PSA: I just found out most cabinet shops waste a ton of wood on drawer boxes

I was reading an old trade journal from 2018 at the library yesterday and saw a study from a big wood supplier. It said the average custom shop uses 1/2 inch ply for drawer sides when 3/8 inch is plenty strong for 90% of builds. That means we are all paying for and cutting 25% more material than we need for no real reason. I switched my last two kitchen jobs to 3/8 inch and saved a full sheet of ply per job. Has anyone else tested thinner drawer stock and been happy with it?

2 comments

2 Comments

leo_campbell12d ago

Damn, that's a huge waste. Good find.

hugo_ellis12d ago

See it all the time. Like when stores throw out perfectly good food at closing. Or when a new phone comes out and last year's model just gets tossed. Feels like we're stuck in a cycle of making stuff just to throw it away later. Makes you wonder where it all ends up.