Plywood is one of the most commonly used materials during the construction of residential and commercial buildings and is a primary material for furniture manufacturing, interior furnishings, doors, electrical works (cabinets, boards, etc.) and many more.Plywood is manufactured using thin sheets of wood known as veneer or ply.Veneer is a layer of wood produced from rotational peeling of pre-conditioned wooden logs. These veneers are then layered one on top of the other in perpendicular direction of their grains (cross-grain orientation) with intermittent layers of bonding agents/resin solution/glue. This cross-graining adds strength and stability to the plywood that resists shrinkage and expansion and the glue layer composition imparts it the moisture and termite resistance amongst many other useful properties.
A few of the typical wood species that are used in manufacturing plywood are eucalyptus, rubber-wood, ash, cedar, spruce, oak, birch, maple, and pine. Different applications warrant different raw-material usage and plywood is a specifically engineered wood which is designed according to the end needs and requirements. This is the reason for various grades and thicknesses of plywood in the market. Let us explore a few of the grades to specifically learn a little more about each of them:
Moisture Resistant (MR) Grade: As the name suggests, this is the moisture resistant grade of the commercial plywood available in the market. In the MR grade of plywood, Urea Formaldehyde Resins are used to glue the plies with each other. This grade of the plywood isaffordable and cost-effective. The key point to remember is the MR Grade of plywood is ‘moisture resistant’ not ‘waterproof’. So actually, the plywood is capable of resisting humidity and moisture but is not resistant to water. So, one should not use this type of plywood for making furniture/productwhich will be continuously exposed to or would be in contact with the water. MR grade plywood is ideal quality interior grade plywood suitable for indoor furniture or interiors related products manufacturing.
A few of the common uses of MR grade Plywood includes: Bookshelves, mounted cabinets, bedroom furniture, living room furniture, office furniture, partitions among many others.
Boiling Water Resistant (BWR) Grade Plywood: Boiling Water Resistant grade plywood is another yet another improved grade of water resistant plywood. It can resist water better than MR grade of plywood. Phenol formaldehyde adhesive (phenolic resin) which is a synthetic plastic resin is used to glue the veneers in this grade of plywood. This synthetically prepared plastic resin helps in improving the resistance of plywood against moisture and water. This grade of plywood may be used for furniture which is likely to be used in coastal or other high humidity areas or remain exposed to moisture or may even get wet at times. For example: kitchen cabinets, lawn chairs, garden tables, outdoor loungers, dining tables, restaurant furniture, etc.
Fire Retardant Grade Plywood: Veneers of Fire Retardant Grade of plywood are treated with improved fire retardant chemicals. Although it does not make the plywood fire-proof, but, this helps the plywood to develop good resistance against fire hazard. This grade of plywood is well suited for kitchen furniture applications, and electrical furniture application and any other such areas where there is a potential risk of fire hazard.
Boiling Water Proof (BWP) Grade Plywood: Boiling Water Proof Plywood which is also popularly known as Marine Grade Plywood is one of the most advance grade of plywood with resistance against moisture. This grade of plywood is resistant to prolonged exposure to moisture or water. Veneers of such plywood are bonded together with boiling waterproof synthetic undiluted phenol formaldehyde adhesive. It is a superior grade of plywood with significantly improved quality and strength as compared to other plywood grades.
Other Advantages: In addition to the advantages specific to each grade of plywood, there are many other advantages of using plywood over other conventional materials. A few of such notable differences are:
We, at Chitwan Ply, understand the need for variety. Therefore you will find a wide range of plywood grades, in multiple sizes and thicknesses to choose from. Our vast pool of product variety will cater to almost all your furniture and interior related requirements. We care for your requirements and about the issues which might arise later on during use. We totally understand that every piece of ply used in the construction of your dream home needs to be of top quality. Therefore our plywood is subjected to a series of rigorous testing procedures during various stages of manufacturing. This ensures that you get only the best quality plywood. At Chitwan Ply we strive to provide our customers with the top quality plywood at the best possible cost.
