How to identify quality plywood

In today’s world, the field of construction is being explored in a lot of ways – be it building construction, interior decor, or furniture – and this has led to a significant increase in the requirement of raw materials for the same. One of the most commonly used raw materials is wood; it has boundless applications, as it is one of the oldest used materials for construction. This has led to the emergence of different types of plywood in India with different grades, features, and uses. Each of them comes with great flexibility, durability, strength, and resistance, making them increasingly popular.

But with such a choice comes confusion – it is a challenge to identify good quality plywood that will be perfect for crafting your desired furniture. In this blog, let us explore the same.

Thickness

If you want to identify good quality plywood that will be the best choice for your construction needs, the ideal way to do so is by checking the thickness of the plywood. Generally, it should be between 4 mm and 25 mm – however, the more apt way of quality check is ensuring that this thickness on various points across the plywood is even. A disparity of +/- 0.50 mm is tolerable, however, if it exceeds that, it is an indication that the plywood is not up to the mark. You can easily determine the quality of plywood by checking the number of plies – the more the number of plies, the better the quality. Wigwam offers a range of premium calibrated plywood of even thickness that can be molded into the furniture you want. 

It is extremely crucial to look for plywood sheets that have minimal to no curves, as a number of plywood veneer sheets are bent to a certain extent. You need to keep an eye out for straight sheets with 180-degree flatness. These calibrated plywood sheets need to be free from undulation and must have zero cavities. A good way to know if plywood is of good quality is to ensure that it is pressed 4 times for the best adherence and flatness. It is consequential to check for defects in the core layers of the plywood – as these can cause the sheet to become warped or twisted. Remember, irrespective of what anyone claims, a curved plywood sheet is not a good quality plywood.

The decision of which plywood to choose has to be heavily influenced by what you are going to use the furniture for. It is crucial to use plywood of good quality for the same, as a lot of the furniture made out of plywood is used in kitchens, toilets, and even outdoors. Such areas are more likely to be fire or water-damaged – this is why it is important to choose BWP Plywood, or Boiling Waterproof Plywood that can withstand water and heat damage well without warping or breaking. It is one of the strongest materials for crafting lasting furniture. Ensure that the plywood you choose is made with 8×4 (full size) composed core veneers, and is calibrated for even thickness throughout. A proper understanding of your purpose is important in order to be able to choose the best quality plywood.

If you want to ascertain the quality of plywood, there are two fundamental and giving things you have to inspect – the number of plies in the plywood sheet and hardwood core instead of softwood core. Check the joints between the veneer sheets and go for the plywood with tightly knit, even, and close grains texture. If you notice gaps, knots, or voids on the edges, it is a clear indication that the same is the case within the layers of the plywood. Make sure to avoid any plywood with gaps; they can be more prone to termite attacks. The last thing when checking the edges is how thick the face veneer layer is. To avoid all these intricate defects, go for plywood that has undergone the process of calibration from the different ply types in India – you can be assured of even thickness, flatness, and concurrent edges.

ISI Mark is an Indian Standard Industry compliance certification for industrial products in our country. Any plywood with an ISI mark is an assurance of good quality. The BWP Plywood has an IS:710 mark, the MR grade plywood has an IS:303 mark, and so on. You can also check for a seven-digit CML number on every stamp, which gives you details about the manufacturer on the website of BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards). This is a sure-shot mark of reliability and quality.

Final thoughts

Determining the best quality plywood can be an overwhelming, confusing, as well as a tedious task as it requires basic knowledge about the different types of plywood in India and their uses. However, a little research can help you identify the quality of a plywood sheet rather easily – you have to be observant about the thickness, flatness, edges, and ISI mark on the plywood, and you are all set! Wigwam offers the best quality calibrated plywood that fits all your requirements. Check out our range of products today!