Plywood, a building material, finds varied applications owing to its useful properties. An economical and machine-made sheet of wood, it is rolled out with detailed dimensions and does not wrap and crack when moisture levels changes in the atmosphere. Gaining an understanding of the types of plywood is crucial as they can bring the wow factor to your home and office.
Produced as a flat sheet by bonding wood veneers, plywood is an exceedingly versatile product. It finds wide applications, ranging from structural to interior and exterior purposes as plywood can be tailored to suit these specific requirements. This engineered wood has emerged as a go-to material for construction projects, although not every genre is suitable for all project needs. Read on to know the different types, uses, and prices of plywood:
What is plywood made of?
Plywood is a sheet material made by combining many thin layers or piles of wood veneers that are glued together with adjacent to bring out a flat sheet of wood. The adjoining layers with their wood grains are rotated up to 90 degrees to one another in a process called cross-graining. This process lends a superior strength to plywood and makes the product resist withstand splitting and shrinking.
Types of plywood
The process of manufacturing a plywood variety decides its type.
Hardwood plywood
Hardwood from oak, birch, and maple, among others is used to make veneers. These veneers are then stacked using strong glue. It can resist a lot of weight and is used for crafting bigger furniture items.
Softwood plywood
Softwood from cedars and pine, among others, is used to make veneers, which are glued to make this type of plywood. It is used to make structural parts of lighter furniture items.
Sanded plywood
The superficial layers of this plywood type are sanded to get a smoother look. It is used to make shelves, bookshelves, and panels, and others.
Structural plywood
It has unfinished surfaces and is used for making permanent structures such as flooring, panels, beams, and framing.
Types of plywood as per grades
MR Grade
Moisture-resistant grade uses urea and formaldehyde resin.
BWR Grade
Boiling water-resistant grade uses phenol and formaldehyde adhesive and synthetic plastic resin glues.
BWP Grade
Boiling water-proof grade uses undiluted formaldehyde and phenol resin glues.
FR Grade
This is a fire-retardant grade used in commercial spaces.
Flexible Grade
This plywood is flexible and can be rolled.
Plywood price
The price of plywood depends on the quality and type of wood used to make veneers and the seasoning done. Considering all the factors, the price of plywood varies from Rs 50 to 300 per sq ft.
Where is plywood mostly used?
Walls
For exterior and interior walls and partitions, plywood is used.
Roofing and flooring
Internal and subfloors are often made with hardwood plywood.
Furniture
Furniture items such as bookcases, shelves, media centres, console tables, dressers, and tables, among others are made with plywood.
Cabinets
The kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom cabinets are made with MDF plywood.