Plywood is used for everything from construction to furniture. Alternating veneer layers make it strong and relatively inexpensive. The many layers also help it resist warping and cracking. The faces can be inexpensive pine for sheathing or subfloors, or they can be beautiful hardwood veneers suitable for fine furniture and cabinets.
Here are some tips for buying plywood:
Buy just the quality you need. There is a grading system used to describe the quality level of each face. They can range from premium veneers to blemishes and repairs that look like little footballs. Use the grades to be sure you are comparing similar quality sheets when you are looking at prices. Usually the grade will be expressed by two letters; the first represents the grade of the front side and the other letter the reverse side. (Sometimes the second side will be graded 1-4 instead.)
- A – excellent appearance and a face free of knots
- B – sound surface, more natural characteristics of the wood showing
- C – more color variation and limited blemishes
- D – unlimited color variations and blemishes, may have repairs.
One side or two? It is useful to think about whether you need the same quality on both sides of the sheet. If both will show in your finished project you will likely want an AA or AB grade. If the back won’t show, consider a ‘good-one-side’ sheet to save money. AC or AD plywood has excellent veneer on one side and will have blemishes on the back.
Plywood is nominal. A plywood sheet dimensions are actual; a 4’ x 8’ sheet really 48” x 96”. After that it gets a little confusing. The standard quoted sizes are ¼”, ½” and ¾”. But the actual thickness of those three will be 7/32, 15/32 and 23/32 respectively. A difference of 1/32 doesn’t seem like much unless you need a snug fit for a dado.
Baltic Birch is has a fine wood grain which takes paint well. It is solid with no holes or voids between the layers. It is excellent for hobby and craft work and scroll sawing. Curiously, it is most often sold in 5’x5’ sheets, although 4’x8’ sheets are available.
Indoors or out? For outdoor use, you’ll want to use an exterior grade like CDX. Be aware though that the X stands for exposure rather than exterior. The glue is water resistant rather than waterproof. It can handle some moisture for a limited time, but it won’t hold up indefinitely. You’ll need to get it protected for the long haul. If you need permanently waterproof plywood you can get it, but it will be more expensive.
Lock them together. If you are using plywood for sheathing or flooring it will be stronger and go down easier if you use tongue and groove plywood. It interlocks for a strong joint to spread loads across the joints on decks and floors.
Take advantage of the strength and value plywood has to offer in your next project.
