Plywood
Plywood is made up of several 'plies', or layers of wood veneer, glued together and bonded in a high temperature press.
The direction of the grain in each layer runs at right angles to the layer above and below it.
Because the face and back veneers have the grain running the same way, there is always an uneven number of layers.
Glue bonds and veneer grades
The glues used in plywood vary depending on the strength and durability required.
They range from Type A, the strongest and most weather resistant bond, to Type D, the weakest and least durable bond.
Type A bonds are used in most plywoods these days, because the benefits generally outweigh the extra cost involved.
However, Type C and D are sometimes still used in interior ply with light-coloured veneers that might be discoloured by the heavy brown Type A glues.
These range from A Grade, which has a high quality appearance designed for clear finishing or staining, to D Grade, which contains various defects and is designed to be covered.
Some manufacturers use the term S Grade to refer to a high quality sliced veneer.
Advantages
Plywood is very strong and very stable.
This is because the alternating veneers maximise the natural strength of timber along its grain and minimise its tendency to shrink across the grain.
It also allows the sheets to be nailed or screwed close to the edge without splitting.
Panels that use Type A glue bonds are highly durable and suitable for use in wet areas.
Disadvantages
Because the layers of veneer are bonded at right angles to each other, there can be some tear-out on the edge if it is machined.
The edge can also split when screws are used unless pilot holes are drilled first. Another disadvantage is its cost - plywood is more expensive than most other board products.
Learning activity
Audio 8 (mp3 |6|KB)There are two obvious differences in appearance between sliced veneers and rotary cut veneers.
The first is the different patterns formed by the growth rings and other characteristics in the timber - called 'figure' - depending on whether the veneer has been peeled in a continuous sheet or sliced.
The second major difference is the joins that occur in sliced veneers where the individual 'leaves' are laid side by side across the face of the sheet.
You can see these joins in any sliced-cut face veneers, both in plywood sheets and other timber veneered boards.
See if you can find an example of each of these types of face veneers - rotary cut and sliced.
If you have a digital camera or mobile phone, take a photo of each one.
Send the photo to your trainer and other learners in your group.
Try to name the species of timber in each case.