Plywood Sheets

Plywood

Plywood is an engineered timber that is closely related to MDF and chipboard that are also used as sheet materials. It is manufactured from engineered wood that has been cut into fine veneers that are layered by rotating each tier by 90 degrees and glued together. This is different from solid wood which has a grain that goes in one direction and is referred to as a cross-grain technique. This method has a variety of benefits to the material created:

• High strength and stability
• Warping is prevented
• Lower risk of the sheet splitting, particularly when nails are inserted around the edges

What is Plywood used for?

Quality plywood is a versatile general-purpose construction product that is supplied as panels for a cost-effective alternative to solid wood. The cross-grain style of the sheet allows it to handle high levels of pressure, and it is suitable for a wide range of uses including:

• Furniture
• Flooring
• Light partition walls
• Doors
• Panelling
• Cladding
• Sheds

Some of our branches can do plywood cut to size, please visit our branch pages to see whether your local branch offers this service..

Which plywood should be used?

At Howarth Timber & Building Supplies, we sell a wide range of plywood sheets. Knowing which one you will need will depend on a few factors:

Internal Applications: Typically used in situations that will not be exposed to moisture, you should choose a panel that has a technical class of EN636-1S and has an EN314 Class 1 bond.

This includes:

• Packing cases
• Furniture
• Shelving

When used in furnishings, or for projects where the finished look is important, you can choose decorative plywood that features face veneers that feature the natural wood grain that is a popular feature.

External Applications: This will be situations that will experience occasional wetting, including humidity and condensation (for example in bathrooms), and you should choose EN636-2S exterior plywood with an EN314 Class 2 bond. Marine grade plywood is an excellent choice in most cases because it is moisture resistant, and resilient against delamination and fungal attacks.

Uses include:

• Roofing
• Floors
• Walls
• Hoardings

For structural applications, such as storage crates, we recommend using a structural plywood. If it will be constantly exposed to the elements, for example if a crate is being stored in an exterior-based yard, you will need structural plywood that is EN636-3S with an EN314 Class 3 bond.

What is Marine Plywood?

Marine grade plywood is the highest quality plywood available. It is referred to as "Marine grade" because it must be completely capable of withstanding rain, snow, and water on a regular, recurrent basis to qualify. However, this is not the only requirement for a piece of plywood to be labelled as marine grade.

Marine grade plywood is made by plies that are bound together using a special waterproof adhesive under heat and pressure. The outside is then given a water-resistant coating. The waterproof adhesive, as well as the absence of voids, knots, and air pockets, distinguish Marine grade plywood from other types of plywood. Furthermore, what differentiates Marine grade plywood from other types of plywood is that it is made with more, thinner layers of high-quality wood rather than fewer, thicker layers of lower-quality wood.

The main advantage of marine grade plywood is its durability. It is intended to outperform practically any other form of plywood in the outdoors. Marine grade plywood is commonly used in the construction of boats, residences, and other structures because of its durability and resistance to moisture. It is far more structurally strong since there are no knotholes or air pockets.