The Strong Man of Plywoods

The essence of resilience

Plywood is defined as a special type of factory-made wood which is made from thin sheets of wood, typically called wood veneer.  These layers of wood (called Veneers) are glued together for improved strength.  This method of gluing the wood veneers together makes the plywood stronger and much harder to bend.  At this point, it is interesting to note that generally all types of plywood are referred to as Veneer Plywood, but different processes and gluing methods are what make the names of plywood differ. Birch plywood is a very resilient type of plywood, which is generally stiff and has excellent resistance.

Why do home builders love Birch plywood?

Simple – even though it is quite a thin type of plywood, it is extremely hardy and can be used for various home-improvement, DIY and small-scale construction projects.  It has a fairly light colour and its surface is smooth, so it typically does not have rough edges or splinters. Birch plywood is so easy to use that it is the ideal type of wood for home builders and amateur carpenters, particularly as it is easy to cut and shape. Because of this, it is perfect for the construction of child-friendly units, furniture and cabinets which involve a significant amount of contact on a daily basis.

Child’s play

Due to the fact that it is quite reasonably priced, easily available and durable, it is also generally used for the construction of small structures, such as kennels, dollhouses and even children’s toys.

Size does matter!

Birch plywood comes in several sizes – for larger projects, sizes may vary from 32 inches wide to 28 inches high, or even as much as 36 inches.   The usual thickness of birch plywood board is between a minimum of 3 and maximum of 36 millimetres. It all depends on the size of the project – in this case, size does matter!

Treated or plain?

Depending on what the customer requires, birch plywood can be plain (untreated) or treated – both sides could be left unsanded, alternatively, one or even both sides could be sanded. However, due to its extremely smooth surface, it is possible to leave some pieces unsanded, while others might need some work so as to obtain the flawlessly smooth texture which many people tend to associate with birch plywood.  Another way of treating it is by making wood for interiors that are resistant to water or for waterproof exteriors. 

One board – many veneers

A misconception that people tend to have is that birch plywood consists of a single board of wood. This is not the case, in fact, it consists of several birch veneer layers, and this is what determines the thickness of the board.  Astoundingly, birch plywood can consist of as many as 25 veneers which are bound together by a resin or glue of high quality.  Another interesting fact about this type plywood is its European origins – it comes from Finland, the Baltics, Russia and Estonia.

Birch plywood – what every home builder wishes for: affordable, easy to use, durable and outstanding quality.