B-grade sanded veneer face, C-grade cores and back, exterior glue. BC plywood Pine has a grade face that has removed knots and all kinds of defects. Applications include exterior sheathing, soffits, cabinets, shelving, and paneling. A-grade sanded veneer face, C-grade cores and back.
⦁ A-grade plywood: A-grade plywood is the highest quality and is the most expensive, as most sheets will be free of flaws. If you’re looking for plywood that is smooth and can be easily painted, this is a great option.
⦁ B-grade plywood: Another option for an almost perfect sheet of plywood is B-grade. B-grade plywood has a mostly smooth surface and a solid foundation. Some repairs might have been made on this plywood, but B-grade would have only minor flaws.
⦁ C-grade plywood: A little lower down in quality, C-grade plywood has some knots throughout its sheets, up to 1.5 inches in diameter.
⦁ D-grade plywood: D-grade plywood sheets are the most inexpensive. They haven’t been repaired, and the flaws can be a little larger and more noticeable. This grade of plywood can feature knots up to 2.5 inches.
Difference Between Construction and Project Plywood
Construction plywood is a common material for building garages and roofing houses, and it’s also used for household projects like building cabinets. Here are some labels that differentiate the two:
CDX: CDX-grade plywood is an inexpensive plywood material, that is made of the two lowest grades, C and D. The X signifies that this material can withstand some exposure to moisture. CDX is oftentimes used for creating work tables and storage units.
Sanded Pine: Sanded pine is a versatile plywood material. It has a clean and smooth surface, and it holds nails and screws well. This type of plywood is commonly used to build cabinets and boxes.
Baltic Birch: Another versatile plywood material is Baltic birch. This is a more expensive option, as it has clean edges and a nice finish.
Indoor and Outdoor Plywood Options
Even though most plywood manufacturers will be transparent about whether or not a material can withstand outdoor elements, it’s useful to have a brief understanding of each type of plywood’s specifications.
Plywood for Indoor Uses
Sanded plywood: If you’re looking for a quality plywood material that can be used indoors, pine veneer is a good option. This material could be labeled sanded pine BC or sanded ply. It’s an inexpensive material that’s used for projects like building cabinets or shop furniture.
Oriented Strand Board: Also known as “wafer board,” oriented strand board has a flaky appearance because it’s made from wood chips. This type of plywood sheet has a patchwork design with a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors of wood chips glued together.
Plywood for Outdoor Uses
Although some grades of plywood can withstand snow, rain, and other outdoor elements, there’s no guarantee that they will hold up for a certain amount of time. This will depend on moisture, heat, and other outdoor factors.
Pressure-treated plywood: If you’re looking for plywood that’s made to reject mold and mildew, pressure-treated plywood has been saturated with chemicals to keep it safe. This material could last for years without paint or any type of protective coating.
CDX sheathing: This type of plywood material is made from the two lowest grades of plywood, C and D. It’s an inexpensive material, and it shouldn’t be left uncovered. It’s typically covered with bricks or shingles for roofs, storage bins, or garages.
At AWD Plywood, we have a large selection of plywood options so you can find the right grade for your next project.
Hardwood plywood is manufactured by gluing together multiple layers of wood. The face and back veneer are made out of hardwood, which comes from deciduous trees like birch, oak, mahogany, maple, teak, and beech.
Depending on the manufacturer and type of plywood, the core can be made from any type of material, including softwood, hardwood, particleboard, or MDF (medium-density fiberboard).
Advantages Of Hardwood Plywood
Plywood is an inexpensive and green alternative to traditional solid wood and is available in many grains, species, and grades.
Known for its strength and durability, plywood is less likely to warp than softwood plywood. It is available in a variety of thicknesses and comes in large sheets, with the most common being 4- x 8-feet, followed by 5- x 5-feet.
Plywood that is available pre-sanded, ensuring a smooth and even surface, can be a time-saver. This type of plywood has a finished appearance, making it suitable for cabinets, furniture, and other projects visible to the eye.
Disadvantages Of Hardwood Plywood
Because of its thin veneers, plywood can be difficult to cut without splintering. Sanding must be done with care to ensure that it doesn’t sand through, exposing the core.
While plywood is less likely to warp than softwood, it is more likely to warp than solid wood. Delamination, which occurs when the layers of veneer held together with glue separate, can be another concern. Delamination can be caused by improper manufacturing, exposure to moisture, extreme heat, and pressure from nails and screws inserted close to the edge
Best Uses for Hardwood Plywood
Common uses of plywood in residential construction include cabinetry, furniture, decks, and support for walls, floors, and roofs. While plywood can be a money-saver, choosing the right type of plywood is mission-critical.
