Overview
In the building industry, there are many grades of plywood.The price is often the determining factor in which plywood a consumer uses for a project.Usually, the cheapest wood, which is often of the poorest grade, is assumed to be the only grade available. When a consumer is making a purchase based solely on price, they may select a plywood that doesn’t fulfill the requirements of the project. Understanding the many grades of plywood will help the consumer make an educated purchase, and ultimately select a plywood that meets the requirements of the project.
What Gives Plywood Its Strength
Plywood is manufactured with layers of thin wood veneers with the grain of each layer perpendicular to the adjacent layers. This method provides plywood with greater strength in relation to solid wood of comparable thickness, and reduces the tendency of plywood to warp and split. The greater the number of layers, the more stable the board, and as a result, structural plywood has a greater number of layers than a plywood used for non-load bearing partitions. The strength of the plywood is also affected by the adhesive used to bond the layers. The bonds affect the plywood’s stability in adverse environmental conditions.
COMMON TYPES and USES
Different types of plywood that are manufactured for various uses. Composite plywood is one of the most common types and it is used to make furniture and wall paneling. It is also used to make interior dividers. As the name implies, marine plywood is used to make furniture that is used in boats as well as other furniture that is placed outdoors. Shuttering plywood is used to make molds. Like normal plywood, it also loses its shape after a number of uses and thus it is not suitable for prolonged use. It is, however, ideal to be used in moldings for a short period of time. Unlike other plywoods, flexible plywood does not lose its shape. Because of this property, it is used to make furniture with shapes that other furniture do not have. Its edges can also be bent to make designs.
USAGE DEPENDENT STRENGTH REQUIREMENT
A board that has a number of plies can be used to make a furniture that has a lot of weight. Such furniture includes filing cabinets and bookshelves. If a board has a lower number of plies, it can be used to make a furniture that has a lower weight. Such furniture includes wall panels. A board that has a lower number of plies can also be used to make cabinetry. A board that has a higher number of plies should be used to make furniture that is used in moist places, for example, cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom. A first time buyer should always consider the function of a place before deciding on the board to buy.
Checklist When Purchasing
Boards with the same measured thickness can vary in strength based on the number of layers. It is important to check this before purchasing. Moisture can cause delamination. For projects where this is a concern, the grade of adhesive should be checked. For other projects, the surface finish may be more relevant. The best way to verify theboard meets both the structural and aesthetic requirements for a project is to request sample pieces of the board.
Conclusion
It is better to evaluate plywood boards by the requirements of the specific project and not by a single grade. It is the same for the strength and moisture requirements and the final surface completion of the boards. Shop owner and manager evaluations for these factors typically lead to furnishings and fixtures that maintained their quality over long term, heavy use.