Can you only hammer through real wood?

Question

If my cabinets weren't real wood....could I hammer a nail through them? Trying to confirm that my cabinets are real wood and this is the only "test" I know of. thanks!

Answer 1

If you can't tell it's real wood or not. Maybe you should'nt nail anything. Screw it.

Answer 2

Look up at the sides of the wall cabinets. You may have to lie on the counter. Particle board end walls will have edges that reveal the sawdust-like composition of the panels. Plywood end walls will have layers ("ply" means layer) of contrasting woods. Real wood doors have end grain on the raises. You can feel the slightly rougher surface, much like if you tried to sand and finish the end of a 2x4. Another door test is to check to see if the breaks between the boards that make up a raised panel are in the same locations on the inner and outer panel surfaces. Solid wood doors will be made of boards, glued together. The breaks between the boards will be in the same location on both sides of the door. Veneers are thin wood finishes, usually over particle board. On a veneer door, the breaks will be in different spots.

Answer 3

Look at the graining on an end grain of the wood. If you have a grain that looks like the grain on the sides of the wood, then you don't have wood, you have some sort of particle board or MDF.

Answer 4

Try finding grain on the inside of the doors. cabinets may have laminate outside but most just have the base material (MDF etc) on the inside. You should be able to see a laminate on the edges.

Answer 5

That won't test it. Nails will also go through particle board. Look at the corners and edges, see if there's any evidence of a a laminate being put on. That's what will tell you, short of drilling a hole through it.

Answer 6

Remove a hinge and see what is under it.