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Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose a wooden box?
Because the interior is seen and expected to look like furniture.
A metal system is engineered and visibly so.
A timber box reads as cabinetmaking.
In high-end kitchens and bedroom furniture that is frequently the point.
The argument is appearance rather than performance.
Cost and lead time both exceed metal systems.
What materials are used?
Solid timber, birch plywood and veneered board.
Solid timber with dovetails is the traditional expression.
Birch plywood offers stability and a clean edge at lower cost.
Veneered board is cheaper again and reads well from the front.
Each carries a different cost and appearance.
Stability differences between them matter as much as looks.
Are dovetails just decorative?
No - they are genuinely strong in the direction a drawer is loaded.
The joint resists the front being pulled away from the sides.
That is exactly the force applied every time the drawer opens.
It is why the joint survived as long as it has.
Machine-cut dovetails remain standard on quality boxes.
The visual association with quality follows from the function rather than replacing it.
Does timber movement matter?
It is the constraint separating this from engineered systems.
Solid timber expands and contracts with humidity.
A box built without allowing for it can bind seasonally.
It can also split at its joints.
Plywood and engineered boards move far less.
That is why production work leans on them despite the appearance trade.
How is the runner chosen?
Separately, unlike a metal system where it comes integrated.
Undermount runners are usual because they are invisible with the drawer open.
That preserves the appearance the box was chosen for.
The box has to be machined to suit them.
So runner selection precedes box construction.
Choosing the box first and the runner afterwards causes rework.
How much can a wooden box carry?
It depends on the runner more than the box, in most cases.
The runner's published rating usually governs.
A well-made box is stronger than the runners under it.
Base thickness matters on wide drawers.
A thin base bows under weight regardless of the sides.
Grooved-in bases of adequate thickness are what heavy drawers need.
Is it worth the extra cost?
Where the interior is seen and the specification is appearance-led.
In high-end joinery it is frequently expected.
In production kitchens metal systems are faster and cheaper.
Performance is comparable when both are properly specified.
Lead time is generally longer for timber boxes.
The decision follows the project rather than any technical advantage.