Best Product for Kitchen Cabinet Drawer bottoms?

Question

Im making all new drawers for my kitchen and was planning on using 1/2 baltic birch. I want to have a protective layer on top of the bottom, what is the best material to use? Melamine?

Answer 1

Malamine works - my personal experience is it does chip.

Unless I am building a large custom drawer for a chest, where a heavy duty bottom is needed - I usually use 1/4 -5/16" Satin Plywood.

After the drawer is square I use glue blocks http://www.brandsconstruction.com/Copper... or a hot glue gun around the drawers perimeter.

How to Build a Drawer on this Kitchen Pictures Web Site shows the exact steps to building a new drawer. http://www.brandsconstruction.com/Copper...

Slideshow of Building a New Drawer Steps - http://www.brandsconstruction.com/Copper...

I kind of like the good old fashioned wood drawers myself. I have used malamine under half a dozen times - and do not have satisfaction in the new kitchens using the product personally.

1/2 " drawer bottoms are a very good choice. 1/4" drawers will be plenty strong on small drawers.

When using this material for the drawers bottoms -

Dado the bottom of all four of your cabinet drawer pieces 3/8" up from the bottom of the drawer. The dado size is the width of your drawer's bottom (Usually 1/4 - 5/16" plywood). Size your bottom dado's groove according to the width of your drawer bottom material.

Wishing you the Best!