A perfect building is one that is well-constructed and furnished. In addition to being aesthetically appealing, it should also be strong and durable. Plywood doors, beds, wall panels, wardrobes, etc. are the most popular application areas of this material and its various types. Thus, as an architect or constructor, it is important for you to know about plywood sheets and their price range.
Precise manufacturing of external wall surfaces, furniture carcasses, furniture cabinets, flooring, etc is important. Although all of these jobs require different tools, mechanisms, and crafts, there is one common factor in each.
Also, this factor determines their longevity, look, and strength. Additionally, it is the usage of the right types of plywood sheets for different applications.
Firstly, they are important for giving strength to the structure.
Secondly, plywood sheets are versatile but you must know the right type for the right job.
And, thirdly, detailed information makes optimum use of ply possible.
Plywood comes out as the most preferred choice among all the related building materials and rightly so.
What is plywood?
It is a widely-used building material. Thin layers of wood veneer, glued together with an adhesive, make up plywood.
It is engineered from timber that is cut into thin sheets or layers of wood. When these layers bond together under high pressure and temperature, they become one strong finished product.
Its boards are huge, flat sheets. Thus, they are ideal for use in building construction and furniture.
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What are the applications of various types of plywood sheets?
Ply has several advantages over its counterparts. It does not crack or warp because of moisture and is economical too.
This versatile product finds its application in a variety of purposes, like:-
Roofing and flooring
Plywood is often used to sheath roofs. Also, it is used as a subfloor on several internal flooring projects.
The panels on floors include tongue-and-groove edges that slot together. Thus, this arrangement allows the panels to carry heavy loads without shifting or moving. It is one of the most common uses of ply.
Furniture
Plywood is a cost-effective furniture building material. From best wardrobe designs to custom-built dressers, shelves, media centers, console tables, and so on, ply is suitable for all.
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Cabinets
The cabinet carcasses of a modular kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom are the most important aspect in determining their durability.
Strong and long-lasting modular kitchen cabinets and wardrobes are made from Plywood. Its moisture resistance makes it an ideal kitchen furniture material.
Exterior and interior walls
External ply cladding offers flexibility, design freedom, and protection to the building. Also, ply panels are also used to add to the aesthetics and strength of the building’s front elevation.
The interior stud walls are framed by ply and it is also used for wood paneling of the interior walls.
If you buy A-graded sheets, you can give a natural wood finish to your walls.
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Wooden plywood doors
A ply door makes for a strong wooden door design.
Doors and windows add to the visual and structural value of any commercial and residential building. In addition, a Boiling Water Proof or BWP plywood door is ideal for your building and bedroom wardrobes as well.
Balustrades and rails
Hardwood and treated softwood are the most ideal timber choices for interior handrails and balustrades. With good care and maintenance, these rails and balustrades can last a lifetime.
Ply is used for several purposes in buildings and construction. But, it must be noted that there is a specific type of plywood (available at different prices) that should be used for each purpose. Hence, using the wrong type compromises the look, durability, and functionality of the rails and balustrades.
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What are the various types of plywood?
There are many types of plywood sheets that are used for multiple purposes available at varied prices. These types of plywood are categorized on the basis of their origin and usage.
Let us go through some of the major types of plywood and their prices.
Hardwood ply
This type of plywood is made from Oak, Mahogany, and Beechwood.
Hardwood ply has great strength and sturdiness. Also, it is resistant to creep. It possesses high impact-bearing strength. It is used for heavy-duty wall and floor structures.
Softwood ply
It is made out of Cedar, Spruce, Pine, Douglas fir, fir (SPF), and Redwood.
It is mainly used for industrial and construction purposes. Floors, walls, and roofs are made with softwood ply.
Tropical ply
Made from mixed tropical timber species, tropical ply, is better than softwood for its greater strength, evenness, and high quality. It is a premium product.
Shuttering ply
The shuttering ply, available at a comparatively high price, is high-density plywood with sleek films.
Shuttering ply is used in construction works generally for holding the cement by setting up the ceiling. It is also used to create the base for ceilings, drains, pillars, walls, etc.
Architects are big fans of shuttering ply as it gives the concrete shape required by them easily.
Decorative sheets
This ply mostly used hardwood like red oak, ash, mahogany, birch, maple, teak, rosewood, and many other hardwoods for its production. This type of plywood is most commonly used in cabinets, wardrobes, doors, beds, etc. of different quality and price ranges.
In addition to that, it also enhances the longevity of the products. They are further categorized into two types:-
Flexible
This type of plywood is used for making curved parts of furniture.
