I'm building some cabinets out of 3/4" plywood, and I'd like to use 2×2" (nominal) stock as furniture squares. These squares will be on the interior only; it's not visually necessary for the interior wood to match the wood of the piece.
I'm planning on using a setup like this, except I'll be using 18 gauge brads instead.
Checking at my local lumberyard, it looks like this 2×2" stock is very pricey.
Would it be acceptable to use pine or poplar from Home Depot for these squares instead? The prices look much more tolerable.
Anything else I should consider?
Best Answer
My suggestion is to dump the use of the 18 gauge brads. There is absolutely no reason to use anything bigger than 3/4" x 3/4" material for this type of internal joint block. Use flat head wood screws placed into pre-drilled countersunk clearance holes in these glue blocks. Then apply glue to the block faces where it meets the cabinet sides and install the screws.
It is OK to use any type of material you want for this type of glue block but I have found from practical experience that soft woods like pine are too prone to splitting when using as described above. Oak is great as it glues very well but poplar would be acceptable.