Dresser Question -- Plywood bracing/drawer support?

[jkanter]

Hello all! I am building a dresser for my new baby boy that's coming any day now! I am looking to add wood to the back so that I can attach the drawer slides and add some stability.

That being said, I do not have 1x4's of real wood available to me right now. I can buy them if necessary(and don't mind the $$$) but I was wondering if I might be able to use the off-cuts from my 4x8 sheets of 3/4" Shop-Grade 5-Ply Maple. These would be the same thickness as solid pieces of 1x4's but I wasn't sure if the ply was as strong as normal wood to attach the drawer slides too. Drawers will be filled with clothes, baby clothes(!), so they will not be going to be terrible heavy. I was also going to give vertical bracing between the pieces of ply to ensure stability.

The braces would go from edge to edge across the back. I have included a picture of the dresser and the maple plywood which I have enough of to get me through this project if that works.

Thank you very much for all your help....super excited to finish this up!

 

[dmccririe]

Although not aesthetically as pleasing as a solid piece, this should work for the desired use.  If it isn't what you want when you finish, you can attach a solid piece of ply for the back.  Congratulations

 

[jkanter]

Although not aesthetically as pleasing as a solid piece, this should work for the desired use.  If it isn't what you want when you finish, you can attach a solid piece of ply for the back.  Congratulations

I will be putting a piece of 1/4" mdf on the back to cover it up and the rest is just behind the drawers.  This is purely for internal bracing.  All the visible parts of the dresser are already put together and painted there.

Appreciate the help and thanks!

 

[tomp]

No reason that you can't use plywood for the drawer supports, no different than screwing the slides to the inside of the cabinet. It looks as if the supports will be hidden when the drawers are in place, so there's no problem there. If I use plywood for stringers that show - the cabinet here has stringers across the top for attaching the top; veneer tape on the inside edges, the outside edges are hidden by the face frame and cabinet back - I just go ahead and put iron-on veneer tape on the edges that show, nobody is going to notice that you used plywood.

 

[Alanbach]

I agree that plywood will work fine. Since you are not using a face frame the ends of these pieces might show more than you want when the drawers are open but I agree with the previous poster that some iron on tape or a good prime, fill, paint job on the ends will do the trick. You will need to add a vertical support in the middle since it looks like your center vertical does not go all the way to the back. Also consider a thicker back so that you have ample support in the back for the drawer supports. Your concept of a brace that runs between the supports in the back is great and will be enhanced by securing it directly to the back. That should create a strong three sided support system that is well secured to the back and the front of the cabinet.

 

[JimD]

Plywood is not as strong as solid wood but I agree with the other replies indicating it will work fine.