Assignment 16
Made by: Ashmine Kaur
Name of the Material: Plywood
Brief about it:
Introduction
Plywood (sometimes referred to simply as ‘ply’) is an engineered sheet timber product
that is widely used for construction purposes. It is manufactured from three or more
thin layers of wood veneer, or ‘plies’ that are glued together to form a thicker, flat
sheet. It is economical, capable of being produced to precise dimensions and is
resistant to warping and cracking.
Some of the most common uses of plywood include:
• Light partition or external walls
• Formwork
• Furniture
• Flooring
• Structural systems
• Light doors and shutters
Types of plywood include:
• Structural plywood: Used in permanent structures where high strength is
needed, such as beams, formwork, and bracing panels.
• External plywood: Used on exterior surfaces where a decorative or aesthetic
finish is important.
• Internal plywood: Used for aesthetic finishing of non-structural applications
such as wall paneling and ceilings.
• Marine plywood: Water resistant plywood that is used in shipbuilding and in
parts of buildings where there may be high moisture content, such as roofing
or bathrooms.
Manufacturing process:
Plywood is manufactured from softwoods (such as Douglas fir, pine, and redwood),
hardwoods (Such as ash, maple, and mahogany), or a combination of both.
The timber used to make plywood is prepared by steaming or dipping in hot water. It
is then peeled into thin plies of between 1-4 mm (about 0.16 in) by a lathe machine. It
is then formed into large sheets.
Plywood consists of the face (the surface that is visible after installation), the back,
and the core (which lies between the face and the back). The plies are glued together
using a strong adhesive, usually, a phenol or urea formaldehyde resin.
Each layer of ply is oriented with its wood grain perpendicular to the adjacent layer,
rotated up to 90-degrees to one another. This is called ‘cross-graining’ and it is this
that distinguishes plywood from laminated veneer lumber (LVL). In LVL, the
direction of the plies is the same, whereas in plywood, the direction of the plie's
alternates. It is usual to have an odd number of plies so that the sheet is balanced
and this helps to reduce warping.
Cross-graining reduces the tendency of the plywood to split when nailed at the edges.
It also reduces expansion and shrinkage, which improves its dimensional stability,
and it gives panels consistent strength in all directions.
It is possible to engineer composite plywood when thick sheets are required. In this
case, a core of solid timber pieces or particleboard is used, with a wood veneer for the
face and back.
The durability of the face and back veneers can be improved by the addition of a thin
outer layer that resists moisture, abrasion, and corrosion, as well as making it easier
to apply paint and dye. Some of the materials that can be used include plastic, resin-
impregnated paper, fabric, Formica, and metal.
Properties:
Plywood has several properties that make it a useful and popular construction
material.
• High strength: Plywood combines the structural strength of the timber from
which it is manufactured, with the properties obtained from its laminated
design. Cross-graining allows the sheet to resist splitting and provides
uniform strength for increased stability.
• High panel shear: The odd number of veneers layers that comprise plywood
mean that it is resistant to bending. By increasing the panel shear of plywood,
it can be used in bracing panels and fabricated beams.
• Flexibility: Plywood can be manufactured to fit a wider range of requirements
than cut timber. Veneer thicknesses can vary from a few millimeters to several
inches, and the number of veneers used can be increased as required in terms
of strength.
• Moisture resistance: Plywood is resistant to moisture and humidity due to the
type of adhesive that is used in the binding process. This can make it suitable
for exterior use such as cladding, sheds, concrete formwork and in marine
construction. The veneers are prevented from warping, shrinking, or
expanding on exposure to water and temperature by the cross lamination.
• Chemical and fire resistance: Plywood can be treated with preservatives which
make it resistant to corrosion when exposed to chemicals. Chemical coatings
can also increase plywood’s resistance to fire.
• Impact resistance: Cross lamination gives plywood high tensile strength which
makes it capable of withstanding overloading by up to twice its designated
load. This makes it suitable for use in flooring systems and formwork.
