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Plywood From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. The talk page may contain suggestions. (June 2010) The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (January 2010) Softwood plywood made from spruce Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, cheap, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured. Plywood is used instead of plain wood because of its resistance to cracking, shrinkage, and twisting/warping, and its general high degree of strength.
Plywood layers (called veneers) are glued together with adjacent plies having their grain at right angles to each other for greater strength. There are usually an odd number of plies so that the sheet is balanced—this reduces warping. Because of the way plywood is bonded (with grains running against one another and with an odd number of composite parts) it is very hard to bend it perpendicular to the grain direction.
Contents [hide] [edit] Stresses It is quite usual for the outer layer on each face to be of a higher-grade timber, and sometimes thinner than the other layers, and perhaps more decorative. The principal reason for the central layers is to increase the separation of the outer layers, where the stresses are highest - in bending, the maximum stress is in the outer layers, one in tension, the other in compression, changing lineally with distance from the surface, i.e. zero bending stress in the middle, where only a very weak layer is needed. Shear stress is constant throughout the depth.
[edit] Types Average-quality plywood with show veneer High-quality concrete pouring plate in plywood Different varieties of plywood exist for different applications:-
[edit] Softwood plywood Softwood panel is usually made either of cedar, Douglas fir or spruce, pine, and fir (collectively known as spruce-pine-fir or SPF) or redwood and is typically used for construction and industrial purposes.[1]
The most common varieties of softwood plywood come in three, five or seven plies with a metric dimension of 1.2 m × 2.4 m or the slightly larger imperial dimension of 4 feet × 8 feet. Plies vary in thickness from 1/10" through 1/6" depending on the panel thickness. Roofing can use the thinner 5/8-inch plywood. Subfloors are at least 3/4-inch thick, the thickness depending on the distance between floor joists. Plywood for flooring applications is often tongue and groove; the mating edge will have a "groove" notched into it to fit with the adjacent "tongue" that protrudes from the next board. This prevents one board from moving up or down relative to its neighbour, so providing a solid feeling floor when the joints do not lie over joists. Tongue & groove flooring plywood is typically 1" in thickness.
[edit] Hardwood plywood Used for demanding end uses. Birch plywood is characterised by its excellent strength, stiffness and resistance to creep. It has a high planar shear strength and impact resistance, which make it especially suitable for heavy-duty floor and wall structures. Oriented plywood construction has a high wheel-carrying capacity. Birch plywood has excellent surface hardness, and damage- and wear-resistance. [2]
[edit] Tropical plywood Tropical plywood is always made of mixed species of tropical wood in the Asian region. Tropical plywood boasts its superiority over softwood plywood due to its density, strength, evenness of layers, and high quality. It is usually sold at a premium in many markets if manufactured with high standards. Tropical plywood is widely used in UK, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Dubai, and other major cities worldwide. It is the most preferred choice for construction purposes in many regions.
[edit] Special purpose plywood Certain plywoods do not have alternating plies. These are designed for a specific purpose.
[edit] Aircraft plywood High-strength plywood, known as aircraft plywood, is made from mahogany and/or birch, and uses adhesives with increased resistance to heat and humidity. It was used for several World War II fighter aircraft, including the British-built Mosquito bomber which was nicknamed the wooden wonder.
[edit] Decorative plywood (overlaid plywood) Usually faced with hardwood, including ash, oak, red oak, birch, maple, mahogany, Philippine mahogany(often called lauan), rose wood, teak and a large number of other hardwoods. However, Formica, metal and resin-impregnated paper or fabric bonded are also added on top of plywood at both side as a kind of ready for use in the decoration field.
[edit] Flexible plywood Flexible plywood is very flexible and is designed for making curved parts. In the UK this is known as "Hatters Ply" as it was used to make stovepipe hats in Victorian times.[citation needed] However these may not be termed plywood in some countries because the basic description of plywood is layers of veneered wood laid on top of each other with the grain of each layer perpendicular to the grain of the next.
