What is plywood? This is becoming popular in the field of furniture manufacturing, construction. Understanding plywood helps choose the most suitable material for your projects and works. Follow the article below of Fiber Wood to immediately update the most important and useful information about this wood material
The field of interior and construction is constantly developing, which requires a remarkable improvement in the quality of materials. In that context, plywood was born as an excellent industrial wood solution that fully satisfies the criteria of durability – beauty – quality
Plywood is a type of panel made from thin wood sheets (called veneer) stacked on top of each other. The wood veneers are tightly bonded together by specialized glue under high pressure. With this special structure, this material has effectively overcome the disadvantages of natural wood. Thereby, contributing to opening a new era of wood modern and optimized industry, allowing unlimited development and creativity in the field of interior and construction
What is plywood's history?
Traces of the use of materials with a structure of thin layers stacked on top of each other were found in ancient Egypt (dating back to about 2600 BC). In 1797, Sir Samuel Bentham – a famous British architect and mechanical engineer – applied for a patent for several types of plywood production machines. Therefore, he is considered the “father” marking the official birth of this material
From 1865 to 1870, plywood was imported and mass produced in France and the United States. However, in the 20th century, the advent of waterproof glue brought this wood to a new page. At that time, they were considered high-quality materials and applied in many important fields such as: military, maritime, interior, construction…
Up to now, industrial wood production techniques and technology continue to be improved. A variety of wood types and sizes have appeared on the market, playing an important role in many industries and areas of life
Structure of plywood
Understanding the structure of plywood will help you better answer the question “what is plywood?”. In general, each plywood panel has a structure of 3 main parts:
- Plywood core
- Surface
- Glue
Plywood core
The core wood is made up of thin planks arranged together in a certain order. These layers are sliced directly from natural wood with the most common thickness being from 1.7mm – 2.0mm. Manufacturers often prioritize the use of hardwoods to ensure the durability of plywood, commonly: eucalyptus, acacia, magnolia conifera…
Surface
The surface layer covering the plywood panels not only has the function of protection but also increases the aesthetics and optimizes the quality of the panel. Manufacturers have many surface treatment methods to meet the needs of customers. Currently, some popular surface types include: veneer, film, melamine,…
However, depending on what is plywood used for, the production process will be adjusted to process the appropriate surface. In many interior projects, contractors choose uncoated raw core veneers (sofa plywood) to optimize material costs while still ensuring the quality of the finished product
Glue
Glue is an important component in the plywood structure, not only has the function of connecting each layer, but also helps increase the life of the sheet through its water and moisture resistance properties. The most popular types of glue on the market today are:
- UF Glue (Urea Formaldehyde)
- PF Glue (Phenol Formaldehyde)
- MUF Glue (Melamine Urea Formaldehyde)
- PUR Glue (Polyurethane)
- Epoxy Glue
To export to international markets, plywood needs to satisfy many quality criteria. In particular, wood glue needs to be controlled for formaldehyde emission into the environment, ensuring safety for users’ health
What is plywood’s manufacturing process?
To bring a finished product to the user, each sheet needs to go through many different stages. This process is quite complicated, requiring advanced machinery and skilled workers.
In general, the plywood production process needs to ensure the following main steps:
- Selection of input round wood materials
- Peel off round wood
- Cut veneer boards
- Classify veneer
- Cover with glue
- Arrange and pressing boards under high pressure
- Sand the surface and trim to size
- Roll the surface with glue
- High pressure undercoating
- Sanding, finishing and checking the product
Ways to classify plywood sheets
Nowadays, the diversification of industrial wood material lines on the market helps customers have more suitable choices for each purpose. However, this means that users need to understand the characteristics of each type of sheet to bring the best use efficiency. Below are two common classifications that you can refer to:
Classification by wood core structure
The layered structure directly affects the bearing capacity and bending ability:
- LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) structure: The boards are stacked in the same direction, giving the sheets superior bending ability
- LVD (Normal Plywood) structure: The layers are arranged alternately in a perpendicular direction (1 horizontal layer, 1 vertical layer), helping to disperse force evenly, creating optimal load-bearing capacity
- LVB (Laminated Veneer Board) structure: Arranged similarly to LVD but usually 2 – 3 horizontal layers alternating with 2 – 3 vertical layers, so LVB plywood has high mechanical stiffness
Classification by surface
Based on what is plywood’s surface material, the most popular types of plywood today can be classified as follows:
- Veneer faced sheets: This is a type of plywood covered with a thin layer of veneer sliced from high-quality wood, creating unique and authentic grain patterns. In addition, to provide more choices for customers, artificial veneer production techniques have developed rapidly, creating wood grain patterns that are no less unique than natural veneer
- Paper-coated sheets: There are many types of specialized paper coating for plywood with the purpose of both increasing durability and upgrading the aesthetic value of the board. Some popular types of paper include: film paper, melamine, laminate…
- UV coated sheets: UV is a liquid layer that can harden when exposed to ultraviolet rays. During the construction process, the plywood will be exposed to ultraviolet rays so that this UV layer adheres tightly to the surface, creating a protective layer for its surface
See details of popular plywood sheets!
