Types n applications

What is plywood??

Plywood is a type of manufactured wood made from thin sheets of wood. The layers are glued together so that adjacent plies have their wood grain at right angles to each other for greater strength. There are usually an odd number of plies, as symmetry makes the board less prone to warping.

How is it manufactured??
Plywood is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flammable, flexible, cheap, workable, recyclable, and can usually be locally manufactured. Plywood is made from thin layers of wood that are peeled from trees. These layers (or the veneer) are then glued together to make plywood. The grain of plywood not only runs in one direction, but each layer runs in the opposite direction, this is one of the reasons why you can only buy plywood with odd layers, it's so that it looks like a natural piece of wood. Because of the way plywood is bonded (with grains running against one another and with an odd number of composite parts) it is very hard to bend it the opposite way to the grain line. A common reason for using plywood instead of plain wood is its resistance to cracking, shrinkage, twisting/warping, and its general high degree of strength.

Types of plywood
A number of varieties of plywood exist for different applications. Tropical plywood Tropical plywood is always made mixed species of tropical wood in the Asian region. Tropical plywood boasts its superiority over softwood plywood due to its density, strength, evenness of layers, and high quality. It is usually sold at a premium in many markets if manufactured with high standards. Tropical plywood is widely used in UK, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Dubai, and other major cities worldwide. It is the most preferred choice for construction purposes in many regions. Softwood plywood Softwood plywood is usually made either of Douglas fir or spruce, pine, and fir (collectively known as spruce-pine-fir or SPF), and is typically used for construction and industrial purposes.

The other types of plywood

Hardwood plywood Used for some demanding end uses. Birch plywood is characterized by its excellent strength, stiffness and resistance to creep. It has a high planar shear strength and impact resistance, which make it especially suitable for heavy-duty floor and wall structures. Oriented plywood construction has a high wheel-carrying capacity. Birch plywood has excellent surface hardness, and damage- and wear-resistance. Decorative plywood Usually faced with hardwood, including red oak, birch, maple, lauan(Philippine mahogany) and a large number of other hardwoods. Plywood for indoor use generally uses the less expensive urea-formaldehyde glue which has limited water resistance, while outdoor and marine-grade plywood are designed to withstand rot, and use a water resistant phenol-formaldehyde glue to prevent delamination and to retain strength in high humidity. The most common varieties of softwood plywood come in three, five or seven plies with a metric dimension of 1.2 m 2.4 m or the slightly larger imperial dimension of 4 feet 8 feet. Plies vary in thickness from 1/10" through 1/6" depending on the panel thickness. Roofing can use the thinner 5/8-inch plywood. Subfloors are at least 3/4-inch thick, the thickness depending on the distance between floor joists. Plywood for flooring applications is often tongue and grooved. The mating edge will have a "groove" notched into it to fit with the adjacent "tongue" that protrudes from the next board. This prevents one board from moving up or down relative to its neighbor, so providing a solid feeling floor when the joints do not lie over joists. Tongue & groove flooring plywood is typically 1" in thickness.

Special purpose plywood

High-strength plywood, known as aircraft plywood, is made from mahogany and/or birch, and uses adhesives with increased resistance to heat and humidity. It was used for several World War II fighter aircraft, including the British-built Mosquito bomber which was nicknamed the wooden wonder. Certain plywoods do not have alternating plies. These are designed for a specific purpose. One such plywood is known as "Bendy Board". This is very flexible and is designed for making curved parts. In the UK this is known as "Hatters Ply" as it was used to make gents stovepipe hats in Victorian times. However these may not be termed plywood in some countries because the basic description of plywood is layers of veneered wood laid on top of each other with the grain of each layer perpendicular to the grain of the next. Marine plywood is NOT specially treated to resist rotting in a high-moisture environment. Its construction is such that it can be used in environments where exposed to moisture for long periods. Each wood veneer will have negligible core gap, limiting the chance of trapping water in the plywood and hence providing a solid and stable glue bond. It uses an exterior WBP glue similar to most exterior plywoods. Marine plywood is frequently used in the construction of docks and boats. It is much more expensive than standard plywood: the cost for a typical 4-foot by 8-foot 1/2-inch thick board is roughly $75 to $100 US or around $2.5 per square foot, which is about three times as expensive as standard plywood. Marine plywood can be graded as being compliant with BS 1088, which is a British Standard for marine plywood. There are few international standards for grading marine plywood and most of the standards are voluntary. Some marine plywood has a Lloyd's of London stamp that certifies it to be BS 1088 compliant. Some plywood is also labeled based on the wood used to manufacture it. Examples of this are Okoume Other types of plywoods include fire-retardant, moisture-resistant, sign-grade, pressure-treated, and of course the hardwood and softwood plywoods. Each of these products is designed to fill a need in industry.

