Why Should I Use Baltic Birch Plywood for My Next Project?

George Snyder, Woodcraft Product Manager Posted on
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Baltic Birch Plywood, sometimes called Russian Birch, is produced in Finland and Russia from trees originating in the Baltic region of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Qualities of Baltic Birch Plywood  

Birch's color is light in appearance, and it has a very uniform grain that is smooth and durable.

Baltic Birch Plywood’s most desirable quality is its strength.  It has multiple plies of Birch veneer that provide superior stability and strength.  Each ply is a very consistent 3mm, and there are typically more plies than standard plywood.

Screw Holding:  

Because the core layers are made from void-free Birch instead of a softer, less expensive species, the screw bites with all its threads.

Joinery/Edge Profile:  

Due to the void-free construction, the dovetail and finger joints are strong, and when showing off the edges of the plywood, there is a very clean look.

Metric Thicknesses:  

Sometimes referred to as nominal imperial measurements, it is actually metric.

We frequently get asked about the difference between Baltic Birch and Finnish Birch Plywood. 

There a couple of important differences:

Finnish Birch Plywood                                              

Uses Phenol Resin Adhesive, suitable for exterior situations when properly protected

Comes in imperial inch thicknesses

Denser than Baltic Birch Plywood

Baltic Birch Plywood

Uses a Urea Resin Glue that is moisture resistant, but not recommended for outdoor use.

Metric thicknesses

Much less expensive than Finnish Birch Plywood

Grading

Baltic Birch grading is established by the Russian Government.  Grading the outer faces is done in a lettering system with a format of front/back.

Grades:

A:  Nearly perfect

B:  Generally uniform light color, with no plugs, but may have pin knots

BB:  Generally uniform color, though color variations/stains are allowed.  Limited number of plugs.

CP:  Generally less consistent color, more prevalent defects (knots, staining, etc.) and an unlimited amount of plugs.

C:  Utility Grade 

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