Block board: Types, uses, prices, top products & brands

The world of interior design is ever-evolving with architecture and design trends coming and going, but one thing that has stayed constant is the materials. Choosing the right material will ensure that aesthetics and style are elegantly brought out. In essence, the material materializes the style! Block board is the first choice for crafting elegant, durable furniture, and interiors. This article will throw light on the block board as a material. We will discuss its application areas like shelves and door, types, best products, top brands, price, and block board vs plywood.

What is block board?

Image Source: researchgate.com

Blockboard consists of strips or blocks of wood called battens glued together side by side and then compressed between sheets of plywood. It is the fundamental building block of various kinds of furniture like drawers, shelving units, partition doors and walls, wardrobe doors, etc. Many people confuse blockboards with plywood due to their similar appearances but the two share significant differences.

Features of the block board

• They are lighter than plywood.
• They do not bend, crack, warp, or twist easily.
• Their durability makes them last longer.
• Carpenters find block boards easy to work with.
• Enhanced ability to hold screws in place.
• Blockboards come in various finishes: lacquered, laminated, veneered, or painted.
• They are also easier to maintain and can be quickly cleaned.
• Available in convenient sizes like 12mm, 15mm, 18mm, etc.
• They are an eco-friendly option as they are made from fast-growing softwood species.
• They carry superior screw-holding capacity, making them a good fit for furniture and fixture construction.

Also see: Plywood sheets – What you need to know about them?

Watch this video: Difference between Plywood and Blockboard (6 minutes and 51 seconds)

Types of block boards

There are different kinds of blockboard varieties in the market. Blockboards can be segregated based on the quality, use, and type of wood used in the core.

Based on quality and use

Interior grade block board

Popularly known as MR grade block board, it is lightweight and used only in internal areas like door cores, furniture, panelling, ceilings, etc. It usually features a softwood core in its construction, and special moisture-resistant adhesives are applied to it.

Exterior grade block board

As the name suggests, its application areas include exterior and outside areas. Referred to as BWP-grade block board or boiling water-proof, they are durable and water-resistant.

Based on the wood used in the core

Softwood block board

This category involves using strips or blocks of wood being glued together and pressed between hardwood veneers. They are manufactured mainly for interior use.

Hardwood block board

We get hardwood block boards when thick and dense hardwood battens are glued together and compressed under high pressure. This is a heavier, costlier, and more durable alternative to softwood blockboards.

Uses of block boards

Some of the popular uses of block board are mentioned below:

• Bookshelves, shelving units
• Block board partition door and walls
• Flooring
• Wardrobes
• Wall panels
• Drawers and cabinets
• Tables and chairs
• Woodwork in railway carriages
• Interior decoration
• Benches and sofas
• Bus bodies
• For prefabricated houses

Top block board products in India

Century Ply Bond 710 Block Board

Image Source: centuryply.com

One of the most reputed blockboard brands in India, Century Ply adheres to the highest quality standards. Its product Bond 710 is a premium BWP-grade block board that is termite-borer proof and comes with Virokill technology that kills 99.99% of viruses. Made with quadra press technology, it comes with a 15-year warranty and is available at an affordable price.

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Greenply Gold 2.0 Block Board 

Image Source: greenply.com

This is one of the premium block board products offered by Greenply. It comes with a 30-year warranty and showcases durability for building long-lasting furniture. It has additional features like fire safety, waterproofing, an anti-termite guarantee, and borer and fungus protection, and it is suitable for interior use.

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Kitply Swastik Gold MR Grade Block Board 

Image Source: kitply.com

Made with hardwood veneer and high-density material, this block board is perfect for interior applications. It claims to have been manufactured using India’s best hydraulic press, ensuring the highest quality standards. It is moisture-resistant, eco-friendly, and protects against microorganisms.

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Duroboard by Duroply Industries Limited

Image Source: duroplywood.com

Duroboard blockboards are double-pressed ensuring no gaps or knots in joints and a wrap-free surface. It is made from kiln-dried seasoned timber which naturally resists termites and other wood-damaging organisms. It is easy to work with, light in weight and can hold screws and nails intact.

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Archidply MR Block Board Classic

Image Source: archidply.com

MR grade block board is made from the highest quality hardwood, timber battens, veneer and adhesives. It comes in the standard sizing of 19mm and 25mm and is perfect for applications such as partitions, door, racks, shelves, and shutters.

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National Plywood BWP Block Board

Image Source: nationalply.com

It is a water-proof variety, made with a high-quality solid seasoned wood core and covered with hardwood veneers on either side. The blocks are glued using phenol formaldehyde resin, ensuring strength and durability. It also resists wood-destroying organisms, ensuring a long-lasting and durable furniture experience.

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Kajaria Plywood Pro 710 Blockboard

Image Source: kajariaplywood.com

This product fuses the beauty of Okoume Face veneer with the solid, 13-layer hardwood-bonded construction for strength. Designed for heavy use, it comes with a lifetime warranty and other features like BWP grade, borer and termite proof, PF resin used for bonding as well as a calibrated smooth surface.