For furniture, cabinetry, and interior finishing that will be exposed to the eye, the quality and thickness of the face veneer are key. Although many woodworkers swear by veneer-core hardwood plywood for its structural strength and stability, composite cores such as particleboard and MDF are preferred for professional cabinetmaking because they produce a smoother face, vary less in thickness, and are less likely to warp.
The Architectural Woodwork Institute Quality Standards recommend that veneer core panels be used only when they can be housed in areas where warping due to heat or moisture is not a significant issue.
If you are using plywood for projects that are load-bearing or will be exposed to the elements, look for plywood with more layers (or “ply”), which creates a thicker, stronger board.
3-ply is one of the most common types of plywood and is generally used indoors. 5-ply is used indoors or outdoors, but is not suitable for framing permanent structures such as a shed or a home. Multi-ply plywood has seven or more piles. This plywood is strong and durable enough for use in roofing, framing, and other outdoor projects.
Plywood is a strong, economical building material. Let Forest Plywood help you choose the right type of plywood for your needs. With a wide selection of hardwood plywood and expert woodworkers, we’ll ensure your project stands the test of time.
Contact us today, or browse our hardwood plywood selection now.
lywood is the building material of choice for many projects, mostly because of its strength, versatility, and affordability. However, not every plywood is made the same. It’s important to choose the right plywood for your project, especially if you’re building outdoors and need it to withstand the elements. There are different types of exterior plywood to work with on an outdoor project, such as a deck, shelving, or even a boat! The construction grade of the plywood is important, but so is the look and feel of it, depending on how you plan to use it.
How is Plywood Used Outdoors?
Exterior plywood is weather (and water) resistant, so it’s strong enough to be used outside and also in areas that are exposed to water and humidity, like a garage. This type of plywood, often made from Douglas fir, is made stronger by adhering its layers with a waterproof glue.
Exterior plywood can be used on decks and walkways (think: a sturdy path down to a beach), a shed, outdoor shelving, and for outdoor structures and furniture, like a gazebo, bench, or planters. Typically, it’s not a very pretty wood, as it has visible knots or other blemishes, but there are some types whose appearance is much cleaner and, therefore, better for projects where aesthetics are important.
What Types of Exterior Plywood Can Be Used Outdoors?
There are many types of exterior plywood to choose from — the most common being CDX or ACX. Exterior plywood is marked with an X to denote this use and the construction grade is in the first two letters; the first letter refers to the front of the plywood and the second refers to the back. A is a premium grade that can be used in cabinetry or other higher–end uses where appearance is crucial. CDX is a more affordable, construction grade option that is still sturdy and will not crumble after a rainstorm. The layers can be made from veneers, high–density hardwood, or light hardwood.
While similar to standard exterior plywood’s, marine plywood is the highest quality (AA, AB, and BB), constructed from wood without knots. Eliminating the knots in wood improves durability because it practically eliminates the possibility of water pockets forming within the wood. As its name suggests, marine plywood is used to build boats or other marine applications because it’s less prone to cracking while being shaped. If you picture the curve of a boat — and then imagine if that were to crack, you wouldn’t be in great shape. It’s also easier to cut and sand, leaving cleaner edges. This type of plywood can also be used in aircraft construction, as well as for your outdoor furniture and structures.
Other types of exterior plywood include: pressure treated plywood, overlaid plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), and T1-11. Pressure treated plywood is regular plywood infused with chemicals that add to its resistance against mold and mildew. Overlaid is similar to ACX or CDX but with a cleaner finish that not only makes it more attractive but holds up better against wear and tear. OSB is an engineered substitute that’s best suited for areas that are only semi-exposed to the elements. T1-11 is most commonly used for siding.
What are the Differences Between Exterior Plywood’s?
Construction and cost are the biggest differences between types of exterior plywood. Marine plywood is often the most expensive and that is because of both its look and construction. CDX is the least expensive choice, but that doesn’t mean it won’t hold up well outside, just that it is better suited as the inner-core for a project that you’ll maybe cover in siding, rather than a focal point of a piece of furniture or a pergola, for instance. A good middle ground is ACX: less expensive than marine plywood but more attractive than CDX.
Beside cost and look, each type of exterior plywood has a different thickness and weight, which will also affect the weight of the plywood and, therefore, the best ways to use it. Marine plywood is the heaviest, which is great for durability of a bench in your yard or on a boardwalk, but if used as shelving or siding, it may buckle under the weight.
Fortunately, there are a variety of exterior plywood’s to choose from for your outdoor building needs and picking the right one shouldn’t feel limiting at all. It’s best to consult with a professional so they can assess both your budget and needs in order to help you select the best plywood for your project.