My boss told me to always use a 3/4 inch dado for cabinet shelves, but I think it's overkill

He insisted it was the only way to get a strong joint, but on a recent built-in for a client in Bellingham, I used a 1/2 inch dado and it's holding up perfectly. It saved me a ton of time on setup and material waste. Has anyone else found that the old-school 'rules' for joinery can be a bit too rigid?

2 comments

2 Comments

hunt.nora3h ago

Your boss is stuck in the past. Half-inch dados are fine for most shelves if you're using decent plywood and glue. The extra quarter inch is just wasted material.

the_stella3h ago

Actually have to disagree with you on this one, @hunt.nora. That extra quarter inch in the dado gives the shelf a lot more to grab onto, which matters over time. Plywood can sag or shift, especially with heavy books or gear. The deeper cut makes a much stronger joint that just lasts longer. It's not really wasted material if it stops a shelf from failing down the road. A half-inch just feels a bit too shallow for the long haul.