APPEARANCE AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES.
Plywood is a panel made of a minimum of three layers of bonded veneer. Each layer is arranged perpendicular to the next and the different grain directions improve the strength and stability of the plywood. In most cases both facing plies have the same grain direction, i.e. there are an odd number of plies. The positive properties of plywood were discovered in Egyptian times. Mass production began in the 20th Century.
A number of different wood types can be used for plywood. In Europe birch, beech and poplar and used most commonly as well as coniferous woods such as pine and Douglas fir or tropical woods. Birch and beech panels with good visual properties for furniture manufacturing are often termed multiplex panels. The application areas depend upon the properties of the woods:
Beech plywood:
High hardness, high strength, heavy, light to reddish colouring
Birch plywood:
High strength, light colouring
Poplar plywood:
Low hardness, very light weight, easy to work
Pine plywood:
Medium hardness, medium strength, easy to work
APPLICATION AREAS.
– Furniture making and interior furnishing
– Shop outfitting and trade fair design
– Working surfaces, Stairs
– Construction elements in timber (frame) construction
– Concrete formwork
