The Downsides of Plywood in Cabinet Construction

tom@jamaicajoinery.com (Tom O'Brien) — Wed, 27 May 2026 21:30:44 GMT

Overview

While many cabinet manufacturers either tout their use of plywood or offer it as an upgrade, there are a number of downsides to its use. Though it offers a few positive qualities that distinguish it from solid wood, I would argue that its use should be limited to instances where those qualities are critical and plywood's problematical qualities cannot readily be avoided.

What is joinery, anyway?

tom@jamaicajoinery.com (Tom O'Brien) — Tue, 19 May 2026 14:20:23 GMT

What is joinery? Very simply - joinery is a term for working with wood by employing special joining techniques. When I worked as a carpenter, we joined pieces of wood together primarily through the use of nails. It is the unique qualities of wood that allow the use of nails. Just think about trying to nail two pieces of metal together or two pieces of stone. Both of these materials are too hard and/or too brittle to accept a nail. Many plastics will just crack, or if they don't crack, they will not hold the nail. There are similar issues for screws, which carpenters began to use more often with the introduction of battery-powered drills and screw guns.

A joiner's perspectives

The Downsides of Plywood in Cabinet Construction

Overview

What is joinery, anyway?