Drawers for kitchen cabinets

[Sparetime]

I am planning to use more drawers for the base cabinets. Some of the drawers will be fairly large. 34" wide x 22 deep by 9 high. In the past I have used 1/2 inch baltic birch plywood for the sides and 1/4 inch for the bottom. The drawers will be used to store pots, pans and baking dishes. We have a number of pampered chef type baking dishes that are heavy.

Will the 1/2 inch sides and 1/4 inch bottom be sufficient or should I increase thickness on sides, bottom or both? The baltic birch ply is really good stuff. I can get it in 3/4 for sure, i'd have to check on 5/8

typically, I've used hidden kreg screw butt joints for the sides and a dado for the bottom.

[MsNomer]

I'd suggest 1/2" on bottom not for strength, but so you can eliminate the lip around the bottom. So much nicer when nothing can get caught on the drawer above.

Is there any item that requires this wide a drawer? Narrower drawers are much easier.

[Splinter Puller]

for drawers that size I upsize the sides to 3/4 poplar and the bottoms to 1/2. My normal drawers are 5/8" poplar sides with 1/4" bottom panels. For slides I use HD slides for the larger drawers and regular for the normal. The upsizing helps when kids lean on the big drawers.

[Sassafrasman]

I would do 5/8" sides and 1/2" bottom.

I've actually replaced many 1/2" boxes with 1/4" bottoms that another nearby custom builder makes for his kitchens. They are fine for small drawers but not for large pot and pan drawers.

[Leinie]

If your using slides like blumotions, you will be fine, if the slides mount on the side of the drawer box, use a thicker bottom and sides

[jteneyck]

1/2" bottoms for sure if you want to load them up. But the strength of a side is determined primarily by it's height (by the square of the height actually), not it's thickness, so 1/2" will be fine for one 9" high whether you use side mount or undermount slides. The only reason to go thicker would be if the aesthetics look better to you. Personally, I think drawer sides thicker than 5/8" look clunky.

John

[MT Stringer]

For our kitchen, I used 5/8 inch stock milled from 3/4. Some were glue ups (using odd widths) to get the deeper sides. I also used 1/2 inch prefinished ply for the bottoms. Makes for some nice looking drawers.

[AzFred]

Have you calculated the weight that the drawers will be expected to hold? Pots and pans can be large and filled with air. Finger jointed and bottom dados in 1/2 BB sides and 1/4' bottoms may be plenty. 34" is quite wide. The actual weight projection matters and may help determine the best suspension choice.

[rwe2156]

I used 3/4 ply for the bottoms.
1/2" is probably adequate.
The back and sides will act as stiffeners.

[Bibliophile 13]

MsNomer said:

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Is there any item that requires this wide a drawer? Narrower drawers are much easier.

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+1

Big drawers get cluttered, and you always end up having to sub-divide them anyway. Narrower drawers (18" wide or less) are much more practical.