Plywood is a thin sheet material, which comes from either cutting down an already thinned tree or from slicing thin pieces of wood. The top and bottom layers are made out of the best part of the wood while the middle layer contains knots, bark and other elements that make it less desirable. These materials are glued together under very high pressure to create a strong piece of plywood that can be cut into different shapes for various purposes.
Most often plywood is used as a medium-density building material for flooring, interior walls and roofs. It has been popular because it’s cheap and it’s easy to cut with power tools such as saws or planers.
When using this type of product you have to remember that even though it’s made with strong materials, it can still break and crack. It’s also not very durable in the face of water or other liquids and the pigments used to dye the wood are often less than perfect so they will rub off or fade over time.
There are several different types of plywood that are commonly available for sale at home improvement stores. The most popular are interior door panels because they come in many colors and styles to match modern decorating tastes. Other types include marine plywood which is specially treated against salt damage, exterior grade plywood that has a weather resistant covering already applied, laminated veneer lumber (LVL) plywood which uses smaller pieces of wood but adds an extra layer on each piece to make it more stable and construction-grade plywood which is thicker and stronger than the other types.
Now that you know a bit more about plywood, you can see why it’s become such a popular choice for building materials. It’s strong, affordable and easy to work with. Just be aware of the potential downsides before making your final decision & feel free to call on us for professional advice.
