood - structural and non-structural. The latter looks nicer but isn’t as strong as the former. Is the non-structural stuff ok to use? I should add, two of the cabinets will hold a heavy mitre saw and a bench drill. I’m planning on using 18mm unless advised otherwise.

Thanks in advance.


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## Yojevol (18 Aug 2022)

I see that one is twice the cost of the other at Wickes so worth thinking about. I would happily use the cheaper stuff for cabinet sides and internal shelves but for tops I would go for the structural grade or provide support rails under the non-structural. 
Brian


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## Zag73 (18 Aug 2022)

Yojevol said:


> I see that one is twice the cost of the other at Wickes so worth thinking about. I would happily use the cheaper stuff for cabinet sides and internal shelves but for tops I would go for the structural grade or provide support rails under the non-structural.
> Brian


Hi Brian

Many thanks for the response. For the tops , I was thinking of doubling up two sheets and gluing melamine to the top face. There will be three double cabinets screwed in a row. Hopefully this should be enough to hold everything together and carry the weight of the machines.


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## Jaydee (19 Aug 2022)

Hi.
I made a rolling miter saw stand out of 18mm non structural ply from Wickes. It’s not deflected a millimetre. Your idea of doubling up ply will be plenty strong enough IMO. I have shelves made of the same ply which are not that well supported that have hardly bowed at all. So I would say that non structural is the way to go. Good luck. Send us some pictures when finished.


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## Terry - Somerset (19 Aug 2022)

The main difference between structural and non-structural ply is the glue used which I think principally affects its use in exterior, humid or damp environments. 

The wood used has some bearing on strength but for the use you describe I have no doubt that 18mm non-structural would be more than adequate in a dry workshop.

The appearance depends entirely on the wood selected for the face. The main concern for cabinet making is that the quality is sufficient to avoid delamination - needs attention to gluing the individual lies.


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## Zag73 (19 Aug 2022)

Jaydee said:


> Hi.
> I made a rolling miter saw stand out of 18mm non structural ply from Wickes. It’s not deflected a millimetre. Your idea of doubling up ply will be plenty strong enough IMO. I have shelves made of the same ply which are not that well supported that have hardly bowed at all. So I would say that non structural is the way to go. Good luck. Send us some pictures when finished.


Will do mate


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## Zag73 (19 Aug 2022)

Terry - Somerset said:


> The main difference between structural and non-structural ply is the glue used which I think principally affects its use in exterior, humid or damp environments.
> 
> The wood used has some bearing on strength but for the use you describe I have no doubt that 18mm non-structural would be more than adequate in a dry workshop.
> 
> The appearance depends entirely on the wood selected for the face. The main concern for cabinet making is that the quality is sufficient to avoid delamination - needs attention to gluing the individual lies.


Hi Terry

Thanks for the above. The consensus seems to be non-structural is fine. I did toy with Baltic birch plywood. But the price is astronomical!


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## Fergie 307 (20 Aug 2022)

I have just used 40mm kitchen worktops, easy if the width is sufficient for your needs. Mine have a black satin finish which has not really worn atall. Might be cheaper too, just be careful about the thickness of the Formica type top, they are very thin on some of the cheap ones. I got lucky and bought mine from a kitchen fitter so got good quality ones at his discount.


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## Zag73 (22 Aug 2022)

Fergie 307 said:


> I have just used 40mm kitchen worktops, easy if the width is sufficient for your needs. Mine have a black satin finish which has not really worn atall. Might be cheaper too, just be careful about the thickness of the Formica type top, they are very thin on some of the cheap ones. I got lucky and bought mine from a kitchen fitter so got good quality ones at his discount.


I’d toyed with the idea of kitchen worktops. Would look nice and be durable. There’s that thin 12mm plastic stuff that’s bonkers tough. Forget the name.


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## Doug71 (22 Aug 2022)

There was a thread a few weeks ago on Wickes structural ply (see below), you might want to check that you are getting what you expect,









Wickes advertise hardwood ply, but deliver softwood ply


I got my order of 4 8x4 sheets of what i thought was going to be hardwood ply, and whats been delivered is clearly softwood. I mean theres more knots in it than a scout camp and it's pretty much unsuitable to build units with. This is rough as a badgers bum stuff you'd use for shuttering and the...




www.ukworkshop.co.uk


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## Jameshow (22 Aug 2022)

Agreed only buy in person as it's very mixed. Got some lovely stuff when I built my camper loads of ply's no voids. 

