Buying lumber from a lumber yard can be intimidating, but surely plywood is simpler... right? Plywood is a manufactured product that has a more controlled process and standardization then harvesting lumber, but there are still a lot of variations in plywood that makes buying plywood more complicated then if you were to buy a PlayStation off the shelf.
I don't buy plywood frequently, each time I do I have to refresh myself on all the different terminology and options that I get back from the lumber dealer so I decided to write a post to myself to save my time re-searching the internet on what each thing means.
Core Materials
Face and Back Grades
Face grades:
- AA - Premium, architectural quality for interiors, case goods and high end furniture.
- A - Not as high as AA but still excellent appearance.
- B - Less perfect and consistent than A panels but more economical.
- C - More defects and variations. Not as attractive so good for less visible applications.
- "Shop" grade - Panels that have some imperfection that causes the sheet to not meet the grade (e.g. A1 or C2).
Back grades
Baltic Birch Grades
- B/BB - one face free of "footballs".
- BB/BB - An average of 4 to 6 footballs per face
- BB/CP - An average of 4 to 6 football on one face and unlimited footballs on the back
Veneer Core
MDF Core
MDF core consists of using medium density fiberboard between the face veneers which is very stable and uniform. MDF can be heavy and can swell up and dissolve when wet.Combination Core
Veneer Cuts
Veneer Match
Slip Matching
Sequence Match
Book Matching
Book matching turns the panels over so that two adjacent panels mirrors each other much like how you open a book.References
- https://www.decorativehardwoods.org/sites/default/files/2022-02/HWPW%20Handbook.pdf
- https://chesapeakeplywood.com/architectural-plywood/
- https://www.columbiaforestproducts.com/library/reference-guides/grading-guide/veneer-cuts-and-matching/
- https://www.columbiaforestproducts.com/2015/08/29/matching-confusion-uncomplicating-an-overused-term/
- https://www.columbiaforestproducts.com/library/reference-guides/core-types/
- https://www.archtoolbox.com/wood-veneer-matching/
- https://awiqcp.org/news-and-blog/wood-veneers-matching/ -- sequence matching have a higher standard for matching more then slip (which is also layers it in sequence.
- https://www.decorativehardwoods.org/pdfs-available-download