Kitchen modeling and re-modeling sure come with a lot of questions and decisions to be made. Perhaps the most outstanding of those decisions is determining what material to construct your kitchen cabinets out of.
Of all the wood materials favored by furniture producers, plywood is the king of them all and for good reason. Lightness, strength, and affordability are among the top reasons why this material comes so highly recommended.
Plywood comes in different sizes, grades, and thickness. Thinner plies can be bent or curved for special effects while thicker sheets can withstand enormous pressure and increase the durability of your finished kitchen cabinets.
There are so many options in the market and different factors to consider when choosing plywood for constructing kitchen cabinets. This review will answer your questions and help you choose the best materials to produce your dream cabinets.
Need a suggestion? Check out these top 3!
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Top 8 Best Plywood for Kitchen Cabinets
1. Woodpeckers Box of 45 Baltic Birch Plywood B/BB Grade
These 1/8" thick Baltic Birch Plywood sheets from Woodpeckers are a superior quality choice for your kitchen cabinets. The plywood is multi-coated and is manufactured from Baltic Birch, a very strong and reliable wood.
Be assured of stable, rigid, and durable cabinets when you use this plywood. The box comes with 45 sheets of plywood finished with veneer on the front and back. The front is uniform colored and smooth while the back has small color variations.
This plywood sheet can be smoothly sliced with a laser cutter or scroll saw. CNC routers and engraving machines also glide very smoothly across the smooth veneer face.
It is ideal plywood for high-production and low-production woodworks that demand systematized woodcutting.
To complete your kitchen cabinet project without hassles, you need a surface with outstanding holding power. This will make it easy for the screws and glue you use for production to stay put and hold up your cabinets during use.
Woodpeckers is a company dedicated to providing top-notch materials and this B/BB grade plywood suffices. This plywood has been manufactured with modern wood production methods by the world's top lumber producers in Russia.
The result is premium construction plywood that is creep resistant and highly durable, the best choice for your kitchen cabinets.
Highlighted features:
- Grade B/BB.
- Box of 45 sheets.
- Laser cutter and scroll saw compatible.
- Heavy duty.
- 12” x 12” sheets with 1/8” thickness
2. Woodcraft Woodshop Baltic Birch Plywood
For more than 80 years, Woodcraft has been providing premium woodworking materials and tools to its customers and is still fully committed to this cause.
This is why customers always get top-notch materials like this Baltic Birch Plywood available in different sizes. Take note that the listed dimensions are stated at the nominal thickness and delivered products will be plus or minus 1/4”.
If you're looking for quality Birch Plywood that is also affordable for your project, this is the best choice for you. It is a practical grade material made of Baltic Birch from Finland and Russia.
It uses less expensive plies and glues in the layup so you don't have to pay ridiculous prices for good plywood. Birch Plywood is an excellent material of choice for your kitchen cabinet project as it is strong, durable, and can easily be painted.
A handy scroll saw will make easy work of cutting this plywood sheet up for you into usable sizes for smooth work. The B/BB grade sheet is true to its name with one smooth face. That face contains no patches or splices but may have mineral streaks or a knot pattern.
This Birch plywood is furniture grade material well worth the price pf purchase. Some other plywood offerings come with ragged edges and blemishes that customers often overlook, but not this piece of perfection from Woodcraft.
Many local and online stores handle plywood sheets roughly but this product comes well packaged and in mint condition.
Highlighted features:
- Single sheet plywood.
- Grade B/BB.
- 24” x 30” sheet with 1/2” thickness.
3. Wood-Ever Premium Baltic Birch Plywood B/BB Grade
Wood-Ever is known for delivering premium products and these B/BB Grade Baltic Birch Plywood sheets are not left out. The inner core of each plywood sheet is made of solid Birch veneer wood.
This makes for a more dense foundation and increases the strength and durability of each sheet. For your kitchen cabinet project to turn out beautifully and last long, you need strongly built sheets like these with guaranteed integrity.
The face veneer of each plywood sheet is smooth and beautiful. Every surface is clean with no open cracks, knots, splits, or plugs. This is convenient for stenciling, painting, and staining.
The back face is very much like the front just with tiny color patches. This is aesthetically appealing and naturally beautiful. Because of the smoothness of the thick veneer face, engraving is made easy using CNC routers and other engraving equipment.
If you've come across higher-priced plywood made from tropical hardwood, you will agree that this high-quality Birch product is an amazing replacement.
This is the best price you will get, even at the wholesale level and you're guaranteed to get all the value for your money from this purchase.
You can use these plywood sheets for homemade woodcraft projects and larger constructions as well.
Whatever the size of your kitchen cabinets, this product is adequate and up to the task. Experts and novice woodworkers alike can use these plywood sheets to achieve a masterpiece project.
Highlighted features:
- Includes 20 sheets.
