Found out plywood cores have way more variation than I thought - which side are you on?

I was reading a trade blog the other day and saw this stat: over 60% of cabinet failures in the first 5 years are tied to the plywood core. That surprised me because I always blame the finish or the joints. But then I got thinking about the debate between MDF core and veneer core plywood. MDF gives you that super smooth surface but can sag on wide spans, while veneer core is stronger but has voids. I've been using veneer core for years but now I'm second guessing. What do you guys prefer for face frames and why?

2 comments

2 Comments

troykim1mo ago

Buddied a buddy of mine who swore by MDF cores for face frames until his pantry cabinet took a slow dive into the drywall over a 4-foot span (looked like a sinking ship). He switched back to veneer core after that and just deals with filling the occasional void with wood filler.

graytorres1mo ago

Buddy of mine builds cabinets on the side and he tried MDF cores for face frames one time. Looked great for about a year and then his pantry cabinet started sagging over a 4 foot span like a sinking ship. He went right back to veneer core and just fills the voids with wood filler.