Material Thickness for Drawers

[clive griffiths]

I need to build a few drawers around 1metre long and looking to use 12mm ply but I dont know if I should up this to 15mm,
any thoughts.
Also looking to getting some quality router cutters , Again any thoughts?
Clive.

 

[AJB Temple]

Use thicker ply at 1m.

 

[Yojevol]

Are you intending to use the same ply for all the drawer parts?
Buy quality cutters individually as you need them from Wealden Tools.
Brian

 

[Jones]

It might depend on the hardware you use. If you use side mounted runners I'd go for 18 mm so you can get a decent screw in. Unless theyre very shallow 1m is a wide drawer that can take alot of weight. If you use an under mount runner 12 or 15 sides might be ok. 10 or 12 for the base should do

 

[Just4Fun]

How wide will the drawers be and how much weight will be put in them?

 

[Peter Sefton]

What are you planning to put in them, fluffy woolen jumpers or heavy plates and kitchenware? How deep are the drawers, the bottom sagging may be the biggest issue-can they have a divider? Ply on edge for the drawer side is very strong.

Cheers

Peter

 

[ChrisWiduWood]

also what runners are you planning to use, Blum Tandems/Movento max thickness 16mm as an example

 

[Just4Fun]

I just measured some drawers in our kitchen. The bases are 1120 x 485 mm. The drawer bottoms are 16 mm thick coated chipboard. Being a typical kitchen these carry little weight and we have had no issues. Can anyone else add some examples - failures could be particularly informative.

 

[Spectric]

Regards router cutters, Wealdon or infinity . Router Cutters

https://www.infinitytools.co.uk/router-bits/

 

[clive griffiths]

Thank you all for your advice, the drawers will be 200 mm deep and will be fitted in bedroom wardrobes.

I will go for the 15 mm thickness for the sides and 12 mm for the base, runners not yet decided.

Here is the big question I get my timber from Timbmet and here are the prices for 15 mm poplar ply £78.50 +Vat as birch is very scarce at the moment.

Clive.

 

[johnnyb]

I wouldn't use poplar as a drawer material personally. it's nowhere near as strong as birch.

 

[Jacob]

I need to build a few drawers around 1metre long and looking to use 12mm ply but I dont know if I should up this to 15mm,
any thoughts.
Also looking to getting some quality router cutters , Again any thoughts?
Clive.

Have a look at some drawers and see how they are made and whether or not it is adequate.
The safe way to design anything is to copy something which works.
12mm ply is hefty stuff - I've seen large old wardrobe drawers with just 5mm ply bottoms, sometimes without a muntin in the middle. Not recommending it , just saying - have a look at stuff.

 

[Sean33]

I need to build a few drawers around 1metre long and looking to use 12mm ply but I dont know if I should up this to 15mm,
any thoughts.
Also looking to getting some quality router cutters , Again any thoughts?
Clive.

If it helps, just made some at 980 x 400 x 250 used 15mm birch ply and 12mm bottoms with Blum runners, extremely sturdy, think I could have got away with 9mm bottoms but went for overkill to be on the safe side

 

[clive griffiths]

If it helps, just made some at 980 x 400 x 250 used 15mm birch ply and 12mm bottoms with Blum runners, extremely sturdy, think I could have got away with 9mm bottoms but went for overkill to be on the safe side

Sounds good to me, now anyone know where to buy reasonable priced birch ply?

 

[Sean33]

Sounds good to me, now anyone know where to buy reasonable priced birch ply?

Unfortunately not! I am just about to price a job that will need most thicknesses bb/bb once I have the final dimensions I’ll let you know how I get on. For reference few weeks ago I was quoted £176 plus vat for 18mm

 

[niall Y]

I used to use what was called 'drawer-side ply, available in 1/2" and thinner I believe.
Not sure if it is still available. It was reddish in colour but differed from other ply's in that the wood grain of its alternate layers was not at a fixed right angle, but sloped. Because of this, the edges planed beautifully and it was a joy to work with.