I’m just getting my feet wet with frame-and-panel cabinet doors using new matched stile-and-rail bits from Whiteside. I like the look of flat vs. raised panels, which means I’ll be using 1/4-inch plywood for the panels. I’m leaning toward birch for the cabinets and doors but can’t find anything other than rotary-cut birch ply. Any idea why nobody seems to supply plain-sliced birch ply?
Am I being too picky here? I’ve done cabinets in the past out of rotary-cut oak and haven’t been happy with the wild grain patterns. Is this less of a problem with rotary-cut birch?
Anyway, the overall look I’m after is oiled cherry, but the price of cherry lumber and ply seem to be way higher than birch. Should I just bite the bullet and go with cherry, or do you think I can get the desired effect with birch lumber and rotary-cut birch ply? Thanks.
Replies
Be as picky as you want. I like the plain-sawn sheet goods better too. If your supplier can't get you what you want, find another one. You can do a search on your computer to find lumber yards in your area. Birch is really a nice look for some projects.
I was lucky and found some maple plywood for 29.00 a sheet at Home Depot and I used it to make some fancy storage cabinets.
Most areas have specialty plywood suppliers that sell sheet goods to cabinetmakers, they would have what you want. Lumber yards sell house building materials, not furniture stock. If you found a lumber yard that could order what you want they would only be buying it from a plywood supplier and then marking it up before they sold it to you. A search of the yellow pages will probably turn up one or more sources.
John W.
One thing to think is that , depending on the finish, plywood doesn't match stained wood as well. Just a point to keep in mind.
Also, poor quality plywood will telegraph the underlaying plywood layers. And, Many of the import plywoods have almost no surface veneer on the(less than 1/64") and you can even see the glue layer through the veneer.
Edited 7/1/2003 12:39:56 AM ET by migraine
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