[edit] Marine plywood Marine plywood is specially treated to resist rotting in a high-moisture environment. Its construction is such that it can be used in environments where it is exposed to moisture for long periods. Each wood veneer will have negligible core gap, limiting the chance of trapping water in the plywood and hence providing a solid and stable glue bond. It uses an exterior Water Boiled Proof (WBP) glue similar to most exterior plywoods. Marine plywood is frequently used in the construction of docks and boats. It is much more expensive than standard plywood: the cost for a typical 4-foot by 8-foot 1/2-inch thick board is roughly $75 to $100 US or around $2.5 per square foot, which is about three times as expensive as standard plywood. Marine plywood can be graded as being compliant with BS 1088, which is a British Standard for marine plywood. There are few international standards for grading marine plywood and most of the standards are voluntary. Some marine plywood has a Lloyd's of London stamp that certifies it to be BS 1088 compliant. Some plywood is also labeled based on the wood used to manufacture it. Examples of this are Okoume or Meranti
Other types of plywoods include fire-retardant, moisture-resistant, sign-grade and pressure-treated. However, the plywood may be treated with various chemicals to improve the plywood's fire resistancy. Each of these products is designed to fill a need in industry.
[edit] Production Plywood production requires a good log, called a peeler, which is generally straighter and larger in diameter than one required for processing into dimensioned lumber by a sawmill. The log is laid horizontally and rotated about its long axis while a long blade is pressed into it (rather like turning a Swiss Roll against the edge of a ruler), causing a thin layer of wood to peel off. In this way the log is peeled into sheets of veneer which are then cut to the desired dimensions, dried, patched, glued together and then baked in a press at 140 °C (280 °F) and 1.9 MPa (2800 psi) to form the plywood panel. The panel can then be patched, resized, sanded or otherwise refinished, depending on the market for which it is intended.
Plywood for indoor use generally uses the less expensive urea-formaldehyde glue which has limited water resistance, while outdoor and marine-grade plywood are designed to withstand rot, and use a water resistant phenol-formaldehyde glue to prevent delamination and to retain strength in high humidity.
The adhesives used in plywood have become a point of concern. Both urea formaldehyde and phenol formaldehyde are carcinogenic in very high concentrations. As a result, many manufacturers are turning to low formaldehyde-emitting glue systems, denoted by an "E" rating ("E0" possessing the lowest formaldehyde emissions). Plywood produced to "E0" has effectively zero formaldehyde emissions.[3]
In addition to the glues being brought to the forefront, the wood resources themselves are becoming the focus of manufacturers, due in part to energy conservation, as well as concern for our natural resources. There are several certifications available to manufacturers who participate in these programs. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), and Greenguard are all certification programs that ensure that production and construction practices are sustainable. Many of these programs offer tax benefits to both the manufacturer and the end user.[4]
[edit] Sizes The most commonly used thickness range is from 0.6 in.(1.6 cm.) to 3.0 in. (76 mm.). The sizes of the most commonly used plywood sheets are 4 ft.(1.2 m.) wide by 8 ft.(2.4 m.) or 3 ft. (0.9 m.) by 6 ft. (1.8 m.). Width and length may vary in 1 ft.(0.3 m.) in increments.
In US, the most commly used size is: 4 ft by 8 ft or 5 ft by 5 ft [5]
[edit] Grades Grading rules differ according to the country of origin. Most popular standard is the British Standard (BS) and American Standard (ASTM). Joyce (1970), however, list some general indication of grading rules:[6]
Grade Description A Face and back veneers practically free from all defects. A/B Face veneers practically free from all defects. Reverse veneers with only a few small knots or discolorations. A/BB Face as A but reverse side permitting jointed veneers, large knots, plugs, etc. B Both side as reverse of A/B B/BB Face as reverse of A/B. Reverse side as reverse of A/BB BB Both sides as reverse of B/BB WG Guaranteed well glued only. All broken knots plugged. X Knots, knot-holes, cracks, and all other defects permitted. [edit] Applications Plywood is used in many applications that need high-quality, high-strength sheet material. Quality in this context means resistance to cracking, breaking, shrinkage, twisting and warping.
