I'm in the process of building a large nightstand and I'm trying to decide what material to use for the bottoms of my largest drawers. They measure 18x33 inches and 6 inches deep, plus I have a "tray" drawer that's 18x33 and 2.5 inches deep. I have access to both 1/4" and 1/2" birch plywood. I'm curious if the 1/4" will be strong enough for these larger drawers or if I should definitely opt for the 1/2". If both would work, would it be wiser to go with the 1/4" to keep the weight down? For context, the sides of the drawer boxes will be 1/2" birch plywood, and I'm using Blum soft close full extension undermount slides. Any other tips for building drawer boxes would be super helpful too since this is my first time working on them!
2 Answers
For drawers that size, I'd personally go with 1/2". It just feels sturdier and will help prevent any sagging in the long run. Better safe than sorry with a big drawer!
If you're using 1/4" Baltic birch, it should hold up just fine! Baltic birch is pretty strong. Just make sure you secure the bottom in the groove with staples or glue, as keeping it from flexing is key in wider drawers. If you're worried about bending, adding a support strip of 1/2" in the middle can help, but often it's not necessary with good materials.
Great tip! I’ll definitely consider adding a support strip.
Totally agree! Putting in a support strip is a smart move. It’s easy to do while you’re building, and it’ll save you from regrets later when you realize how heavy your stuff is!