Plywood Thickness Guide: What Size Do You Need?
- Cabinet Timbers
Plywood Thickness Guide: What Size Do You Need?
If you’ve ever tried to find your way around a materials catalogue, you’ll know that there’s actually a lot of variety across plywood panel products. From all the different plywood types ranging from A to D plywood grades and also plywood panels for various applications (i.e. marine grade plywood for shipwrighting vs. structural plywood for building and construction projects, etc.), you are veritably spoilt for choice.
Except for the fact that you’re really not sure. Why? Because your project calls for very specific materials, with particular structural properties and exact dimensions required to align with your blueprints and installation requirements. You need specific materials, and you need to find precisely what you’re looking for in the mountain of options in front of you.
Any woodworker will tell you that being accurate to the sub-millimetre is essential for ensuring your project is fit for purpose. And here at Cabinet Timbers, we take pride in simplifying materials selection processes for our customers and clients, which is why we’ve prepared today’s guide.
If you’re shopping for plywood panels for a particular application, read on to equip yourself with all the essential information you need for securing the right plywood thickness and dimensions for your project.
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Standard plywood thicknesses explained
Standard plywood thicknesses range from 3mm to 32mm. Across this size range, all of the plywood thicknesses possess unique applications. For instance, in the context of using plywood for cabinet making, specific thicknesses will be used for the bottoms of drawers vs. the sides of drawers.
Below, we’ve outlined all the standard plywood sizes ranging from 3mm – 25 mm, listing the most common applications for each of the thicknesses recorded to help point you in the right direction when perusing our range of plywood panel products.
3mm – 6mm plywood
Within this size range, you can expect to find 3mm, 4mm, and 6mm plywood panels across most materials suppliers. Plywood panels at this level of thickness are most commonly used for drawer bottoms, wall panelling, and light backing.
At this level of thickness, plywood panels typically aren’t suitable for support bearing applications, which is why these panels are more commonly used for back and lining rather than for shelving.
7mm – 9mm plywood
7mm and 9mm plywood are typically used for lighter duty shelving, as well as drawer sides, and light structural bracing (i.e. diagonal bracing and to support load distribution in construction projects). As a result, 7mm-9mm is generally considered to be the minimal thickness available for structural plywood, with 9mm being the minimum for CD-grade structural plywood, and 7mm being the minimum for DD-grade panels used for bracing.
12mm – 15mm plywood
12mm is considered to be amongst the most common sizes for plywood panels, being used for both medium-duty shelving and cabinetry, as well as in the production of furniture. Being thicker but still lightweight, 12mm and 15mm plywood is also well suited for manufacturing drawer boxes. If you have a tallboy at home, you can expect the thickness of your drawers to fall within this range.
18mm plywood – 21mm plywood
18mm is largely regarded to be the industry standard for plywood panel thickness, and is suitable for more heavy-duty furniture production – think bookcases, wardrobes, and working surfaces like small tabletops.
In commercial construction contexts, 18-21mm plywood is also generally suitable for constructing structural platforms, as plywood at this level of thickness responds well to screwing and nailing and can be easily reinforced for heavy-duty applications.
21mm – 25mm+ plywood
Starting from around 24-25mm, we’re now seeing plywood panel thicknesses that are suitable for heavy-duty flooring (including staging) and roof-sheathing. Plywood at this level of thickness is also suitable for furniture production, this time including thicker tabletops like benches and dining tables alongside bookshelves, cupboards, and heavy-duty cabinetry.
Plywood thickness guide chart
Let’s simplify this even further. Explore the chart below to pinpoint the right plywood thickness for your next construction or woodworking project.
Thickness | Suitable Applications | Material Characteristics |
3 mm – 6 mm | Cabinet backs, drawer bottoms, wood laser cutting and crafts. | Extremely lightweight and not suitable for structural/support applications. |
9 mm – 12 mm | Wall linings, furniture backings, drawer sides, structural bracing. | Bends easily and provides good stability if sufficiently supported. |
12 mm – 15 mm | Light to medium-duty shelving, cabinet doors, and drawer sides. | Commonly sought after and used for cabinetry and furniture production. |
18 mm | Bookshelves, wardrobes, desks, and structural platforms. | The industry standard. Strong, holds screws perfectly, and balances weight well. |
21 mm – 25 mm | Heavy-duty flooring, desks and workbenches, tabletops, stages, roof sheathing. | Heavy, highly durable, and suitable for load-bearing applications. |
Secure plywood materials that align with your exact specifications with support from Cabinet Timbers
Plywood is amongst the most versatile construction materials in Australia today. The sheer variety of plywood products available on the market provides Australian architects and designers with myriad options for creating innovative spaces and furnishings.
From being water-resistant to boasting timber veneers that showcase all the colours and textures of native Australian trees, and even bendy plywood suitable for producing furniture and facades with striking curved edges, there are plywood panels out there for every type of project.
If you’d like to find the right plywood panels for your next construction or woodworking project, then be sure to check out our full range of wood panel products available right here at Cabinet Timbers.
Want to learn more about our range? Then get in touch via calling (03) 8353 2222 or via our web enquiry form to receive a response from a team member directly to your preferred inbox.