Exterior glued plywood is suitable for outdoor use, but because moisture affects the strength of wood, optimal performance is achieved in end uses where the wood's moisture content remains relatively low. On the other hand, subzero conditions don't affect plywood's dimensional or strength properties, which makes some special applications possible.
Plywood is also used as an engineering material for stressed-skin applications. It has been used for marine and aviation applications since WWII. Most notable is the British De Havilland Mosquito bomber, which was primarily made out of wood. Plywood is currently successfully used in stressed-skin applications.[citation needed]. The American designers Charles and Ray Eames are famous for their plywood-based furniture, while Phil Bolger is famous for designing a wide range of boats built primarily of plywood.
[edit] Softwood plywood applications Typical end uses of spruce plywood are:
Plywood From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. The talk page may contain suggestions. (June 2010) The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (January 2010) Softwood plywood made from spruce Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, cheap, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured. Plywood is used instead of plain wood because of its resistance to cracking, shrinkage, and twisting/warping, and its general high degree of strength.
Plywood layers (called veneers) are glued together with adjacent plies having their grain at right angles to each other for greater strength. There are usually an odd number of plies so that the sheet is balanced—this reduces warping. Because of the way plywood is bonded (with grains running against one another and with an odd number of composite parts) it is very hard to bend it perpendicular to the grain direction.
Contents [hide] [edit] Stresses It is quite usual for the outer layer on each face to be of a higher-grade timber, and sometimes thinner than the other layers, and perhaps more decorative. The principal reason for the central layers is to increase the separation of the outer layers, where the stresses are highest - in bending, the maximum stress is in the outer layers, one in tension, the other in compression, changing lineally with distance from the surface, i.e. zero bending stress in the middle, where only a very weak layer is needed. Shear stress is constant throughout the depth.
[edit] Types Average-quality plywood with show veneer High-quality concrete pouring plate in plywood Different varieties of plywood exist for different applications:-
[edit] Softwood plywood Softwood panel is usually made either of cedar, Douglas fir or spruce, pine, and fir (collectively known as spruce-pine-fir or SPF) or redwood and is typically used for construction and industrial purposes.[1]
The most common varieties of softwood plywood come in three, five or seven plies with a metric dimension of 1.2 m × 2.4 m or the slightly larger imperial dimension of 4 feet × 8 feet. Plies vary in thickness from 1/10" through 1/6" depending on the panel thickness. Roofing can use the thinner 5/8-inch plywood. Subfloors are at least 3/4-inch thick, the thickness depending on the distance between floor joists. Plywood for flooring applications is often tongue and groove; the mating edge will have a "groove" notched into it to fit with the adjacent "tongue" that protrudes from the next board. This prevents one board from moving up or down relative to its neighbour, so providing a solid feeling floor when the joints do not lie over joists. Tongue & groove flooring plywood is typically 1" in thickness.
[edit] Hardwood plywood Used for demanding end uses. Birch plywood is characterised by its excellent strength, stiffness and resistance to creep. It has a high planar shear strength and impact resistance, which make it especially suitable for heavy-duty floor and wall structures. Oriented plywood construction has a high wheel-carrying capacity. Birch plywood has excellent surface hardness, and damage- and wear-resistance. [2]
[edit] Tropical plywood Tropical plywood is always made of mixed species of tropical wood in the Asian region. Tropical plywood boasts its superiority over softwood plywood due to its density, strength, evenness of layers, and high quality. It is usually sold at a premium in many markets if manufactured with high standards. Tropical plywood is widely used in UK, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Dubai, and other major cities worldwide. It is the most preferred choice for construction purposes in many regions.
[edit] Special purpose plywood Certain plywoods do not have alternating plies. These are designed for a specific purpose.
[edit] Aircraft plywood High-strength plywood, known as aircraft plywood, is made from mahogany and/or birch, and uses adhesives with increased resistance to heat and humidity. It was used for several World War II fighter aircraft, including the British-built Mosquito bomber which was nicknamed the wooden wonder.