- Heavy-duty multi-coated plywood.
- Compatible with a laser cutter and scroll saw.
- 12” x 20” sheets with 1/8” thickness.
4. Woodpeckers Box of 20 Premium Baltic Birch Plywood B/BB Grade
This is another B/BB grade of Birch Plywood offered by Woodpeckers. Unlike the first type of plywood we reviewed from this manufacturer, each sheet in this package is bigger.
The face of the cover veneer is smooth, easy to engrave on, and takes very nicely to paint. The face of the back veneer has small color variations that make for a beautiful natural pattern.
Made with the most recent wood production technology, these high-quality plywood sheets from Woodpeckers are reliable and durable. It arrives well packaged and in good condition for a kitchen cabinet project.
The plywood is multicoated for extra stability and rigidity. This means your kitchen cabinets will stand strong and withstand pressure when in use.
Using a laser cutter or scroll saw, you can make smooth cuts through the thick layers of this Birch Plywood. Take note that some sheets may not cut very well in certain spots and you will have to finish those areas off with manual methods.
It's easy to manually touch up uncut areas later but this makes it less convenient to work with than hardwood.
Since you're paying way less for these plywood sheets than you would hardwood, we will say it's still a very good deal for the cost. This is the perfect Birch Plywood to employ for all your big or small kitchen cabinet projects.
Highlighted features:
- Grade B/BB.
- Multicoated plywood.
- Manufactured in Russia.
- 12” x 24” sheets with 1/8” thickness.
5. Capitol City Lumber Marine Grade Plywood
This Marine Grade Plywood sheet is an excellent choice with good thickness for any big or small kitchen cabinet construction. You will receive your product in a well-packaged parcel with adequate weather protection to ensure you get the same quality of plywood that left the Capitol City Lumber warehouse.
This is especially important if you don't want to deal with dried out or warped wood for your special project. The front face is smooth and clear with uniform color while the back has small color variations and beautiful grain.
The small patches and little blemishes may be a downside if you're looking for perfect wood but it gives a natural look and finish to woodwork projects that many look forward to.
For the integrity of your project, you need plywood with no gaps or serious blemishes. That is what Capitol City Lumber provides with this 2” x 4” plywood. It is high quality and you will have no complaints connected to ease of use.
This is an unfinished, untreated sheet of plywood that can be utilized in different applications apart from building kitchen cabinets. If you have some leftover after your project, you can easily repurpose it for another small project.
You can find larger sheets of plywood by Capitol City Lumber but the size and thickness of this project will be sufficient for your needs. Please allow for plus or minus 1/8” difference in listed measurements.
Highlighted features:
- Marine grade.
- No voids between layers.
- 2” x 4” sheet with 3/4” thickness.
6. Anderson Plywood Baltic Birch Plywood B/BB Grade
Anderson Plywood's B/BB Grade Baltic Birch Plywood is an excellent choice for constructing your kitchen cabinet. The natural beauty of Baltic Birch is so attractive that it can stand alone with a little sanding and staining or varnishing.
Other types of plywood will require painting but you don't need to spend the extra cash or effort unless you want to. Grown in the Baltic States and produced in Russia and Finland, Anderson Plywood brings the strongest and highest quality B/BB grade plywood you will ever use.
The inner plies are laid in the alternating vertical and horizontal grain to increase the strength of each sheet and extend the plywood's resistance to moisture damage and warping. The front and back finish run lengthwise in beautiful vertical wood grain.
This B/BB grade Birch Plywood sheets from Anderson Plywood might be on the expensive side but the quality is out of this world. Many customers testify that they enjoyed using the product and would purchase again for future projects.
A scroll saw will glide right through and cut this plywood into usable pieces for your project. Enjoy smooth texture, high-quality grade, and outstanding durability with these plywood sheets.
Highlighted features:
- B/BB grade.
- Pack of 3.
- Heavy-duty plywood.
- Uniform color grain.
- 12” x 12” sheets with 1/4” thickness.
7. Frylr Premium Baltic Birch Plywood A/A Grade
If you’re looking for very smooth plywood for your kitchen cabinet project, this has to be the best pick for you. These are true A/A quality plywood sheets with a superior screw holding strength.
Because of the beautiful natural patterns on the back of these sheets, you can get away with light sandpapering and a little staining for a good looking kitchen cabinet.
If you’re keen on adding decorations, the smooth face makes stenciling, painting, and wood-burning super easy. Whether your project is big or small, Frylr's A/A Grade Birch Plywood is flexible enough to provide premium results.
Each sheet is comprised of solid veneer sheets to form a compact foundation. Only marine grade glue is used to hold the core pieces together to ensure there are no voids.
This increases the overall durability and strength of each plywood sheet to give added integrity to your kitchen cabinets. It also means you will enjoy better gluing and screwing than when using other plywood sheets.
