Why I Don’t Use Plywood (and What I Do Instead)

If you’ve spent any time around my site, you might’ve noticed something missing from my builds: plywood.

I don’t use it very often. Not because I’m trying to be trendy or different, but because it usually doesn’t fit the way I work or the kind of projects I like to build.

Wrestling 4×8 Sheets in a Small Shop

First off, my shop is small. Like really small. Everything’s on wheels and space is tight. Now picture trying to maneuver a 4×8 sheet of plywood around that space. It’s like trying to park a school bus in a broom closet.

So I do what many of us do: I cut plywood outside, usually in my driveway. And depending on the season, I’m dodging rain, snow, or the occasional wind gust that can turn a sheet into a sail. It’s not just inconvenient; it can be exhausting.

What’s in This Stuff, Anyway?

Then there’s the dust. I don’t know everything that’s in those plywood panels; formaldehyde, synthetic adhesives, who knows what else, but I do know I don’t want to breathe it in. Even with my respirator and dust collection, it’s hard to feel good about filling your shop with that stuff.

The Look Just Isn’t the Same

Many of my projects have a handcrafted, antique-inspired, rustic, or farmhouse look and for that, I want the materials to feel just as authentic.

Early furniture makers didn’t have access to plywood, they built tables, cabinets, and chests from solid wood. That tradition shows in the final piece. The visible seams between boards give it character and a sense of age, something a single sheet of plywood just can’t replicate.

Plywood often looks too uniform and manufactured for a handmade project. Even when it’s painted, something about it still feels… off. Solid wood just has more warmth and life.

What I Use Instead

Instead of wrestling plywood, I build my own panels by edge-gluing boards together.

I usually use pine. It’s affordable, easy to find, and light enough to move around in my small shop. But you can use whatever solid wood suits your project, oak, cherry, or anything in between.

Gluing up panels gives you complete control over the size, the look, and the feel of your material and you don’t need to haul any 4×8 sheets around.

And it’s not just about convenience, building your own panels can be a better value, too.

As my friend Steve, a fellow woodworker, put it:

“It’s actually cheaper for me to make panels. I haven’t used plywood in a long time.”

Do I Ever Use Plywood?

Sure. I occasionally use it for shop projects, like my French cleat wall and custom tool holders. It was convenient. And while I wanted them to look good, they didn’t need the same aesthetic as a piece of furniture I’d use in my home.

For me, it just makes more sense to reserve plywood for utility builds and use solid wood for everything else.

Are Glued-Up Panels Right for Every Project?

Not always.

If you’re building something large like kitchen cabinet carcasses or a big built-in entertainment center, glued-up panels probably aren’t the way to go. Time-wise, it just wouldn’t make sense. You’d spend a lot of effort gluing and clamping panels that will mostly be hidden once everything’s assembled.

The same goes for shop cabinets, utility shelves, or drawer boxes inside a dresser. In those cases, plywood is usually more efficient.

So no, glued-up panels aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

But when the panel will be visible on a tabletop, door, drawer front, or side panel of a piece of furniture, and when you want the finished piece to have warmth, character, or that handcrafted feel? That’s when I think solid wood really shines.

What About the Learning Curve?

Yes, glue-ups take time. And yes, there’s a bit of a learning curve if you’ve never done one. But once you get the hang of it? It opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

That’s why I put together a class just for panel glue ups. This text-based course walks you through my entire process, how I choose boards, how I lay them out for looks and stability, how I clamp, and even how I clean up the glue mess. All with basic tools.

You don’t have to give up plywood forever. But if you’ve ever gotten frustrated cutting it in the cold, or if you’ve ever wished your projects looked more like real furniture than something from a big-box store, maybe it’s time to try a different approach.

👉 Click now for my Beginner’s Guide to Gluing Up Wood Panels Class

Final Thoughts

Plywood’s not the enemy, but there are other options.

For me, glued-up solid wood panels just look better. They feel better. And they connect my projects to a long tradition of furniture-making that goes back generations.

If you’ve ever found plywood frustrating or just want your projects to have more character, it might be worth trying a different approach. It takes a little more time, but in my experience, the results are absolutely worth it.

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