Sizes n production
Sizes US: 4 ft by 8 ft Metric: 1220mm by 2440mm [3] Production Plywood production requires a good log, called a peeler, which is generally straighter and larger in diameter than one required for processing into dimensioned lumber by a sawmill. The log is laid horizontally and rotated about its long axis while a long blade is pressed into it (rather like turning a Swiss Roll against the edge of a ruler), causing a thin layer of wood to peel off. In this way the log is peeled into sheets of veneer which are then cut to the desired dimensions, dried, patched, glued together and then baked in a press at 140 C (280 F) and 19 MPa (2800 psi) to form the plywood panel. The panel can then be patched, resized, sanded or otherwise refinished, depending on the market for which it is intended. The adhesives used in plywood have become a point of concern. Both urea formaldehyde and phenol formaldehyde are carcinogenic in very high concentrations. As a result, many manufacturers are turning to low formaldehyde-emitting glue systems, denoted by an "E" rating ("E0" possessing the lowest formaldehyde emissions). Plywood produced to "E0" has effectively zero formaldehyde emissions. In addition to the glues being brought to the forefront, the wood resources themselves are becoming the focus of manufacturers, due in part to energy conservation, as well as concern for our natural resources. There are several certifications available to manufacturers who participate in these programs. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), and Greenguard are all certification programs that ensure that production and construction practices are sustainable. Many of these programs offer tax benefits to both the manufacturer and the end user.

US plywood grades

Plywood grades are determined by a veneer quality on the face and back of each panel. The first letter designates quality of face veneer (best side), while the second letter denotes the surface quality of the back of the panel. The letter "X" indicates the panel was manufactured with scrap wood as the center plies, not "exterior" as is commonly thought. The A-D rating is only good for construction (softwood) plywood, not for hardwood plywoods such as oak or maple. "A": Highest grade quality available. Can be defect free or contain small knots, providing they are replaced with wooden plugs (the fillers having a "boat" or an "American football" shape) or repaired with synthetic patch. This grade may contain occasional surface splits that are repaired with synthetic filler. The surface is always sanded and provides for smooth paintable face quality. "B": Second highest quality veneer grade. Normally a by-product of downgraded "A" quality veneer. Solid surface, but may contain small diameter knots and narrow surface splits. Normally repaired with wooden plugs or synthetic filler. The surface is normally sanded smooth. "C": Considered to be a lower end face quality, but a reasonable choice for general construction purposes. May contain tight knots up to 1 inches diameter, some open knot holes, some face splits, and discoloration. Some manufactures may repair the defects with synthetic filler. Panels are typically not sanded. "D": Considered to be the lowest quality veneer and often used for the back surface for construction grade panels. Allows for several knots, large and small, as well as open knots up to 2 inches diameter. Open knots, splits, and discoloration are acceptable. "D" grade veneers are neither repaired nor sanded. This grade is not recommended for permanent exposure to weather elements.

Applications

Plywood is used in many applications that need high-quality, highstrength sheet material. Quality in this context means resistance to cracking, breaking, shrinkage, twisting and warping. Exterior glued plywood is suitable for outdoor use, but because moisture affects the strength of wood, optimal performance is achieved in end uses where the wood's moisture content remains relatively low. On the other hand, subzero conditions don't affect plywood's dimensional or strength properties, which makes some special applications possible. Plywood is also used as an engineering material for stressed-skin applications. It has been used for marine and aviation applications since WWII. Most notable is the British De Havilland Mosquito bomber, which was primarily made out of wood. Plywood is currently successfully used in stressed-skin applications. The American designers Charles and Ray Eames are famous for their plywood-based furniture, while Phil Bolger is famous for designing a wide range of boats built primarily of plywood.