Customer care assistance is another great plus about this company. We don't usually reach out to customer care with good news but they handle all complaints and inquiries with expertise.
Highlighted features:
- Void free core.
- Perfect smooth surface.
- Laser-cut sheets.
- A/A grade.
- 12” x 12” sheets with 1/8” thickness.
8. Alexandria Moulding PYR-02 PY012C Plywood
For special kitchen cabinet projects with round countertops, you can’t go wrong with Alexandria Moulding’s PYR-02 PY012C Plywood. This product is perfectly thick and round to achieve the best results for round form projects without the hassle of cutting out your round pieces.
If you have any sheets leftover after your project, you can utilize them for round top furniture making. Even if you don't need round cuts for your project, this is high-quality thick plywood that can be cut into required dimensions for a smooth premium finish.
The 17 layers of glued wood come together very nicely as quality hardwood is used for the core and high-grade glue holds it all together. This makes for a very compact plywood sheet that is very flat and will not warp.
The single plywood sheet is wrapped securely and delivered in mint condition for you to start your project. This round plywood is thick and flat but not perfectly round.
If you are looking for precision roundness, note that you will have to do some work to round off some flat edges to make it round. If you will be cutting it up into rectangles and squares, this is not needed.
Highlighted features:
- Thick and flat.
- Made with real wood.
- 11” wide and 3/4” thick.
Things to Consider Before Buying Plywood for Kitchen Cabinets
Research shows that 10-20 percent of plywood is wasted during construction projects. A lot of this wastage can be blamed on a lack of review before materials are purchased.
You must contemplate on certain important factors to buy the right materials for your project and avoid wasting money as you do so. Here are some points to consider before purchasing plywood for your kitchen cabinet construction.
Thickness:
the thickness of each plywood sheet is dictated by the number of layered plies. Less ply means thinner sheets and more ply translates to stronger, thicker sheets. 3-ply is about 1/10” thick while 5-ply is up to 1/6” thick.
Multi-ply has over seven layers and can be 3/4” thick or more for increased durability. We recommend multi-ply plywood for the strongest parts of your kitchen cabinet and 5-ply for other structures.
Framed or frameless:
will your kitchen cabinets be framed or frameless? If you’re going frameless, your project requires the use of stiffer, thicker plywood.
This makes up for the lacking supporting frames in your style. Framed cabinets can be made with thinner types of plywood because a supporting structure exists.
Curves:
style trends for kitchen cabinets have evolved from the conventional box cabinets with solid square lines. If your design features curved edges, you need to get plywood with the right substrate.
The right material is thin enough that it bends to the shape you want but still durable to withstand more fabrication and lamination as the project progresses.
Grade:
plywood is available in different grades. Each grade differs in appearance and quality.
- Grade A is the best with smooth surfaces and slight defects.
- Grade B is similar to A but has some knots and defects that can extend up to an inch across the sheet.
- Grade C is not sanded and has defects, knots, and discolorations.
- Grade D is similar to C but also has unrepaired snags.
We recommend grade A and B for your kitchen cabinets to ensure high-quality products that are built to last.
Decorative face:
the structure of your kitchen cabinet is important but aesthetics are also very important. You must use plywood with panel faces that rhyme with the overall design of your kitchen.
A natural plywood face can give you your desired finished look with some slight sanding and staining but you can enhance appearance by painting or adding decorative veneer finish.
Drawer construction:
cabinet drawers call for a different kind of construction than cabinet boxes. For drawer construction, 1/4” plywood should be used for the bottom while 1/2” plywood should be used for the sides.
You might get away with using the same type of plywood for your cabinet boxes and drawers but the lining will still differ.
We recommend using nothing less than a 5-ply material for the sides of your drawer. This ensures structural integrity and will reduce or eliminate the number of repairs you have to carry out after installation.
What are The Different Types of Plywood?
Plywood is a simple material with many variations. It is worth researching the different types of plywood to avoid choosing the wrong kind and ruining your kitchen cabinet project.
Choose the right type of plywood from the list below to save cost and time on your project.
Hardwood
This type of plywood is made by layering 3-7 plies of oak, birch, walnut, maple, or other kinds of hardwood. The pieces are laid at the right angle and glued together to guarantee a sturdy finish.
It can be used to construct good quality cabinets, tv stands, furniture, music instruments, floors and other items that need a strong frame.
Softwood
It is made from layers of redwood, pine, cedar, and other kinds of softwood. It is ideal for an exterior frame, subflooring, shelving, and temporary flooring.
We do not recommend the use of softwood plywood if you're constructing cabinets for an outdoor kitchen. This type of plywood lacks weather resistance and is not suitable for the outdoors.
Marine
For the exterior of marine plywood, a water-resistant glue is used as a varnish to stand as a barrier against water damage.
