Unpopular opinion: prefinished plywood is overrated for custom cabinets

My supplier talked me into using prefinished cherry ply for a kitchen remodel 2 months ago, said it saves time and looks cleaner. But the edges were a pain to match and the finish chipped when I cut it. Anyone else think raw ply with your own finish still comes out better?

2 comments

2 Comments

sandra9167d ago

Tried a job with prefinished maple once and spent more time filling the little chip-out gaps than I would have just sanding raw ply. Ended up mixing sawdust with glue to patch it, looked like a dog's breakfast but the homeowner liked the "custom" look. Last month I did a whole bookshelf with raw birch and a spray lacquer, zero edge drama and it feels way more solid. Prefinished always seems to promise time savings but costs you in headaches later.

rivera.jake7d ago

Brother I feel your pain on that one. Prefinished looks great in the catalog but the second you have to touch an edge it's a whole different story. That glue and sawdust trick is a classic move though, sometimes you just gotta fake it till you make it.