Nowadays, shelves are used in different many places for a variety of purposes. From the office to your bedroom or living room, shelves have become handy storage for many things. In today’s article, we will discuss how thick plywood should be used for shelving.
How thick plywood should I use for shelving?
The common thickness for shelves is 3/4 inch. In most cases, this type of thickness is used in cabinetry, furniture, and even small decoration projects. However, you could make a combination of 1/2 and 3/4 inches thick plywood for making shelves depending on the design and holding capacity.
Table of Contents
Shelves have now become a handy storage section for different purposes. It is a common type of storage display for the office, bedroom, or living room. However, many people tend to design and build shelves as a DIY project.
It is not very difficult to build a shelf if you have proper expertise in measurements and know how to do it. But some key factors are needed to be considered.
The thickness of the plywood is one of the key factors that should be determined before making shelves.
Since you are making your shelves using plywood, you need to consider using plywood that has a thickness of 3/4 inches. This is also known as an industry-standard thickness for plywood.
The best part of using plywood as the primary material for making shelves is it is inexpensive yet highly durable. That is why it will not be an expensive project for your interior decoration.
However, there are some drawbacks to using plywood. They are not very primed or cabinet graded.
However, they can be used to make shelves. You can also try using a combination of 1/2 and 3/4 inches teak plywood to make shelves depending on their holding capacity. They will be able to provide you with maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
It is recommended to make shelves using thicker plywood because it will provide you with better impact resistance and weight holding capacity. However, compared to solid wood plywood that has a thickness of 3/4 inches is quite strong and durable.
Is plywood good for shelving?
Yes, plywood is considered an ideal material for shelving. Shelving projects are done as DIY projects. They are often seen in bedrooms, offices, or even living rooms. They are considered handy storage for any purpose.
If you use plywood for shelving, this will not only be efficient and convenient but also cost-effective.
Generally, shelving does not require that much impact resistance and weight holding capacity, but it will be able to provide you with better impact resistance compared to traditional wood.
Many professionals recommend using plywood for shelving that has a thickness of 3/4 inches.
In addition to that, you can also make a combination of 1/2 and 3/4 inches of plywood for shelving because not the entire part of the shelving will require thick plywood for better protection.
And plywood is always the right choice because it will provide you with higher efficiency and convenience. It is an inexpensive option for your DIY projects that will last longer.
Is half-inch plywood good for shelves?
Yes, 1/2-inch plywood is considered good for shelves, but it is recommended by professionals that you use 3/4 inches of plywood because it will provide you with better protection and impact resistance.
Since plywood is a cheap and cost-effective option for shelving, many people choose to use plywood for DIY projects.
That is why professionals recommend using thicker plywood because it will provide you with better protection compared to the traditional wooden shelving.
However, you can make a combination of 1/2 inch plywood since they are also good when it comes to impact resistance. Having thicker plywood as shelving will provide you with a longer life span and durability.
Is 12mm plywood OK for shelves?
When it comes to cabinets and furniture, they are mostly made using plywood that has a 12MM thickness range.
Depending on the size of your shelves, you need to figure out whether 12MM plywood is OK for the shelves or not.
But as long as the shelves are thicker, it will help you to ensure that the sheet won’t sag when placed under pressure. As a result, it will provide you with maximum efficiency and durability.
However, there is always an option to make a combination of 1/2 and 3/4 inches of plywood when making shelves. Shelving using plywood is a convenient option and shelves are nowadays considered handy storage for almost every purpose.
As a result, using 12MM plywood for shelves is OK and will help you to provide maximum impact resistance since they are also used to make many furniture.
3 factors that determine the plywood thickness for shelving:
Since plywood is a cheap and convenient option you should not be bothered about the cost.
However, plywood is also considered the best option since they have a longer life span. That is why you should always go for the best type of plywood for your shelving projects so that they can be useful for a certain amount of time.
Below is a brief discussion on a few factors that determine the plywood thickness for shelving:
Grade:
Whenever you consider choosing the right type of plywood for your shelving DIY projects, you need to consider the grade.
Higher grade players will provide you with better weight holding capacity and efficiency. That is why you should always go for grade plywood which is high-quality plywood for shelving.
Durability:
When it comes to shelving projects, you may need to determine the durability of your plywood. Using ticker players for your shelving projects will provide you with better durability so the professionals recommend using 3/4 inches thick plywood.
Life span:
It is also important to determine the life span of your plywood so that it can be useful in the long run. That is why you should always go for better plywood so that they can be cost-effective and efficient at the same time.
What type of plywood to use for shelves?
Whenever you think of using plywood for shelving, you need to determine a few factors related to the thickness of plywood for shelving. It is important to choose the right type of plywood for your shelves so that they can hold a higher weight capacity.
In addition to that, using thicker plywood will provide you with maximum impact resistance and durability.
But you should determine for which purpose you are using the shelving. This will help you to figure out how much weight you can put on the shelves. Depending on that, you can choose a thicker or thinner type of plywood for better results.
There are a variety of clouds available in the market that are best for shelves. Below is a brief discussion on a few types of plywood that are commonly used for shelves:
3/4 inches thick plywood:
Plywood has 3-4 inches thickness are commonly used material for shelves. They are quite cheap and cost-efficient. In addition to that, they will provide you with better impact resistance and weight holding capacity.
1/2 inches thick plywood:
These players are highly recommended to use in shelving because they will provide you with better efficiency and thickness. They also have a longer life span.
1/4 inches thick plywood:
Generally, one four inches thick plywood is used when you are trying to bring combinations on your shelving. But they are also durable enough to hold heavy things.
The best part of using plywood is that they are cost-effective and cheap, so if you increase the thickness of your plywood, it will not increase the budget significantly.
How do you support plywood shelves?
When you’re trying to build shelves using plywood, you need to add some support to them so that the weight holding capacity can increase.
There are plenty of options that you can use to support the plywood shelves that will not only increase their weight holding capacity but also increase their longevity.
Adding railings to your plywood shelves is an effective option to support the shelves. Follow the steps below to add railings to your plywood shelves:
Drill holes in the wall:
First of all, drill holes on the wall, according to measurements to set the railings on it.
Place the shelves on the railing:
Shelves on the railing as if you want to decorate it. Make sure the railings have been completely concealed under the shelves.
Drill the shelves onto the railing:
Get the right-sized screw and drill them on the shelves so that they can get attached to the railing. This is how you can easily support plywood shelves.
Final Thoughts
It is always recommended to use 3/4 inches thick plywood for your shelving projects. It will provide you with maximum durability and impact resistance. That is why professionals recommend using thicker plywood that will impact the design as well as the cost of your project.