Preferred veneer substrate now that baltic birch is $$$

What is everyones preferred substrate for veneer work now that baltic birch is so dam expensive? I am building some veneered cabinets and find that MDF doesnt have enough holding power for joinery.

Thanks!

I don't know the current cost but an alternative you might look at is "combination core", veneer core ply with a fiberboard overlay. I have used Garnica's Pluma Ply HDF which has one piece poplar inner plies and 2mm high density fiberboard faces. Lighter and stronger than mdf, but probably close to the price of standard veneer core panels.

I have also used veneered mdf extensively for cabinet construction. It's heavy and weak, but can be joined effectively with dowels, biscuits, dominos and screws (if proper pre-boring is done).

Tiger ply is the product that one of my sources has now. I put up a post about but it must be new enough that not many people have used it yet.

MDF is fine for cabinetry carcasses and is quite good for flat doors and fronts that get veneer or high gloss paint. Perhaps you should re-evaluate your joining methods. Every material has limitations.

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Originally Posted by Kevin Jenness

I don't know the current cost but an alternative you might look at is "combination core", veneer core ply with a fiberboard overlay. I have used Garnica's Pluma Ply HDF which has one piece poplar inner plies and 2mm high density fiberboard faces. Lighter and stronger than mdf, but probably close to the price of standard veneer core panels..

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A cabinetmaker friend/former neighbor of mine and his partner love using the Garnica product for cabinetry work. I know that Industrial Plywood out of Reading carries it in my area.

Still, Baltic birch or equivalent. It's such a smaller portion of the total cost of custom woodwork.

For me PlumaPly costs at least 50% more than Baltic birch, so that's not an option. I know many will scoff at this, but I've had no trouble using SandePly from HD. The stuff I've bought was flat and stayed flat. I've never found a void or delamination. Shop sawn veneer glues well to it with TB II or Unibond 800. Absolutely no problems. I drum sand the glued-up panels afterwards, just like I do when the substrate is BB, and I can't detect any greater variation in thickness. Both are very good.

The first time I used it was at least 6 years ago when I needed to make a cabinet top longer than 5', the longest BB I can get w/o paying outrageous prices. So I used SandePly. I get to see that piece now and then. Still perfect.

John