How to Cut Plywood for Cabinets

Measure the pieces of plywood you need for cutting down for the cabinets. Cabinets are typically made of the back piece where the sides attach, and then the top and bottom, attached to the back as well as the side pieces. There are also shelves, which fit in between the two sides. All of the measurements depend on personal preference for cabinet size.

Transfer those measurements to the sheet of plywood. Mark pieces by placing the tape measure on the plywood’s edge and pulling it out until you see your measurement. Make a pencil mark. Duplicate that mark farther down the sheet. Snap a chalk line between those two marks. You now have two sides of a cut marked. Repeating the process for the opposite line gives you a square or rectangle.

Cut shorter pieces with a circular saw. Set the saw blade’s depth so that it only cuts through the plywood’s thickness. Place the plywood on a cutting table. Pull the saw’s trigger and push the blade through the plywood. Use the chalk lines as reference points and go slowly so you don’t bind the saw, which causes chunks to rip away from the plywood’s face.

Make longer cuts, which are known as rips, on a table saw. If the piece is skinny enough, use the table saw’s tray. For wider pieces that need ripping down, use roller stands that are placed off to the side of the table saw and have rollers on top where the plywood rests. As you push the wood through the blade, it moves on top of the rollers as well as the saw stand. Push the piece of wood through the table saw along the chalk line.