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Knowledgebase » How To Guides » WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND PLYWOOD ON THE SIDES OF CABINETS?
 WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND PLYWOOD ON THE SIDES OF CABINETS?
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WON'T THE VENEER WORK JUST AS WELL?

DON'T WASTE YOU TIME, PATIENCE AND MONEY BY TRYING TO PUT VENEER ON SIDES OF CABINETS!!!

VENEER IS VERY THIN (ABOUT 1/16" WITH THE ADHESIVE BACKING), AND VERY STICKY. ONCE IT TOUCHES A SURFACE, YOUWON'T BE ABLE TO MOVE IT AGAIN WITHOUT DESTROYING IT.

VENEER IS WAAAAAY TO HARD TO WORK WITH IN WIDTHS OVER APROX. 6" WIDE (TOOOO STICKY AND UNWIELDY). IT IS MADE FOR THE FRONTS OF THE CABINETS, THE "FACE FRAMES", WHICH RARELY EXCEED 4" IN WIDTH. IT WORKS BEAUTIFULLY ON THOSE FRONTS OF THE CABINETS.

THE PLYWOOD IS THICKER,VERY STIFF, AND IS APPLIED WITH SLOW SETTING ADHESIVE LIKE "LIQUID NAILS" OR OTHER PANEL ADHESIVE THAT CAN BE APPLIED USING A CAULK GUN.YOU CAN PLACE IT AND MOVE IT AROUND UNTIL YOU LIKE THE POSITIONING, THEN TACK IT IN PLACEAND PUTTY OVER THE BRAD HOLES.

YOU CAN SKIP THE BRADS ALTOGETHER IF YOU WANT TO CLAMP EVERYTHING AND LEAVE IT TO SET OVERNIGHT, BUT THATIS NOT GENERALLY PRACTICAL TO DO, AND I DON'T KNOW OF ANYONE WHO EVER HAS DONE SO. NOBOBY, EXCEPT YOURSELF, WILL EVER KNOW WHERE THOSE FEW WELL PLACED, COUNTERSUNK, AND PUTTIED OVER BRADS ARE ON THE PANEL.

TIP:ONE THING WE ALWAYS DO IS SAW OFF THE FRONT OF THE CABINET'S "FACE FRAME" THATOVERHANGS THE SIDE SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE THE PLYWOOD SIDE PANEL COME DIRECTLY TO THE FRONT OF THE CABINET. THATGIVES YOUR CABINETS THE CLEANEST LOOK OF ALL.

THEUNFINISHED EDGE OF THE PLYWOOD SIDE WILL GET SANDED FLUSH AND COVERED WITH THE VENEER PIECES THAT YOU APPLY TO THE FRONT FACE FRAMES, GIVING A VERY FINISHED APPEARANCE. MUCH NICER THAN THE OLD "FACE FRAME" OVERHANGING THE FRONT EDGE OF THE CABINET.

THE PLYWOOD IS THICK ENOUGH AND STIFF ENOUGH TO BRIDGE LARGE GAPS,COVER DEFECTS LIKEGOUGES, NAIL HOLES, AND OTHER "SINS" THAT THEVENEER IS SIMPLY NOT THICK ENOUGH TO HIDE.

JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS AND USE THE CONTACT ADHESIVE ON THE RAW WOOD EDGE OF THE PLYWOOD.

THE SHORT ANSWER IS: IF YOU USE THE VENEER FOR THE SIDES OF CABINETS,YOU HAVEA GOOD CHANCE OFWILL END UP WITH WRINKLES OR CREASESWITH LUMPSAND YOU WILL BE FRUSTRATED TO THE POINT THAT YOU WILL CALL US AND ORDER THE PLYWOOD ANYWAY.

THE ONLY TRUE EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE IS ON THE "LAMINATE" TYPE "FRAMELESS" CABINETS, WHERE YOU REALLY CANNOT ADD 3/16" TO AN OUTSIDE WALL, BECAUSE THE DOOR ALREADY FULLY COVERS THE ORIGINAL CABINET , AND THE DOOR ALREADY COMES ALL THE WAY TO THE SIDE OF THE CABINET. ADDING NEARLY 1/4" OF RAW EDGED PLYWOOD WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE, AND THE LAMINATE SIDES OF THE ORIGINALCABINET MAKES A GREAT SURFACE FOR THE SELF ADHESIVE VENEER TO BE APPLIED TO. BUT IT STILL IS TRICKY TO GET THE PIECE ON FLAT WITHOUT AIR BUBBLES OR WRINKLES.

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