Client said my drawer boxes were too heavy, she was right

A homeowner in Austin called me out last month. She said I should be using 1/2 inch ply instead of 3/4 for the sides and backs. I argued at first, but then I weighed one of my drawers - 18 pounds empty. Switched to 1/2 birch with dovetails on the front only. Shaved 6 pounds off each one. She was happy and installation got way easier. Has anyone else had a client call them out on something that actually made their work better?

2 comments

2 Comments

ellis.charles14d agoProlific Poster

Man, big respect for admitting that. It takes a good person to listen when a client points something out like that. I've had homeowners catch stuff I was brushing off and it stings at first but usually makes me a better craftsman in the long run. 18 pounds empty is wild to think about, that's like hauling a small bag of concrete around every time you open a drawer. Plus you saved yourself some back pain on install day which is always a bonus lol. Glad it worked out for both of you.

wyatt_green13d ago

honestly i gotta push back on this a little. 1/2 inch ply for drawer sides is asking for trouble down the road. yeah it's lighter but after a few years of loading those things up with cast iron pans or canned goods that 1/2 is gonna start bowing and the dovetails will loosen up. i've seen it happen. 3/4 might be overkill for some but it gives you room to screw up and still have a solid box that won't rack. your client got what she wanted but i bet in 3 years she's complaining about sagging drawers.