It can be bent into any shape without peeling, chipping, staining, or chipping. You can easily paint, veneer, stain, and plaster the flexible ply.
Marine
This type of plywood is manufactured from strong face and core wood veneers.
It can be used in all weather conditions as it is resistant to fungal attacks, moisture, and delaminating. The glue used in marine ply makes it BWP plywood, resulting in a higher price.
Hence, it is immune to water damage.
What are its various properties?
Ply is preferred to its counterparts such as MDF, Particle boards, etc. for several reasons. Its unique features and qualities make it an ideal choice.
High strength and stability
The strength of timber and properties obtained in its laminated construction gives plywood a strong structural strength at a competitive price. Cross-graining gives it uniform strength and enhanced stability.
High-impact resistance
The high tensile strength of ply received from the cross lamination of panels reduces the tensile stress. As a result, the material is capable of withstanding overload up to twice its loading capacity.
Flexibility
Ply’s flexibility distinguishes it from other materials. Also, it can be easily manufactured to fit every bending requirement. The number of wood veneers determines its thicknesses.
Thickness and flexibility are inversely proportional. Thus, the lesser the number of veneers, the greater is the flexibility.
Water resistance
The Boiling Water Proof or BWP plywood is resistant to water and moisture damage. This is why BWP ply is an ideal choice for modular kitchens, bathrooms, and also for wall surfaces.
This water-resistant feature of ply makes it suitable for every weather condition.
Fire resistance
Fire retardant ply comes with a fire-proof chemical coating, then combined with non-combustible substances and materials like plasterboard and fibrous cement.
The chemical coating protects the fire retardant material from the oxidation process. As a result, there is a reduction in the risk of catching and spreading fire.
Thermal and sound insulation
The use of chemicals urea and formaldehyde resin in adhesives during the manufacturing process increases its thermal resistance. It also enhances sound insulation.
All of this credits to a better living standard at low costs.
What is waterproof plywood?
Since ply is a versatile material, it is suitable for application in almost all areas. But, one question that pops up in the head instantly is whether the material is waterproof or not?
As we know that ply is composed of wood veneers, excessive exposure to moisture can damage the material. Thus, in such areas, waterproofing is required. Furniture and cabinets that are prone to moisture must be manufactured with water-resistant ply.
The water-resistant property of this product is attained by the synthetic plastic resin that makes the surface impermeable to water.
Available in the thickness range of 3-25 mm, the Indian Standards specification number for BWR grade plywood is IS: 303 and is suitable for application in kitchens, bathrooms, furniture, ceilings, and flooring.
The different types of waterproof ply manufactured these days are as follows:-
MR grade
MR, here, is an abbreviation for “moisture resistant”.
This means that the MR plywood is well-suited to be used in interior elements. Although not waterproof, this grade is treated with resins like formaldehyde making it resistant to humidity and moisture.
BWR grade
BWR, here, refers to “boiling water-resistant”.
Suitable for both interiors and exteriors, BWR plywood is treated with phenolic resins making it water-resistant and is available at an excellent price. Thus, it is excellent for areas that experience prolonged exposure to moisture.
BWP grade
BWP, here, refers to “boiling waterproof” plywood.
This kind of plywood is also generally known as Marine Ply. It is completely waterproof. Being boiling waterproof, not only is it used for any sort of application but also used in marine construction.
BWP gets its remarkable waterproof properties when the veneer is combined with undiluted resins. To check the quality of it, immerse a sample in boiling water for at least three days and then check for strength and other properties.
What is Plywood grading?
All the above-mentioned features make ply a remarkably superior product. But, we must note that it is also categorized on the basis of its quality.
Its qualities and grades determine the intensity of its properties.
For every particular type of application, a specific grade is used. For instance, if you use D-grade for making modular kitchen cabinets, it will hamper the quality and longevity of the finished product.
Thus, it is important to understand grading. The grades determine its strength, durability, appearance, and overall quality.
A-grade
It is ideal for bathroom and kitchen cabinets, and furniture pieces. The surface of the A-grade ply is smooth and sanded.
B-grade
It is quite similar to the A-grade. But, the surface is not as smooth as the latter. B-grade ply has a few knots which make it slightly uneven.
C-grade
The C-grade is unsanded and has some defects like minor knots and discoloration.
Thus, this type of ply is not ideal for furniture but works well for structures where functionality is more important than aesthetics.
D-grade
The D-grade ply is also unsanded and has unrepaired and untreated snags.
The commonly used plywood sheet thicknesses and sizes
In addition to grades, it is also important to know the plywood thicknesses and sizes as they determine its flexibility, strength, and price.