Other times I've got pure rubbish!!


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## Zag73 (27 Dec 2022)

Jaydee said:


> Hi.
> I made a rolling miter saw stand out of 18mm non structural ply from Wickes. It’s not deflected a millimetre. Your idea of doubling up ply will be plenty strong enough IMO. I have shelves made of the same ply which are not that well supported that have hardly bowed at all. So I would say that non structural is the way to go. Good luck. Send us some pictures when finished.


Getting there. The boards available from Wickes were terrible. So, I ended up getting Baltic birch and Valchromat from Latham. Expensive but glad I went down this route. It’s the first time I’ve undertaken something like this. A few mistakes along with the way. But it’s been an enjoyable exercise.


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## Spectric (27 Dec 2022)

I would avoid the sheds and use a timber merchant, I always think that it takes at least the same time to make something out of poor quality material if not longer than it does using decent stuff so how much do you value your time. As you say you were glad you went down this route and you now have a nice looking job.


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## Jaydee (27 Dec 2022)

Nice job. Looks really good.


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## Zag73 (27 Dec 2022)

Spectric said:


> I would avoid the sheds and use a timber merchant, I always think that it takes at least the same time to make something out of poor quality material if not longer than it does using decent stuff so how much do you value your time. As you say you were glad you went down this route and you now have a nice looking job.


I have to look at it , so want something that looks decent. It’ll be there for a very long time. Main thing is the enjoyment from making the units. It’s been a good learning experience.


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## Zag73 (27 Dec 2022)

Jaydee said:


> Nice job. Looks really good.


Cheers. I’m pleased with how it came out. Never done anything like this before; took me longer than expected. But happy with how it’s turned out. Impressed with the valchromat. Cuts really easy and comes up nice when oiled.


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## Molynoox (30 Dec 2022)

Looks brilliant. Same materials I want to use to do something similar but can't justify the cost right now, it would cost thousands to build a few cabinets and cupboards

martin


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## Zag73 (1 Jan 2023)

Molynoox said:


> Looks brilliant. Same materials I want to use to do something similar but can't justify the cost right now, it would cost thousands to build a few cabinets and cupboards
> 
> martin


cheers. I think I paid about £120 a sheet for BB grade a few months ago. Expensive but glad I got the Baltic birch. I’ve had stuff from wickes in the past. Sometimes the sheets are really good but other times, absolute garbage. I initially bought from wickes for this project but rejected upon delivery. The faces were all rippled. The structural stuff seems to be better finished/quality. They might use a different supplier for the structural stuff.


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## eribaMotters (1 Jan 2023)

Lathams have a depot in Leeds that supplied me when I lived in Formby on Merseyside. The Birch ply was excellent. At present you may well have trouble sourcing it though, I know I could not get it about a month ago and resorted to Poplar for my 18mm, although I managed to get Birch in the 12mm, 9mm and 6mm sheets.
In late September they did supply me with 18mm at a cost of £88 + vat for S/BB grade.

Colin


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## Jameshow (1 Jan 2023)

Try Arnold laver and Hanson plywood too.


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## Zag73 (2 Jan 2023)

eribaMotters said:


> Lathams have a depot in Leeds that supplied me when I lived in Formby on Merseyside. The Birch ply was excellent. At present you may well have trouble sourcing it though, I know I could not get it about a month ago and resorted to Poplar for my 18mm, although I managed to get Birch in the 12mm, 9mm and 6mm sheets.
> In late September they did supply me with 18mm at a cost of £88 + vat for S/BB grade.
> 
> Colin


That’s the Latham I went to. Excellent quality birch plywood. When I bought it, the chap on the phone did say that they were having difficulty sourcing it. I still need another three or four sheets. Unbelievable how fast it gets used up.


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## Zag73 (2 Jan 2023)

Jameshow said:


> Try Arnold laver and Hanson plywood too.


I tried Hanson. But their prices were way over Latham’s. It might have been a b/bb grade as oppose to bb/bb.


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## paulrbarnard (2 Jan 2023)

I’m using some B&Q plywood and it is terrible. I just pealed the label off and it took the top layer of the ply off with it.


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