What is plywood's advantages in furniture production and construction
It is no coincidence that plywood has become the first choice of many furniture projects and construction works. With the following outstanding features, this sheet promises to become an even more popular material in the future
Good bearing capacity
The interesting point in the core structure is that the number of veneer layers is always an odd number. Therefore, every 3 consecutive veneer layers will have a middle panel that acts as a central core, holding the surface of the remaining 2 layers tightly. This helps this wood material possess high balance and stability
Moreover, the special layered structure helps plywood panels to have the ability to withstand force evenly on both sides, limiting shrinkage and warping better than solid wood or natural wood
Water resistance
Plywood goes through a hot pressing and cold pressing process under high pressure with a special waterproof glue, so they have effective water resistance. That is why they are widely used in areas that are in direct contact with water: kitchens, bathrooms…
For a long time, the mold and rot in wooden furniture has been a big concern for customers. However, thanks to this outstanding advantage, this wood promises to be the perfect material to help users change their perspective on industrial wood furniture
Safe for health and environmentally friendly
Formaldehyde is an inevitable ingredient in any industrial wood glue. With its colorless and volatile properties in the air, formaldehyde is difficult to detect with the naked eye. When exposed to high concentrations of this organic compound, users are likely to suffer from respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, … and can even lead to cancer
During the production process, manufacturers are able to control the amount of formaldehyde emitted into the environment by using E0 standard glue. This is one of the main reasons why plywood can be considered a safe material for users’ health
Moreover, the process of exploiting raw materials is more optimal than that of natural wood panels. Because the veneer panels are sliced from small tree trunks of planted forests, while a natural wood panel to achieve high value must be exploited from larger and older trees. So let’s ask the question: when mass-producing natural wood panels, how much wood must the manufacturer exploit? This, if it happens over a long period of time, will have a negative impact on the environment
At Fiber Wood, we prioritize the use of E0 glue with Carb P2 standard, committed to limiting formaldehyde concentration to nearly 0. Combined with FSC criteria – certifying manufacturers to ensure reasonable exploitation to protect the sustainable development of planted forests. Therefore, safety for users and environmental friendliness are always the top commitment factors when customers choose plywood at Fiber Wood
Flexibility in design
With the ability to be cut and shaped easily, plywood sheets allows designers to design to implement extremely unique creative ideas
In fact, many architectural works built entirely have been created. This proves that they have become an endless source of inspiration and marked special milestones in the development history of the industrial wood industry
How to preserve plywood in large quantities
Nowadays, when contractors deeply understand “what is plywood” and “how is it helpful”, they intend to buy plywood in large quantities to optimize costs for the production process. However, storage must comply with some requirements to ensure the quality of sheets
Place plywood off the ground
Although plywood has good water resistance, moisture from the ground can be a factor in reducing the quality if exposed for a long time. Therefore, place pads or plinths under the sheets to maintain the best use efficiency
Surface covering
Plywood surfaces can be scratched due to impact during transportation or stacking during storage. Protecting the sheets with tarpaulin, foam or cardboard is an effective solution for manufacturers
Furthermore, the wrapping layer also acts as a barrier between the woods and the outside environment. This reduces the effects of temperature and humidity during transportation and storage
This article will help you answer what is plywood and how does it become a versatile material with flexible applications in many field? The most comprehensive information above is what you need to know to find out the most optimal wood material for your works. Follow Fiber Wood to continue updating interesting articles about industrial wood materials!
