How much of a back do I need on these cabinets?

Question

I built some bookcases a number of years ago. They sat on top of some Ikea cubbyhole units. Now I plan to build two new "base" cabinets for the bookcases to sit on. Here's the tentative design:

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It's pretty basic. A 3/4" ply box put together with dadoes and glue, and a face frame. I was planning to put a full back on it, made of 1/2" ply. But it turns out that would be very inefficient use of the 1/2" plywood; I'd need two sheets. I could just put partial back pieces on instead, but I wonder about the strength, as the bookcases shown in the link below - even more full of books than shown in the photo - will rest on top. It has to be several hundred pounds.

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I'm guessing partial backs at the top and bottom will be fine, but I'd hate to be wrong. Any advice?

Greg Guarino

Leon · Accepted Answer

FWIW I always put back face frames on free standing cabinets. And these face frames have rabbets to receive that 1/4" back panels.

If you use a back face frame you can add a rail or stile so that your spare panel pieces fit.

Greg Guarino · Answer

I'm not sure I'll go that route - our house is turned upside down after some construction and I'm slow enough at woodworking as it is. But you've given me another idea. Two, in fact.

The cabinets will already be split into three sections. I can make the backs in pieces, as you suggest, using one of the middle dividers to separate them. But in addition, these don't actually need to be "free standing". They will be against a wall. The legs are to lift the cabinets off the ground. We had a flood back in September. There's nothing stopping me from attaching the cabinets to the wall behind such that they can rack under any circumstances.

Still thinking. Thanks for the ideas.

Leon · Answer

Thinking outside the box has solved many problems for me.

How much of a back do I need on these cabinets?

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