Softwood plywood applications Typical end uses of spruce plywood are: Floors, walls and roofs in house constructions Wind bracing panels Vehicle internal body work Packages and boxes Hoarding Fencing There are coating solutions available that mask the prominent grain structure of spruce plywood. For these coated plywoods there are some end uses where reasonable strength is needed but the lightness of spruce is a benefit e.g.: Concrete shuttering panels Ready-to-paint surfaces for constructions Tropical plywood applications Common plywood Concrete panel Floor base Structure panel Container flooring Lamin board Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)

Birch plywood applications Coated special birch plywood is typically used as a ready-to-install component e.g.: Panels in concrete formwork systems Floors, walls and roofs in transport vehicles Container floors, Floors subjected to heavy wear in various buildings and factories, Scaffolding materials Birch plywood is used as a structural material in special applications e.g.: Wind turbine blades Insulation boxes for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers Smooth surface and accurate thickness combined with the durability of the material makes birch plywood a favorable material for many special end uses e.g.: Die-cutting boards Supporting structure for parquet Playground equipment Furniture Signs and fences for demanding outdoor advertising Musical instruments Sports equipment

Plywood is a sheet good and is one of the most commonly used materials in woodworking and construction. Plywood comes in many grades and configurations. It's uses range from sub flooring and roof sheathing in it's cruder grades, right up to the very finest cabinets and furniture where numbered and matched sheets are often used. These sheets are kept in the order the veneer was cut from the tree, permitting the use of matched panels. Plywood is available with other core materials. Some plywoods have a softwood lumber for the core, and is known as lumbercore plywood. It is a high quality product and is used mainly in cabinets and furniture. It too is a stable product, and has some advantages over veneer core, particulary in regards to holding power of the fasteners. Plywood is graded by the quality of the face material and uses letters as the identifier. With "A" being the best and "D" being the worst. Numbers are also used in conjunction with these letters to help in the ordering process. For example A-1 referres to the face side, or "show side", being as close to perfect as possible, while the back of the sheet will have a lesser but still very good quality back. In a typical order to our wholesaler, we would specify 1 - sheet, 3/4" A-1, V.C. Maple. This translates into one sheet of 3/4" Maple plywood, with one "A" grade face, and a veneer core. Had we specified L. C., we would have received lumber core plywood. The glues used in making plywood also vary by the intended use. Ureaformaldehyde glue is often used for interior grade plywood, while phenolformaldehyde glue is common for exterior uses, including marine grade. Since these glues are carcinogenic, more and more manufacturers look to use "Greener Glues".

Certain plywoods do not have alternating plies. These are designed for a specific purpose. One such plywood is known as "Bendy Board". This is very flexible and is designed for making curved parts. This material is available in 1/4, 1/2, 5/8 inch sheets. (or those were the sizes the last time I checked). The plywood shown in the photos is Bendy Board. These cylinders are two layers of 3/8 inch material, glued up to give us the desired 3/4 inch thickness. Using a single layer of 3/4 inch material would have prevented us from making the small radius required for the project. These parts are used on the bar in the home page photo, prior to the veneer being added. As you can see, curves and plywood get along just fie. Keep in mind when ordering, it is sold in 4 foot by 8 foot sheets, and depending on the direction you want it to bend determines how you specify your order. Either 4 feet by 8 feet, or 8 feet by 4 feet.

