Selecting an Ideal Plywood for Commercial Spaces

by Rajat Sahoo Active Blogger

Plywood is an engineered wood that is prepared by glueing layers of veneers with a chemical adhesive or resin at high temperature and pressure. The result of this process is a flat board that is thick and strong. This is an alternative to wood. Plywood is a preferred alternative since it is cheaper and more useful.

Plywood’s physical structure makes it a tough material. These qualities make it resistant to bending, twisting, or shrinking. It also makes the wood last longer. Plywood has the appearance of wood with a strength of its own. It sometimes also has a matte finish that natural wood doesn’t have.

Natural wood is highly inflammable and prone to attacks by pests, borers and termites and atmospheric conditions. Plywood is fire, water, and pest resistant. While natural wood is costly, plywood is cheap.

Water Resistant Plywood

Most plywood has water-resistant properties. Any ply having this property is called commercial ply. This kind of ply can be used to create interiors- furniture, wardrobes, shelves, cabinets, floors, roofs, etc. water resistance doesn't mean that it is waterproof.

It means that it can resist atmospheric conditions like humidity. Waterproof plywood is also known as 710 or Marine grade plywood. It is used for industrial and commercial applications.

Classification of Plywood on the Basis of Thickness

Plywood consists of many layers. The thickness of the final product depends on how many layers there are. The more layers, the more is the thickness. Thickness is also directly related to how strong the end product is.

Plywood begins with a minimum of three layers and can be extended to up to thirteen layers. In a nutshell, strength depends on the number of layers. Let us look at some of the thicknesses in detail.

5-ply: The thickness is 6mm and is perfect for home application.

7-ply: The thickness is 9mm. It is perfect for both indoor and outdoor applications.

9-13 ply: The thickness extends from 12mm and more. It is strong and perfect for flooring and roofing.

How to select the right plywood?

In this section, we will look at ways of selecting cheap plywood that is also suitable for whatever purpose you have in mind.

Identify the purpose

This step requires you to decide the place where you want to use plywood. If you want plywood for areas where there is little to no moisture such as the drawing-room, bedroom and study then you should buy MR grade plywood. It is the cheapest and the most suitable choice.

If you want to install plywood in high moisture areas or areas that are exposed to steam or fire, use boiling waterproof plywood. It is more expensive than MR plywood. It has other features like strength, fire-retardancy, and enhanced water resistance.

To decide the quantity of plywood required, talk to your contractor in advance. This helps in placing an accurate order.

Check Certification

Good quality plywood will always be certified. There are standard rules that are set. In India, plywood is ISI certified. The ISI stamp has a CML number below it. This number is assigned to all leading plywood manufacturers. Keep in mind that:

● ISI number for MR plywood is IS: 303

● ISI number for Marine plywood is IS: 710