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Merino BWP Block Board

Image Source: plyduniya.com

Merino Ply sells three types of blockboards namely – Tuff blockboard, Super blackboard, and Mandasa blockboard. Made from superior-quality New Zealand pine, strength and durability are its mainstays. The Tuff block board variety stands apart from the rest given its exceptional features like moisture resistance, anti-borer and anti-termite, BWP grade, and harder-than-slate quality.

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Royale Touche Block Board Promaxx

Image Source: royaletouch.com

Blockboard Promaxx is a top-notch product, given the research and scientific treatments undertaken to produce it. Apart from the 100% pine used in it, the dual veneer enhances the appeal of the blockboard, and the four-stage preservative treatment protects it against borer and termites.

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Austin Plywood Platinum Plus Block Board

Image Source: austinplywood.com

Blockboards by Austin Plywood exhibit a high level of strength and durability and are also less susceptible to warping, bending, and cracking. The platinum plus blockboard is part of the exclusive range. It is high on uniformity and toughness, as well as termite-proof and moisture-resistant. This block board also has a versatile application, including living area, door, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc.

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List of top 10 blockboard brands in India

Sr. no.	Brand	Product	Price
1	Century Ply	Sainik 710 Waterproof BWP Blockboard	Rs. 124/sq ft
2	Greenply	Gold 2.0 Blockboard	Rs. 139-185/sq ft
3	Kitply	Swastik Gold MR Grade Blockboard	Rs. 2592-5664/piece
4	Duroply Industries Ltd.	Duroboard	Rs. 159/sq ft
5	Archidply Industries Ltd.	MR Grade Blockboard	Rs. 90-112/sq ft
6	National Plywood	BWP Blockboard	Rs. 3752-4288/piece
7	Merino Ply	BWP Block Board	Rs. 72-114/sq ft
8	Kajaria Ply	Pro 710 Blockboard	Rs. 4160/piece
9	Royale Touche	Block Board Promaxx	Rs. 155-198/sq ft
10	Austin Plywood	Platinum Plus Block Board	Rs. 4170-5345/piece

Thus far, we have learned how essential block boards are to crafting good-quality furniture and interiors. A great piece of furniture is directly proportional to the material used in it because it determines everything: functionality, smooth finish, strength, and durability. We have touched upon all the points concerning blockboards, like their definition, types, uses of blockboard, the best products, price, block board vs plywood, a list of the top 10 brands, etc.

FAQs

Plywood vs block board – what is the difference?

While discussing plywood vs block board, know that both are used for manufacturing furniture; however, minute differences lie in their fundamental qualities, such as:

• Materials: Plywood is made up of thin layers of wood glued together with an adhesive. It has various types based on the wood used to make it. On the other hand, blockboard contains a core of wooden strips placed edge to edge between two layers of plywood.
• Properties: Plywood can resist damage due to water, unlike blockboard, which retains moisture, reducing its ability to last a long.
• Maintenance: Both plywood and blockboard are durable and last a long if regularly cleaned and properly cared for.

Thus, whenever you get confused with the thought of “plywood vs block board”, think these factors through.

What should I look for when choosing a blockboard?

There are four factors to consider before choosing a blockboard:

• The greater the thickness, the sturdier the blockboard will be. However, more thickness also means that it will be equally challenging to work with.
• Choose a well-known brand with years of experience in this domain that offers higher-quality blockboards made of hardwood and is less prone to warping and twisting.
• Among the many options available, like melamine, painted, veneered, laminated, or stained, pick a finish that suits your intended purpose and matches the surrounding interiors.
• The quality, type of wood used, and use of the blockboard also determine the price of the block board.

What is the average price of a block board?

The average price for a commercial block board is from Rs 90 to Rs 150/sq. ft. and for waterproof blockboard from Rs 120 to Rs 200/sq. ft. The brand, thickness of the board, the finish chosen, and other additional features affect the price of the block board because of which the actual price might be higher or lower.

What are the standard sizes of block boards?

Widely used standard sizes include 12mm, 15mm, 19mm, 25mm, 30mm, 35mm, 40mm, 45mm, and 50mm. Many other variations of sizes also exist, but they depend on the manufacturer and supplier and the purpose of use. For example, a lighter variety will work perfectly fine for constructing shelving units and bookshelves but a door might need a heavier variety of block board.

What is the use of block boards?

Block board is essentially an engineered wood board, and it is used to manufacture furniture, partition doors, walls, benches, study racks, shelving units, cabinets as well as door.

Are blockboards water-resistant?

No, structurally, these boards contain strips of softwood within them, which can absorb moisture and swell and rot upon long-term exposure to water. Thus, one should exercise caution when exposing them to wet places. However, many brands have also churned out waterproof versions that can hold up against water well.

*The featured image used in this article is from timberexplore.com