Favorite Painted Cabinet Plywood/Face Frame Material?

[3PedalMINI]

Hey Guys, looking to step up my cabinet game. Normally I get poplar for the faceframes and Birch Plywood for the carcass. What does everyone like to use? Do you like to use a veneer prefinished plywood for the carcase interior, build your faceframe paint and then attach it to the carcass?

TIA!

 

[bnaboatbuilder]

For painted cabinets inside and out, I use paint grade maple plywood and maple hardwood for frames.

 

[tjbnwi]

Maple for the frames---preferably hard maple.

Combi-Core plywood for the boxes. Get the Combi-Core with the MDF face exposed.

Tom

 

[semenza]

For the boxes ..............if painted on the inside, MDO. If finished inside painted outside , prefinished plywood.

Maple or Poplar for face frames, shelf edges, trim.

Nothing in stone though. It really depends on the build.  EX- I used 9mm Baltic birch for the skins on torsion box shelves for some long spans.

Seth

 

[lwoirhaye]

MDF is reliably flat and paints well. For face frame work flatness that may not matter as much.  Plywood is certainly lighter and more pleasant to cut.

 

[DIY WoodWerx]

MDF is reliably flat and paints well. For face frame work flatness that may not matter as much.  Plywood is certainly lighter and more pleasant to cut.

I’m about to build a cabinet and was looking at the purebond plywood at the big box store.  If using MDF, how well does MDF hold up to screws?  And what screws recommended for mdf?

 

[tjbnwi]

MDF is reliably flat and paints well. For face frame work flatness that may not matter as much.  Plywood is certainly lighter and more pleasant to cut.

I’m about to build a cabinet and was looking at the purebond plywood at the big box store.  If using MDF, how well does MDF hold up to screws?  And what screws recommended for mdf?

Look into Spax MDF screws.

Tom

 

[DIY WoodWerx]

MDF is reliably flat and paints well. For face frame work flatness that may not matter as much.  Plywood is certainly lighter and more pleasant to cut.

I’m about to build a cabinet and was looking at the purebond plywood at the big box store.  If using MDF, how well does MDF hold up to screws?  And what screws recommended for mdf?

Look into Spax MDF screws.

Tom

Thanks.  Will search for them.  Will MDF hold up well to domino for alignment?

 

[tjbnwi]

MDF is reliably flat and paints well. For face frame work flatness that may not matter as much.  Plywood is certainly lighter and more pleasant to cut.

I’m about to build a cabinet and was looking at the purebond plywood at the big box store.  If using MDF, how well does MDF hold up to screws?  And what screws recommended for mdf?

Look into Spax MDF screws.

Tom

Thanks.  Will search for them.  Will MDF hold up well to domino for alignment?

Yes, MDF is hard on cutters, get an extra one before you start.

Tom

 

[DIY WoodWerx]

MDF is reliably flat and paints well. For face frame work flatness that may not matter as much.  Plywood is certainly lighter and more pleasant to cut.

I’m about to build a cabinet and was looking at the purebond plywood at the big box store.  If using MDF, how well does MDF hold up to screws?  And what screws recommended for mdf?

Look into Spax MDF screws.

Tom

Thanks.  Will search for them.  Will MDF hold up well to domino for alignment?

Yes, MDF is hard on cutters, get an extra one before you start.

Tom

Thanks for that advice.  Do people typically use MDf for sides, top, and bottoms only?  How about drawer construction?  Best to go with a plywood?

 

[tjbnwi]

I avoid MDF like the plague. I've learned what I've learned from the few times I had to work with it.

The boxes I build are plywood of various types, the face frames are solid wood of various species, doors are 5 piece with solid rails and stiles, panel dependent on door style, drawers are steamed beech with plywood bottoms.

Tom