A veneer is a thin covering over another surface

Wood veneer

In woodworking, veneer refers to thin slices of wood, usually thinner than 3 mm (1/8 inch), that are typically glued onto core panels (typically, wood, particle board or medium-density fiberboard) to produce flat panels such as doors, tops and panels for cabinets, parquet floors and parts of furniture. They are also used in marquetry, Plywood consists of three or more layers of veneer, each glued with its grain at right angles to adjacent layers for strength. Veneer beading is a thin layer of decorative edging placed around objects, such as jewelry boxes. Veneer is obtained either by "peeling" the trunk of a tree or by slicing large rectangular blocks of wood known as flitches. The appearance of the grain and figure in wood comes from slicing through the growth rings of a tree and depends upon the angle at which the wood is sliced. There are three main types of veneer-making equipment used commercially: A rotary lathe in which the wood is turned against a very sharp blade and peeled off in one continuous or semi-continuous roll. Rotary-cut veneer is mainly used for plywood, as the appearance is not desirable because the veneer is cut concentric to the growth rings. A slicing machine in which the flitch or piece of log is raised and lowered against the blade and slices of the log are made. This yields veneer which looks like sawn pieces of wood, cut across the growth rings. A half-round lathe in which the log or piece of log can be turned and moved in such a way to expose the most interesting parts of the grain. Each slicing processes gives a very distinctive type of grain, depending upon the tree species. In any of the veneer slicing methods, when the veneer is sliced, a distortion of the grain occurs. As it hits the wood, the knife blade creates a "loose" side where the cells have been opened up by the blade, and a "tight" side. Traditionally, veneers were also sawn, but this is more wasteful of wood. Veneering is an ancient art, dating back to the ancient Egyptians who used veneers on their furniture and sarcophagi.

Producing wood veneers

The finest and rarest logs are sent to companies that produce veneer. The advantage to this practice is two fold. First, it provides the most financial gain to the owner of the log. Secondly, and of more importance to the woodworker, is this practice greatly expands the amount of usable wood. While a log used for solid lumber is cut into thick pieces, usually no less than 1 1/8 inches, veneers are cut as thin as 1/40 of an inch. Depending on the cutting process used by the veneer manufacture, very little wood is wasted by the saw blade thickness, known as the saw kerf. Therefore, the yield of a rare grain pattern or wood type is greatly increased, which in turn places less stress on the resource. Some manufacturers even use a very wide knife to basically "slice off" the thin veneer pieces. In this way, none of the wood is wasted. The slices of veneer are always kept in the order in which they are cut from the tree, and are known as flitches.

Types of veneers

There are a few types of veneers available and each serves a purpose. A: Raw veneer has no backing on it and can be used with either side facing up. It is important to note that the two sides will appear different when a finish has been applied, due to the cell structure of the wood. B: Paper Backed veneer is as the name suggests, veneers that are backed with a paper. The advantage to this is it is available in large sizes, or sheets, as smaller pieces are joined together prior to adding the backing. This is helpful for users that do not wish to join smaller pieces of raw veneers together. This is also helpful when veneering curves and columns as the veneer is less likely to crack. C: Phenolic Backed veneer is less common and is used for composite, or man made wood veneers. Due to concern for the natural resource, this is becoming more popular. It too has the advantage of being available in sheets, and is also less likely to crack when being used on curves. D: Laid Up veneer is raw veneer, which has been joined together to make larger pieces. The process is time consuming and requires great care, but is not difficult, and requires no expensive tools or machinery. Veneers can be ordered through some companies already laid up to any size, shape or design.

Patterns There are a number of "patterns" common to veneered work. This refers to the way the veneers are laid up. A: Book Matched: where the veneers are opened from the flitch much like the pages of a book. B: Slip Matched: where the pieces are joined together in the order they come from the flitch, and have the same face kept up. C: Radial Matched: where the veneer is cut into wedge shaped pieces and joined together. D: Diamond Matched: where the pattern formed is diamond shaped. Advantages of using veneers Furniture made with wood veneer uses somewhat less wood than the same piece of furniture made with solid wood. Some projects built using wood veneer would not be possible to construct using solid lumber, due to expansion and contraction caused by fluctuation of temperature and humidity. Buying veneers Wood veneers are typically sold by the square foot. With the ability to join veneers, even small pieces are usable, resulting in very little waste. Many sources sell small packets of veneers which are sequence matched, and are perfect for small projects. These make experimenting and practicing much more economical. It is also possible to buy plywood and other substrates with veneered faces for larger projects consisting of casework.