Plywood Thickness For Shelves

Tips for designing your custom plywood shelves.

Plywood thickness for shelves. The thickness is my favorite partthey look like they cost a lot of time andor money even though that isnt the case. The minimum thickness you need for shelves is 12 inch but if you plan to load them with heavy items use 34 inch plywood. Plywood would sag for sure eventually with any load at all. Each of these shelves is the same thickness length and width.

How to strengthen a shelf. I recently made an inset cherry shelf unit for a client using 12 cherry plywood to span the 28 but milled a solid cherry nosing for the front edge of the plywood. In other words your shelves need to look good whilst also providing enough space to store all the things you want to put on them. Standard sheets of plywood come in 14 inch 38 inch 12 inch 58 inch and 34 inch thicknesses.

3 sand the surface of the plywood shelf smooth with a belt sander and 100 grit sandpaper. The solid wood shelf holds up four times the weight of the plain particleboard shelf. They are made from plywood so the thickness is fakethey are actually hollow in the middle. Balance the practical with the aesthetic.

If the shelves were narrower adding solid wood and laminate would help even more. Shelving made from 34 inch plywood will be a sturdier base for heavy items than 12 inch thick plywood. Plywood for shelves should be 34 inch thick or thicker. See more ideas about diy furniture plywood shelves shelves.

Also side note this tutorial is for floating shelves that are attached to the wall on three sides. Strengthening plywood and composite shelves. If you are intent on use plywood at least make a solid edging piece to stiffen the ply along its length. Thinner sheets of plywood can be glued together laminated to make a thicker panel for cutting sturdier shelves.

Plywood panels over 34 inch in thickness are usually special order products.