What is Plywood & How It Is Made?

Plywood is a material that you might have heard a lot about, but may not know much about. In this article, we will explain what plywood is and how it is made. Let’s start with its history.

Plywood History

According to Wikipedia, plywood was invented in 1797 by Samuel Bentham. About fifty years later, Immanuel Nobel, father of Alfred Nobel, realized that several thinner layers of wood bonded together would be stronger than one single thick layer of wood. Understanding the industrial potential of laminated wood, he invented the rotary lathe.

What is Plywood?

Plywood is a sheet made from thin layers of wood, which are called the core. These thin layers of wood, typically 1.5mm to 2.5 mm thick, are glued and stacked in alternate directions to form plywood. The front and back sides are covered by a very thin layer (about 0.5mm) of wood veneer, which is known as the face of the ply.

Types of Plywood

There are many types of plywood available in the Ahmedabad market. The type of plywood is determined by the wood core and the resin or chemical used during manufacturing.

Softwood Plywood (Poplar Plywood)

Softwood Plywood is made from softwood, such as cedar, pine, spruce, and poplar (available in northern India). In India, it is also known as Poplar Plywood.

Softwood plywood has maximum moisture resistance, durability, and bending strength. It is lightweight and easily cut.

The general size is 8ft x 4ft, and it is widely used in readymade furniture and packaging of industrial goods.

Hardwood Plywood

Hardwood plywood is made from hardwood, such as Eucalyptus, Gurjan, and Teak wood. Alternate plywood, made from a 50-50 combination of eucalyptus and poplar wood, is also considered hardwood plywood. It is harder, stronger, heavier, and denser than softwood plywood.

It is the first choice for making furniture in dry areas, such as living rooms, study rooms, offices, etc.

Marine Plywood

This plywood is not affected by water because it is specially treated and bonded with marine-grade BWP resin that can endure extreme weather conditions and withstand alternate drying and wetting.

This plywood is functional in both exteriors and semi-exteriors. It is widely used in bus and truck bodies, railway coaches, kitchen accessories, signboards, paneling partitions, bathrooms, for high-quality furniture, and other interior and exterior woodworking needs.

I hope this clears up any confusion about plywood history, what plywood is, and its types. Now, it’s time to learn how plywood is manufactured.

How Plywood is made

The above picture clearly explains the entire manufacturing process. Let’s check out the plywood manufacturing process from one of the most reputed plywood manufacturers in India.