How many sheets of plywood does a base cabinet take?

A standard 24-inch frameless base cabinet takes roughly three-quarters of a 4x8 sheet of 3/4-inch plywood for the carcase, plus a share of a 1/4-inch sheet for the back. Two cabinets per sheet-and-a-half is a common planning figure — but nest the actual parts before buying, because door and drawer choices swing the total.

Should cabinet doors be cut from the same sheet?

Doors and drawer fronts across one run should come from the same sheet where possible, with grain locked vertically, so color and figure match. Cut them as a group in the layout rather than filling gaps sheet by sheet.

Furniture

Kitchen Cabinet Cut List: Every Part, Size, and Sheet Count

Q: What plywood thickness for kitchen cabinets?

3/4 inch for the carcase (sides, bottom, stretchers, shelves), 1/4 inch for backs set in a groove, and 1/2 or 3/4 inch for drawer boxes. Doors and drawer fronts are 3/4 inch, veneered or MDF depending on finish.

By Nora Bishop · July 2026 · 7 min read · Intermediate

Cabinets look complicated and cut like a spreadsheet: a base cabinet is eleven rectangles, and a whole kitchen is that same set repeated with different widths. Get one cabinet's cut list right and the rest is multiplication. Here's the full parts list for a standard frameless (Euro-style) base cabinet, the sizing logic behind each part, and what a full kitchen actually costs in sheets.

In this guide

The eleven parts of a base cabinet
The cut list, sized
Where each number comes from
Scaling to a full kitchen
FAQ

The eleven parts of a base cabinet

A frameless base cabinet — 24" wide, 24" deep, 34 1/2" tall (before countertop) — breaks down into: two sides, one bottom, two top stretchers, one back, one adjustable shelf, one door, and for a drawer version, a drawer box (four parts) and front. Everything but the back and drawer box is 3/4" plywood.

The cut list, sized

For a 24"-wide, full-height-door base cabinet with a 3/4" back groove and legs or a separate toe kick:

Part	Qty	Size (W × L)	Material	Grain
Side	2	24" × 34 1/2"	3/4" ply	Lock (visible ends)
Bottom	1	22 1/2" × 24"	3/4" ply	Free
Top stretcher	2	22 1/2" × 6"	3/4" ply	Free
Adjustable shelf	1	22 3/8" × 22 3/4"	3/4" ply	Free
Back	1	23 1/4" × 33 3/4"	1/4" ply	Free
Door	1	23 3/4" × 34 1/4"	3/4" ply/MDF	Lock, vertical

Drawer version: swap the door for a front (23 3/4" × 8") plus a box — two sides 21" × 6", front/back 20" × 6" in 1/2" ply, and a 1/4" bottom.

Where each number comes from

Bottom width = cabinet width − two side thicknesses. 24" − 1 1/2" = 22 1/2". Every internal part inherits this arithmetic, which is why changing plywood thickness ripples through the whole list.
Door = opening − gaps. Frameless doors overlay the box with a 1/8" reveal per edge: 24" − 1/4" = 23 3/4".
Shelf is narrower than the bottom by another 1/8"+ so it can actually be inserted, and shallower so it clears the back and door.
Grain locks: doors and any exposed side must run vertical — one rotated front ruins the run (grain direction guide). Hidden parts stay free to keep yield up.

Scaling to a full kitchen

A modest 10-cabinet kitchen (eight base/wall boxes, two drawer stacks) multiplies that table into 90-plus parts across three materials. Rules of thumb: each base cabinet eats about 3/4 of a 3/4" sheet; wall cabinets about half; backs add one 1/4" sheet per four boxes; doors and fronts want their own matched sheets. But rules of thumb are for budgeting, not buying — at this part count, layout quality swings the total by two or three sheets, which is real money (why estimates undercount).

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Cabinet cut lists — Frequently Asked Questions

How many sheets does a base cabinet take?

About 3/4 of a 3/4" sheet for the carcase plus a share of 1/4" for the back. Nest the actual parts before buying — doors and drawers swing the total.

What plywood thickness for kitchen cabinets?

3/4" carcases, 1/4" backs, 1/2" drawer boxes, 3/4" doors and fronts.

Should doors be cut from the same sheet?

Across one run, yes — same sheet, grain locked vertical, cut as a group so color and figure match.

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