Plywood Thickness Guide — What to Use for Every Application

Why Thickness Matters

Choosing the wrong plywood thickness is one of the most common and costly mistakes in home construction. Too thin and your furniture sags. Too thick and you waste money.

Thickness Guide by Application

4mm Plywood

• Back panels of wardrobes

• Drawer bottoms

6mm Plywood

• Cabinet backs

• Light-duty shelves

12mm Plywood

• Shelves (medium load)

• Cabinet sides for small units

18mm Plywood (Most Popular)

• Kitchen cabinet carcass

• Wardrobe frame and sides

• Office furniture

• Heavy-duty shelves

25mm Plywood

• Structural applications

• Extra-heavy duty shelves

Our Recommendation

For most home furniture, 18mm BWR grade plywood is the sweet spot — strong, durable and cost-effective. Need help calculating how much plywood you need? WhatsApp us your room dimensions and we will calculate it for you — free.