When building your new home or performing refurbishments, you should consider incorporating plywood into the structure. This composite material is ideal for building internal panelling, doors, exterior cladding and flooring. Plywood has high dimensional stability and consequently, the panels are very strong. This can be attributed to the alternating placement of the veneers that are glued together to form the plywood. In simple terms, the wood grain in every ply is always perpendicular to the adjacent one, preventing easy distortion. In addition, plywood is attractive and durable, so you will have prolonged service. If you decide to use plywood, here are some considerations to help you choose ideal products.

Type of Plywood

There are different types of plywood materials in the market that are ideal for residential construction. These products can be categorised in diverse ways but most convenient grouping is by their specific applications. The main classes are structural, marine, external and internal plywood. Structural plywood is designed for building permanent structural features in the house. This type of product can be made from different softwoods and hardwoods, so there are numerous choices. You can install structural plywood as part of the formwork, bracing and flooring.

Marine plywood is essentially structural plywood, but it is modified to resist moisture damage and delamination of the veneers. This is an ideal alternative to standard structural plywood if you are concerned about humidity. External plywood can withstand external weather conditions, but it is not strong enough for structural application. You can install this type for hoarding, cladding and exterior door skins. Internal plywood is for non-structural interior use such as indoor panelling, ceiling lining and inner door skins.

Material Appearance Grade

The appearance of the plywood is important because it will affect the total aesthetic value of your home. Generally, the visual elements will be affected by the nature of the grain and the amount of imperfections on the outer veneer. The main veneer grades with regard to appearance are classified as from A to D. Grade A is the finest quality and it is free from visual imperfections while grade D has significant imperfections such as knots and knot holes. The latter will require paint to hide the imperfections and Grade A can be finished with clear varnish.

Plywood Size

Finally, you should explore the plywood sizes in the market to determine the most suitable. Ideally, you should purchase large panels to limit the number of joints after installation. However, if the sheets are too large, there will be pieces wasted after trimming.

For more information about structural plywood, visit F.A. Mitchell & Company Pty Ltd.