When considering investing in ute storage drawers, you will obviously have to determine their exact purpose. You will also need to consider the space you have available and the amount of internal storage you need.
Other factors to consider include the strength of the material used and the various types of drawers required. You will also need to decide on the design’s orientation (vertical versus horizontal) and the location of the runners. Being aware of these factors enables you to make a well-informed decision for an investment that will produce practical value in operation and productivity.
Similar to any type of investment, quality is a major consideration and your ute storage drawers are no exception. You don’t want materials that will shake, rattle and roll as they age, right? You also don’t want a storage setup that requires regular maintenance, with dust-affected performances as well. Take note that if dust penetrates into greased bearings, then you could end up in a problematic situation.
In reality and for practical purposes, you need to choose ute storage drawers that offer you the best in value, durability, and performance. Critically, look for a drawer system that is manufactured from the best available materials.
Strength and Durability of Plywood
In various instances, the question has been raised on whether timber constructed ute storage drawers are sufficiently strong and durable to withstand normal wear and tear. As with most products, this does to a great extent depend on the quality of materials used in production, the design, and the workmanship involved. This is where the unique product, known as “plywood” makes the crucial difference.
It is generally recognised that steel products have a tendency for cracking. This is the main reason for welds or riveted joints coming loose. However, various studies and research have shown plywood to be incredibly strong. It is lightweight, with highly resilient glued joints, and is significantly more reliable and durable than many other materials. In fact, it is the main material used for building ute storage drawers.
Plywood is a building material that is extensively utilised for a multitude of purposes. It is an economical, factory manufactured sheet of wood produced in exactly determined dimensions. It has inherent ability to resist cracking or warping, due to moisture or changes in the atmospheric pressure. It is accordingly, the ideal material for storage setups in vehicles, such as drawer systems for utes.
Advantages and Benefits of Plywood
Plywood of the same weight is stronger than steel. In fact, it is utilised in many varied applications within the construction industry. Included in its most commonly designed purposes are:
- • The production of furniture and incorporated accessories, such as drawers, cupboards, kitchen cabinets, and office tables;
- • The construction of formwork, or moulds for wet concrete;
- • The light partitioning and external walls;
- • The flooring systems;
- • The manufacturing of light doors and shutters; and
- • The packaging of delicate materials, among others
Plywood has more advantages compared to metal. This includes its resilience and capacity of absorbing shock treatment. Examples of which are seen with a tailgate, or ute storage drawers that are subjected to robust operation and adverse road conditions.
The plywood’s shock-absorbing property serves to enhance the performance of the storage drawers. It effectively helps in the protection of the joints in fixtures and fittings, as opposed to steel. In addition, it is much quieter than its steel counterpart. This is true especially when metal fatigue commences and rivets are coming loose.
Plywood Layers and Adhesion
The nature of plywood’s application will determine the type of adhesive to be used for bonding the initial layers of wood. But in comparison to cut timber, plywood is designed to meet various needs.
The density or thickness of the individual veneer can vary significantly, depending on application needs. For instance, in ute storage drawers, a greater number of layers are required as they add strength to the plywood. The number of veneers used can vary between three millimetres to several inches, as required. On the other hand, the thinner veneers are used to increase flexibility in applications such as ceilings and panelling.
For outdoor applications, the inherent resistance of plywood to moisture and humidity is ideal. This is aided by the type of adhesive used in its production, with increased resistance being added through the applications of varnish or paint.
Resistance to moisture is essential to interior applications as well. This is especially important in the case of vehicles fitted with storage capabilities and flooring. The cross-purposes lamination of ply ensures the veneers are not subject to shrinkage, warping or expansion. Should they be exposed to extreme temperatures or water?
Further benefits are derived from this material with a resistance to chemicals. This is obtained by plywood being treated with a preservative that prevents corrosion if exposed to chemical influences.
The Perfect Storage Drawer Material
For any vehicle, particularly a ute, storage drawers that are resistant to various forms of impact is deemed necessary. That being said, it’s imperative for anyone to choose a storage setup that is made of high-quality materials such as plywood.
Plywood offers users a highly significant degree of tensile strength, derived from the cross lamination of its integrated panels. Due to the strategic structure of plywood, the force of an impact is distributed across a larger area. Thereby, it reduces the tensile stress factor.
In conclusion, installing ute storage drawers made of plywood offers huge benefits due to its robust performance.