Plywood is made by bonding three or more layers of thin wood boards together using adhesives and pressing them under high pressure. It is often desirable to align the grain of adjacent wood or boards at right angles in order to reduce shrinkage and increase the strength of the finished product. Plywood is very versatile, most are used for large platforms in building construction, and can also be processed into simple or complex curves for furniture, boats or airplanes.
Plywood Sheets can be made from hardwood, softwood, or a combination of both. Some common hardwoods include ash, maple, mahogany, oak, and teak. In the United States, the most common softwood used to make plywood is Douglas fir, although several types of pine, cedar, spruce, and redwood are also used.
The type of adhesive used to hold the planks together depends on the specific application of the finished plywood.
Cork plywood for structural exteriors often uses phenolic resin as the adhesive because of its excellent strength and water resistance.
Cork plywood for structural interiors typically uses protein adhesives, although cork plywood for interiors today also mostly uses phenolic resins as adhesives. But the former cost less.
Hardwood plywood for interior use or to construct furniture often uses urea-formaldehyde resins.
Hardwood plywood for interior applications and furniture construction is often made from.
Plywood, regardless of its use, can be treated with various chemicals to improve fire or rot resistance.
Plywood Sheets have a very strong character thanks to the unique way of processing and design. It will not warp or crack with changes in temperature and humidity, so it is widely used in the construction industry. The versatility of plywood allows it to be used in various industries.
Interior walls: Plywood is strong, flexible, thermally and thermally insulating, and is therefore the first choice for interior wall framing and inlays.
Cabinets: Thanks to the sturdiness of plywood, cabinets are made to support kitchen work.
Flooring: In many flooring projects, plywood occupies a high proportion. Compared with tile floors or cement floors, wooden floors are more warm.
Furniture: Due to its durability and cost-effectiveness, plywood is ideal for creating furniture such as dressers, wardrobes, bookcases, etc.
Facades: Plywood facades are not uncommon. Usually, the plywood is secured to the wall frame with screws for extra strength and to prevent movement.
DIY Projects: It can support almost any DIY project, the versatility of plywood depends on your imagination. From birdhouses, skateboards, kennels and mailboxes, the possibilities are endless. Plus, you can use plywood to create your own workspace or bench.
Concrete formwork system: Used as concrete formwork during building construction, it can fix the concrete into the desired shape, such as wall formwork, column formwork, etc.
Most factories or stores have pre-cut panels that are cut on site as needed. This helps eliminate waste and reduce costs.
Plywood can help when building anything. Whether you're in the cabinetmaking trade or your own DIY projects, you need to buy and use plywood. At this time, it is very important to determine the size you need.
The standard size is 4x8ft plywood, hardwood plywood is also available in 2x2ft, 2x4ft, 4x4ft. In different projects, 4x10 feet and 5x6 feet are also used.
Plywood Sheets have different thicknesses to suit different scenarios. Plywood thicknesses range from 1/8 inch all the way up to 1 ¼ inches. But this does not represent the actual thickness of the plywood.
Actual plywood thicknesses are 1 ¼, 1 1/8, ¾, 5/8, ½, 3/8, ¼ and 1/8 inches. Actual thicknesses are 1 ¼, 1 1/8, 23/32, 19/32, 15/32, 11/32, 1/4, and 1/8. This needs to take into account the grinding effect during manufacture and use.
There are also 5/8, 3/4, 1/2, 3/8, 1/4, 19/32, 23/32 thicknesses you can find here.
The outermost layer of each sheet of plywood determines the grade of the plywood. This means that the outer layer defines the purpose of the plywood. Sanded plywood made of high-quality softwood or hardwood has an outer layer free from any defects.
According to the performance requirements of different projects, the raw materials and production processes of plywood are also different. Common types of plywood are: Sanded plywood, structural plywood, hardwood plywood, marine plywood, softwood plywood.
Sanded plywood (external plywood): sanded on both sides (front and back). Specially treated for visible places such as cabinets, shelves and wall panels.
Structural plywood (Sheathing plywood): It is strong and cheap, and it is designed for permanent structures. Its appearance is not suitable for display. Usually used inside, the exterior is covered with other materials. Commonly used for framing, floors, support boards and beams.
Hardwood plywood: Mostly made of hardwoods such as birch, project, maple. It may be heavier than normal plywood, but also stronger and more stable. Hardwoods are often used for furniture that needs to bear weight.
Marine Plywood (Marine Grade Plywood): It is a type of hardwood plywood made using a waterproof glue. Lightweight and strong make it a popular choice for building boats.
More subdivision types of plywood >>>
According to the use position and performance, the grade of plywood is divided into Exterior, Exposure 1, Exposure 2, Interior and Structural 1
Exterior: waterproof, can be used for building exterior.
Exposure 1: Waterproof and can be exposed to the outside during construction. But it is not suitable for long-term exposure after construction. ,
Exposure 2: Not completely waterproof, but can withstand occasional wetness.
Interior: For indoor use only.
Structural 1: With anti-seismic design, the structure is strong.
Divided into several grades according to the quality appearance of the front and back of the bonded board: A, B, C, D
Grade A: the highest grade. The finish is smooth and knot-free.
Grade B: Surface polished smooth with a few repaired imperfections less than 1 inch.
Grade C: Unground, with imperfections up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Grade D: Unground, with imperfections up to 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
It is not uncommon to see grade classifications with two letters, such as AB. Grade AB is a mixed grade plywood with Grade A on one side and Grade B on the other.
