Depends on the weight of the contents. A typical drawer has 1/2"
sides and back, ply bottom, and 3/4" thick front. The large drawer
you describe should have one or two muntins on the bottom for added
strength. You can still have 1/2" sides, but use a high-quality ply.
Half-inch for the bottom too. Design for full-extension heavy-duty
slides that will carry the fully-loaded weight.

On Thu, 1 Jan 2004 06:34:17 -0500, "Petro" wrote:


"Melissa" wrote in message
om...

I got so many helpful replies about a corner tv cabinet measurement, I'm
hoping there might be help to this question as well.

My plan is to build furniture for my living room, the tv cabinet was one
piece. Another is a large bookcase with a drawer for hanging files on the
bottom. There will be two of these on either side of a desk with hutch
unit. My question is about the file drawer. I would like to make a
drawer
that is 11" high x 13 3/4" deep x 38 1/2" wide. This part I have already
worked out.

38 1/2" is too wide for a draw box.
you will need to reinforce the bottom panel and/or make two 19 1/4" draws.

15" draws are perfect for "hanging files" cabinets.




I will have a shelf mounted directly above this drawer, that
will also slide out, for a printer and scanner to sit upon. For
aesthetics,
I'd like to make the drawer face to cover both the front of the drawer,
and
the slide shelf, which would make that drawer face very large
29 1/2" high x 40" wide.

that's a door NOT a draw front.


I don't think the drawer operation will be a problem,

think again
at that width....it will always be racking the hardware.




there
won't be a lot of weight and I'll get heavy duty glides. My concern is
the
drawer face. Is that just too large to be practical?

Yes it is too large to be practical



Any thoughts? The
drawer would likely be opened only once a day at most if that makes any
difference.

a filing cabinet opened once a day.......never heard of it!


On my hand sketched drawing it looks okay, but I don't want to
just rely on the drawing.
--
Melissa




next time try sketching your plan on paper instead of your hand!
lol