Although this fortification doesn't make marine plywood water-resistant, this option can withstand significant moisture and is ideal for use in kitchen projects. Marine plywood is one of the highest quality options available and is completely void of knotholes.
Lumber core
To make lumber core plywood, strips of wood are glued together and then sandwiched by two thin layers of hardwood veneer. It is very easy to integrate screws into its solid core making lumber core plywood the ideal choice for projects that require many fasteners.
Beware that the core may contain many voids that make it weaker than other types of plywood.
Aircraft
This is the most durable kind of plywood available on the market. It is made from hardwoods that can resist moisture and heat making them very strong.
Although very strong, aircraft plywood is also made to be lightweight. The veneer layers are very thin to keep it light and flexible. This type of plywood is mainly used in boat and airplane construction.
Structural
Structural or sheathing plywood is made with strong glue and can be used for indoor or outdoor projects. It is used in strengthening the frame of building structures that will be covered up later.
Note that structural plywood is not as weather-resistant as the other types of plywood recommended for outdoor use.
Overlaid
This is the type of plywood woodcraft workers go for when they want to decorate. It is made from the same layers of ply as other kinds of plywood but topped with a decorative veneer finish. In addition to beauty, this type of plywood is scratch and water-resistant too.
Exterior
Exterior plywood, as the name implies, is made specifically for outdoor use. The glue used in layering the boards is water and weather resistant. The outer layers are multi-ply plywood for added strength.
Exterior plywood can withstand rain, wind, and other harsh weather conditions for years. The best kinds are made with hardwood to withstand very harsh climate.
If you still can’t pick what type(s) of plywood you want to integrate into your project, you can send an inquiry message to the customer care desk of the supplier you plan to buy from.
The staff are usually well experienced and can help you make great choices for your unique project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you still have questions? Check out these questions customers usually ask before buying plywood for kitchen cabinets.
1. How thick should plywood be for cabinets?
You want to buy enough plywood for your kitchen cabinet project but you don't want to purchase a lot of wood in the wrong thickness and not be able to use it.
Purchasing plywood in the right thickness will help you have a smooth end product, save money, and protect the integrity of your cabinets.
In our experience, cabinets are mostly constructed with plywood of 1/4” to 1/2” thick. However, the thickness can vary according to the size of your cabinets. If you're building longer cabinet shelves, you want to go for thicker plywood that won't sag when pressure is applied.
When it comes to plywood thickness, take note that there is almost always a difference between what the manufacturer says and the real thickness.
Wood absorbs and loses moisture, and the sanding process can also affect thickness. Use calipers to take measurements or get test cuts to try out for thickness before you purchase.
2. Are plywood cabinets good quality?
Kitchen cabinets can be made from sophisticated materials like stainless steel but manufacturers gravitate towards wood-like materials to save costs. Of all the wood-like materials used to make kitchen cabinets, plywood is about the best.
Plywood cabinets are strong, highly moisture resistant, and very affordable.
3. Which material is best for kitchen cabinets?
Kitchen cabinets are for storage but they play a large role in the overall aesthetics of your kitchen space. Because of this, it is important to choose a strong and durable yet beautiful and cost-effective material for construction.
- Hardwood: available in different types, hardwood is the most beautiful and durable material of choice. However, it comes with a hefty price.
- Veneer: is thin sheets of hardwood. This is inexpensive but too lightweight for use. It is more of a finish than building material.
- Plywood: is laminate wood overlaid with veneer that is available in different grades. It is the material with the closest appearance and strength to hardwood but is much more cost-effective.
- Fiberboard: is a cost-effective choice made from recycled materials. It has a smooth surface for easy painting but is not nearly as strong as plywood or hardwood.
- Particleboard: is like fiberboard but has very low density. Although it is very cheap, particleboard easily soaks moisture and is the weakest material on this list.
Out of these five popular choices, we strongly recommend plywood.
4. What is better for cabinets; MDF or plywood?
Medium Density Fiber (MDF) and plywood are the two most common types of wood used in cabinet construction. MDF is glued wood fibers while plywood is made from plies of glued veneer.
Although MDF is smoother and easier to paint over than plywood, it is more susceptible to swelling, moisture damage, and delamination. MDF also emits an alarming amount of formaldehyde and other fumes when compared to plywood.
We recommend using plywood over MDF for the best quality cabinets. Some people combine both materials during construction to get the best of both worlds.
Conclusion
With all this valuable information on plywood sheets, you can confidently select the best plywood for your needs to make sure your cabinets look good and stand the test of time.
You can choose from the list of great products we have reviewed in this post and get started on your project right away.
Although the choices seem endless, the right products for your project are in the market and you can find it if you know what you're looking for. With this detailed guide, you don't have to give up on your kitchen cabinet project because you don't know what kind of wood to buy.
You can now make accurate decisions and have the perfect cabinets all your friends and family will gush over when they step into your kitchen.