Types of Plywood By David H. Urmann At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Plywood is one of the most common materials used in building a house and other structures. Its lightweight and flexible characteristics make it popular in architectural masterpieces.

Plywoods are sheets of thin wood glued on top of each other. These sheets are referred to as wood veneers. These layers when put together produce a very sturdy and durable wood material known as plywood.

The types of adhesive used to glue the thin sheets of wood together is a major factor in creating quality pieces of plywood. When a strong and lasting adhesive is used, plywoods become much better than plain woods in resisting cracks, shrinking, twists and warps.

Plywood has been an essential material in making houses and other constructions. It has characteristics ideal to use in ceilings, walls and dividers. Many kinds and types of plywood are available in the market today.

Each type of plywood varies on its usage and the materials composition. Below are some plywood types and their characteristics. Each type has unique individual benefits, purpose and drawbacks. It will give you an idea which type of plywood is best to use for a particular project.

First on the list is the MDF or the medium density fiber core hardwood plywood. It is a very stable material for working and every batch is consistent. Below the wood is almost free of blisters and voids. This results to more tight bonding and consistency.

It does not chip that much during a cross cut operation because the wood veneers are bonded tightly together with edges having excellent glue adhesion capability. Work on this wood with a machine router of saw.

Next on the list are the MDO and HDO or the medium and high density overlay plywood. At the core is fir veneers and are wrapped with fiber. In other words, this can be considered as an ordinary veneer cored plywood but coated with MDF. Its surface is sturdier and more durable than other types of plywood. It weighs lighter than MDF.

Next is the VC or veneer core hardwood plywood. It is made up of alternate layers of common plywood. It has a surface of veneer and a grainy wood finish such as maple or oak. It is stronger than most plywood. This type of plywood is very easy to work on because it is very light.

Another type is the lumber core plywood. It is made from pieces of hard wood like basswood. Its core is surfaced and layered with veneer. It is among the expensive plywood you can get around. It is used best in applications where edges have to be exposed or concealing is not possible.

Also on the list is the PBC or the particle board core plywood. It uses coarse dust as compared to the MDF. It is light weight, not very consistent but smooth. Many products made of melamine have PBC as its substrate.

Last but not the least is the melamine plywood. It is thermally fused and has a resin saturated finish. It is very abrasive and stain resistant. The grade of melamine depends on its usage. It can be smooth, coarse, soft or brittle. It is flexible to many applications.

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