Using the wrong thickness will result in poorly built furniture. Thus, you must know all about their thickness.
The most widely used thicknesses are as follows:-
3-ply
These sheets come in a thickness of 2-3mm. This is the most common thickness for home interiors. As a result, it is a preferred furniture building material by most interior designers.
5-ply
This 4mm thick plywood sheet is the most versatile and is available at varied prices in the market. It is the best thickness for outdoor and indoor furniture and decorative boards.
Multi-ply
The ply with more than 7 layers of plies is strong enough for permanent structures such as roofing.
Building construction types of applications require 4 ft (W) X 8 Ft (L) sized plywood sheets. The next common size is 3×5 feet.
Top plywood brands
Plywood is an exceptional building and furniture material for the price it is available at. But, if purchased from a low-quality manufacturer, the quality degrades greatly. Hence, it is important that the company should be good.
There are many international and regional companies in India that manufacture excellent quality ply.
Century Ply
This mega manufacturer makes durable, long-lasting, termite-proof, BWP plywood for home and commercial uses at different price ranges.
Some of the Century Ply products are as follows:-
- Firewall
- Century Club Prime
- Architect Ply
- Sainik
- Teak
- Sharon Platinum, Gold and Prima
- Sovereign Mr Ply (Mr Grade Ply)
- Century Sainik 710 Ply (710 Grade ply), and many more.
The Century Plywood price ranges from Rs. 50 to Rs. 150 per square foot.
Greenply
Specialized applications require the usage of Greenply plywood. From automobile to building constructions, Green ply comes for a wide range of applications.
In addition, the brand manufactures ply thicknesses from 6mm to 40 mm. Also, it manufactures plyboards of various widths and lengths.
Some of the Greenply product types are:-
- Greenply Mr Grade
- Mr Grade Commercial Greenply
- Greenply Gold
- Ecotec Mr Grade
- Green Club, etc.
The Greenply plywood price ranges from Rs. 37 to Rs. 150 per square foot.
Kajaria PLY
Another popular brand is Kajaria. The Kajaria PLY uses premium quality hardwood. As a result, the material is stiff, strong, and durable.
Kajaria PLY materials come in the following categories:-
- Platinum
- Gold Maxx
- Silver
- Kajaria PLY Pro-710
- Pro-Build
The Kajaria plywood price ranges from Rs. 60 to Rs. 100 per square feet.
Merino
One of the most popular companies in India, Merino manufactures ply laminates with dual hot press treatment and selects good quality wood veneer for fine products.
Merino offers the following range:-
- Tuff ply
- Superply
- Mandasa ply
In addition, there are many popular and preferred regional ply companies in India.
They manufacture good quality products ideal for budget home construction and furnishing. As a result, they are extremely popular in India.
Some of them are Ganesh, Kitply, Asian, Sainik, Magnus, Galaxy, Satyam, Balaji, Jain, Saburi, Archid, etc.
Plywood design ideas
Plywood door designs
Ply doors can be of different types. It either utilizes hardwood, softwood, or a combination of the two for its production.
Some common hardwoods used to make plywood doors are maple, oak, ash, mahogany, and teak. In addition, some of the softwood used are pine, spruce, redwood, and cedar.
Here are a few door designs to take inspiration from.
Plywood door design #1
Image Source: Dwell
Plywood door design #2
Image Source: Pinterest
Plywood door design #3
Image Source: Kens Yard
Plywood door design #4
Image Source: Queneau
Plywood door design #5
Image Source: Direct Doors
Plywood bed designs
First and foremost, take into account the size and thickness of plywood sheets before getting a bespoke bed. Since the strength of a bed with a plywood frame largely comes from its density, one must carefully choose the type of plywood sheet to be used.
Pro tip: MR grade or BWP plywood work exceptionally well for bed frames and plywood bed designs.
Take a look at a few bed designs manufactured with this material.
Plywood bed design #1
Image Source: Totally Furniture
Plywood bed design #2
Image Source: Room & Board
Plywood bed design #3
Image Source: SierraLivingConcepts
Plywood bed design #4
Image Source: Overstock
Plywood bed design #5
Image Source: Room & Board
Plywood cot designs
Plywood would be a very sensible choice for bed cots. MDF is not structurally strong and teak is quite expensive.
Hence, it is safe to go with plywood. Also, it is structurally strong and durable, easy to laminate with any design of veneer – teak, mahogany, or birch, and lasts ages.
Following are some beautiful plywood cot designs that will offer the utmost comfort.
Plywood cot design #1
Image Source: Great Little Trading Co.