• Insulation: Plywood’s high thermal and sound insulation qualities make it
suitable for flooring, ceilings, roofing, and wall cladding
Advantages of Plywood:
There are several advantages of plywood which are given below:
• It has exceptionally good strength and durability compared to Medium
Density Fiberboard (MDF).
• It is available in different thicknesses ranges from 6mm (about 0.24 in) to
32mm (about 1.26 in).
• Plywood usually made from different wood species.
• It is less susceptible to water damage than MDF.
• It can be easily polished or painted.
• It can provide smooth surface for laminate or veneer to stick on.
• It can hold screws well.
• It can be cut in any shapes.
• It is resistive to shrinking, warping, twisting, and cracking.
• It is available in generous size compared to solid wood and hence one avoids
joints and therefore the failure given good looks. And because of the same it
increases speed & ease of maintenance unlike the natural wood veneers, where
you had to make up of joints
• It is economical as compared to solid wood.
Disadvantages of Plywood:
There are several disadvantages of plywood which are given below:
• It is more expensive than Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF).
• Because the layers of veneers are seen at the edges, edges must be finished
either with laminate or veneer.
• It often gets splinter from the edges during transportation.
• It is quite difficult to cut.
• It is known to emit toxic VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compound) as it can
irritates in eye.
• Water may damage Moisture Resistant (MR) grade plywood.
• For common people, it is difficult to judge which wood veneer has been used
for making the plywood.
• It is costlier as compared to blockboard or particleboard.
• The most of the commercial grade plywood needs to be covered by laminates.
Sun mica, to enhance its beauty and to increase its life. It is prone to termite
effect and may get damaged once affected.
Available Variants in the local market: Commercial and Marine
Available brands: Century Ply, Green Ply, National Plywood
Available sizes
In Feet (ft) In Meters (m) In Millimeters (mm)
8x4 2.44 x 1.83 2400 x 1200
8x3 2.44 x 0.92 2400 x 900
7x4 2.14 x 1.83 2100 x 1200
7x3 2.14 x 0.92 2100 x 900
6x4 1.83 x 1.83 1800 x 1200
6x3 1.83 x 0.92 1800 x 900
Available thickness
Thickness
4mm
6mm
9mm
12mm
15mm
18mm
22mm
25mm
Prices per sq. ft.
Thickness Prices per sq. ft.
4mm 20
6mm 30
9mm 45
12mm 55
15mm 60
18mm 75
22mm 95
25mm 100
Color Variants: Natural Colors
Application references:
INTERIOR DESIGN
• sound-absorbing panels
• auditoriums
• concert halls
• wall panels, partitions
• windowsills
• doors
• parquet boards
Building
• maintenance bridges and loading bays
• outbuildings and facilities
• fences
• farm buildings
• roofing materials
• warehouses
• partitions, doors
• scaffolding
• flooring under the floor
• formwork
TRADE EQUIPMENT
• trade and service equipment (cabinets, counters, racks)
• equipment of hotels, bars and restaurants, hairdressing salons, laundries,
medical offices, and pharmacies
• beach houses, cabins, and showers
• furniture for outdoor restaurants
• storage siding
• fitting rooms and partitions
• information stands
Monolithic House Building
• formwork for columns
• foundation formwork
• formwork for floors
• wall formwork
• tunnel formwork
FURNITURE MANUFACTURE
• facade, side, and rear cabinets
• case for upholstered furniture
• garden and garden furniture
• bathroom furniture
• tables and tabletops
• cabinets and shelves
• kitchen furniture
• shelving
CHILDREN'S FURNITURE, PLAYGROUND
• children's furniture (tables, chairs, benches, cabinets, etc.)
• children's and playground equipment
• sports and playgrounds (hockey rinks, skateboard ramps, snow slides, seats
for spectators on
• sports fields, benches, sides, flooring under the floors)
• school furniture
• children's slides
SHIPBUILDING
• interior decoration of yachts and ships
• trim boards, partitions
• decks of yachts, boats, and ships
• seats on boats, catamarans, and passenger ships
EXTERIOR DESIGN
• facade design
• balcony floors
• scaffolding
• roofing
• gate and fence
