Hello World! Welcome Friends! Having to choose what material you want to use with your drawer boxes, you should consider whether you want it made out of wood or some other material like particleboard. Although particleboard is much cheaper than that of hardwood, it is however not that durable when it comes to wear and tear. Hence, plywood and hardwoods are still a popular choice when it comes to determining the material that you would want to have in your drawer boxes.
Most cabinetmakers who are working with expensive and eye-catching hardwoods are mostly not so sure on what they will use when it comes to the construction of these drawers. They will have to determine which type of wood is most compatible or most fitting to be used as the interior sides, or the back, or the bottom of the drawer boxes. Another thing that will also need consideration is on how it will fit and complement the cabinet where it needs to be installed. This is because ultimately, you would not want to have a kitchen drawer or a bedroom drawer where the drawer boxes are very far out from the cabinet when it comes to the design, much more how it fits with the cabinet.
In choosing what type of wood you would want, you would have to consider the cost of such material, and also, with how much you are willing to spend on it. There are hardwoods like cherry and maple which are a bit pricey, but this also comes with the inherent quality that these types of woods possess. But of course, there are other woods that are less expensive but can still be able to suit your needs and your budget.
Most drawer boxes, even those of high-quality handmade drawer boxes are using plywood bottoms. The logic behind this is because the plywood material is flat; it is also durable and has more stability when it comes to the dimensions. Plywood is also much easier to cut and then get it fit into the box than having to glue a bunch of hardwood planks.
The thickness of plywood for most drawers is one-fourth inch but it can be a one-half inch thick if it will be installed in larger drawer boxes. These materials can be found in different hardwoods this is so that one or both of the outer veneers will be compatible with your drawer boxes and its fronts. However, this type of material is not always available, so if you cannot find this type of material, then you will just have to improvise, or maybe purchase one that is already ready-made.
When it comes to being in complement with the cabinet where the drawer boxes are to be installed, of course, there is nothing wrong with giving the aesthetic of your furniture with a little contrast, but of course you should be able to see to it it is a good contrast, not something that is very far off. If you want some contrast with your cabinet, one example of good contrast is with the joints like that of a half-blind dovetail.
One good choice in this kind of woodwork is Poplar. Poplar is a type of wood that is a very popular material that is being used in many furniture items because it is affordable, it is easy to work on, and it takes nails, screws, and glues very well. With Poplar, this is a very good choice for drawer construction because it is also with its affordability; the quality of the wood material is not sacrificed because it is also stable and durable. Poplar’s color ranges from a creamy white to a yellowish tan or brown which blends very well with birch plywood. If you should know, birch plywood is a very excellent choice for your drawer bottoms.
If you are not that mindful with your budget, you can also choose to use cherry as the material for your drawer boxes. Cherry wood is expensive but still costs less than other hardwoods. Cherry wood is also well-known for being very durable. Also, the cherry wood has the ability to add elegance to its surrounding given its dark heartwood color. Cherry wood is highly treasured by woodworkers because of its rich color, its smooth grain, and its flexibility.
Another type of wood that you may want to consider is maple. Maple is also not that expensive but has very good durability. Maple also blends very well with the birch plywood which to reiterate is a very good material for drawer bottoms.
With all those considered, it is very important to choose the material first before you decide on what design you would want your drawer boxes to look, or how you would want it to fit into your cabinets when it is already installed.
If you are already considering how your drawer box will come into fruition, you should then consider having a dovetail drawer. This type of drawer requires a different kind of construction and is regarded as one of those high-quality drawer boxes. What makes a dovetail drawer stand out against all other kinds of drawers is because of the joint that is being used for dovetail drawers.
The joint that is constructed for dovetail drawers is called a locking joint which is constructed from wedge-shaped channel cut down into the wood that interlocks with the other one from either side of the drawer, ultimately creating the box. These wedge-shaped tunnels are named as tails and pins which provides for a very durable joint that is aptly resistant to force once both of the sides are already assembled.
Because of the construction of these joints, dovetail drawers offer a hefty storage space which is of course what you want your drawer boxes to become. The English dovetail allows for the largest possible drawer, regardless of what kind of furniture they are to be installed.
The decision really lies on what your needs are, and how functional and durable you want your drawer boxes are going to be.
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Toodles,
Interesting information! I’d never thought before about all these different options! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
http://www.paperandvine.com
I’m pretty lucky; my husband made our kitchen cabinets and is currently making a set of kitchen cabinets for our basement. We use solid wood construction. Our original cabinets were made out of red oak and our new ones that we’re working on our made out of walnut. I can not wait to see what they’ll look like all urethaned.
I bet they will be gorgeous!! Thank you for stopping by!
Hi, I had to stop and look to see what you decided. We opted for IKEA and ALL drawers and drawers within drawers, except for the corner cabinet with a carousel, a pull out cabinet for bottles next to the stove and a cabinet with three metal basket shelves for veggies–and I store my strainers and huge metal bowls there! Best part is everything is easily reached…the only thing we didn’t find room for was the heavy mixer—which I use so much it just stays on the counter.
I’m throughly pleased with our entire kitchen, the IKEA hardware—more than makes up for the particle board drawer construction.
Great information! Thanks so much for sharing this with the gang at Fiesta Friday this week!
Love dovetail joints! This was very interesting!
Thanks for sharing your helpful tips at Vintage Charm, Kathryn!
Great tips! Thanks for sharing at Best of the Weekend. Your post was our Most Clicked link of the week! Congrats and be sure to stop by tomorrow at 8:00 am for our next party! Have a wonderful weekend!
Shelley