Plywood cot design #2
Image Source: Pottery Barn Kids Australia
Plywood cot design #3
Image Source: Ubabub
Plywood cot design #4
Image Source: Cuckooland
Plywood cot design #5
Image Source: Pottery Barn Kids
Plywood wall designs
Plywood is versatile in nature and has numerous application areas. Similarly, plywood panels can be used to upgrade walls.
Paneling over walls using plywood is the easiest, most convenient way to update a room’s look. For this, first, you need to measure the perimeter of the room to be paneled, arrange the panels in the desired manner, prep the walls, and finally, seal the deal with adhesive and nails.
Find some rustic as well as modern plywood walls below.
Plywood wall design #1
Image Source: Trademaster
Plywood wall design #2
Image Source: Dyke & Dean
Plywood wall design #3
Image Source: Nadine Stay
Plywood wall design #4
Image Source: Solidhorse Factory
Plywood wall design #5
Image Source: Dwell
Plywood wardrobe designs
Since plywood remains unaffected by the weather conditions like moisture and humidity, it is one of the best and price effective options for wardrobes. Additionally, it is a durable and robust material used in the manufacture of decorative furniture elements.
Also, birch plywood and pine plywood are the two most popular materials for wardrobes available at great prices.
Here are a few appealing plywood wardrobes that will serve your utility purpose.
Plywood wardrobe design #1
Image Source: Piombini
Plywood wardrobe design #2
Image Source: Pure View Carpentry
Plywood wardrobe design #3
Image Source: Fitted Wardrobes by Disrobe
Plywood wardrobe design #4
Image Source: Vox Concept
Plywood wardrobe design #5
Image Source: Lozi
Plywood cupboard designs
Kitchens, these days, demand furniture made of ply. Since the kitchen has several drawers, cabinets, and cupboards, it requires the best quality material. Also, BWP ply suits kitchen applications the best due to its waterproof feature.
Here are a few cupboard designs to steal right away.
Plywood cupboard design #1
Image Source: Lozi
Plywood cupboard design #2
Image Source: Novocom.top
Plywood cupboard design #3
Image Source: Ian Lee
Plywood cupboard design #4
Image Source: Working Holiday Studio
Plywood cupboard design #5
Image Source: Lozi
Plywood table designs
Since ply tables require a firm and tightly welded frame that is also moisture-resistant, birch plywood sheets are the most ideal material for tables.
Also, the light, natural color palette of ply furniture helps make a compact space look spacious.
Find your perfect table among the designs given below.
Plywood table design #1
Image Source: Deko Studio
Plywood table design #2
Image Source: Lozi
Plywood table design #3
Image Source: The Hairpin Leg Co
Plywood table design #4
Image Source: imgur
Plywood table design #5
Image Source: Lozi
Plywood ceiling designs
Ply is a viable ceiling material. It offers visual aesthetics as well as a lifetime of service. Also, it adds a touch of minimalism, simplicity, and functionality to the theme of the space.
Explore bespoke ply ceiling designs here.
Plywood ceiling design #1
Image Source: eboss.co.nz
Plywood ceiling design #2
Image Source: Joe Fletcher
Plywood ceiling design #3
Image Source: ArchiPro
Plywood ceiling design #4
Image Source: Austin Plywood
Plywood ceiling design #5
Image Source: Barkly Cantilever
Conclusion
Plywood is a cost-effective, strong, and resilient building and furniture material. It has been in use for decades.
Architects and constructors favor ply over every other building material. Knowing all about plywood sheets and their types, grading, sizes, and the best companies will help you deliver the best services to your clients.
Being one of the most durable and strong materials, it remains the top choice of homeowners.
Generally, people prefer plywood doors, beds, tables, and other such furniture items over natural wood. This is the reason plywood sheets have become such a huge part of every home now.
But, the material still undergoes several enhancements to become more eco-friendly and long-lasting.
Using the right grade and types of ply for your building will give it lifetime durability, style, and functionality. Thus, always go for the good quality ply of the right variety, grading, and size.
If you want to buy top-quality plywood from the best brands, click on the link given below to check your options and submit your inquiries:
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Contents
- 1 What is plywood?
- 2 What are the applications of various types of plywood sheets?
- 3 What are the various types of plywood?
- 4 What are its various properties?
- 5 What is waterproof plywood?
- 6 What is Plywood grading?
- 7 The commonly used plywood sheet thicknesses and sizes
- 8 Top plywood brands
- 9 Plywood design ideas
- 10 Conclusion
1 thought on “Plywood sheets – What you need to know about them?”
Nice Information!
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