My cabinet build hit a snag with warped sheet goods.

I grabbed some maple ply for a kitchen project last week. When I started cutting, it was bowed in the middle, so now it's trash for face frames. How do you all check plywood before buying to avoid this?

3 comments

3 Comments

evahart2d ago

You didn't check it in the store first? I always pull it off the rack and look down the long edge like I'm sighting a rifle. If it bows even a little, it goes back. I also check if the corners are all touching the ground or if it rocks, that's a dead giveaway. Never trust one straight off the top of the pile either.

lily_gibson202d ago

Totally! I've gotten so picky about it now. I'll even lay it flat on another surface nearby to double check, because sometimes the store floor itself is uneven. And don't get me started on checking the seams or stitching if it's folded, a bunch of them come with threads already pulling loose. Saves a huge headache later.

tyler_white421d ago

Do you also check if the fabric grain is straight? I found that even if the seams look okay, if the pattern or weave is cut off-grain, the whole thing can twist weird after one wash. Makes all that careful checking pointless if the material itself is warped from the start.