[edit] Decorative plywood (overlaid plywood) Usually faced with hardwood, including ash, oak, red oak, birch, maple, mahogany, Philippine mahogany(often called lauan), rose wood, teak and a large number of other hardwoods. However, Formica, metal and resin-impregnated paper or fabric bonded are also added on top of plywood at both side as a kind of ready for use in the decoration field.
[edit] Flexible plywood Flexible plywood is very flexible and is designed for making curved parts. In the UK this is known as "Hatters Ply" as it was used to make stovepipe hats in Victorian times.[citation needed] However these may not be termed plywood in some countries because the basic description of plywood is layers of veneered wood laid on top of each other with the grain of each layer perpendicular to the grain of the next.
[edit] Marine plywood Marine plywood is specially treated to resist rotting in a high-moisture environment. Its construction is such that it can be used in environments where it is exposed to moisture for long periods. Each wood veneer will have negligible core gap, limiting the chance of trapping water in the plywood and hence providing a solid and stable glue bond. It uses an exterior Water Boiled Proof (WBP) glue similar to most exterior plywoods. Marine plywood is frequently used in the construction of docks and boats. It is much more expensive than standard plywood: the cost for a typical 4-foot by 8-foot 1/2-inch thick board is roughly $75 to $100 US or around $2.5 per square foot, which is about three times as expensive as standard plywood. Marine plywood can be graded as being compliant with BS 1088, which is a British Standard for marine plywood. There are few international standards for grading marine plywood and most of the standards are voluntary. Some marine plywood has a Lloyd's of London stamp that certifies it to be BS 1088 compliant. Some plywood is also labeled based on the wood used to manufacture it. Examples of this are Okoume or Meranti
Other types of plywoods include fire-retardant, moisture-resistant, sign-grade and pressure-treated. However, the plywood may be treated with various chemicals to improve the plywood's fire resistancy. Each of these products is designed to fill a need in industry.
[edit] Production Plywood production requires a good log, called a peeler, which is generally straighter and larger in diameter than one required for processing into dimensioned lumber by a sawmill. The log is laid horizontally and rotated about its long axis while a long blade is pressed into it (rather like turning a Swiss Roll against the edge of a ruler), causing a thin layer of wood to peel off. In this way the log is peeled into sheets of veneer which are then cut to the desired dimensions, dried, patched, glued together and then baked in a press at 140 °C (280 °F) and 1.9 MPa (2800 psi) to form the plywood panel. The panel can then be patched, resized, sanded or otherwise refinished, depending on the market for which it is intended.
Plywood for indoor use generally uses the less expensive urea-formaldehyde glue which has limited water resistance, while outdoor and marine-grade plywood are designed to withstand rot, and use a water resistant phenol-formaldehyde glue to prevent delamination and to retain strength in high humidity.
The adhesives used in plywood have become a point of concern. Both urea formaldehyde and phenol formaldehyde are carcinogenic in very high concentrations. As a result, many manufacturers are turning to low formaldehyde-emitting glue systems, denoted by an "E" rating ("E0" possessing the lowest formaldehyde emissions). Plywood produced to "E0" has effectively zero formaldehyde emissions.[3]
In addition to the glues being brought to the forefront, the wood resources themselves are becoming the focus of manufacturers, due in part to energy conservation, as well as concern for our natural resources. There are several certifications available to manufacturers who participate in these programs. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), and Greenguard are all certification programs that ensure that production and construction practices are sustainable. Many of these programs offer tax benefits to both the manufacturer and the end user.[4]
[edit] Sizes The most commonly used thickness range is from 0.6 in.(1.6 cm.) to 3.0 in. (76 mm.). The sizes of the most commonly used plywood sheets are 4 ft.(1.2 m.) wide by 8 ft.(2.4 m.) or 3 ft. (0.9 m.) by 6 ft. (1.8 m.). Width and length may vary in 1 ft.(0.3 m.) in increments.
In US, the most commly used size is: 4 ft by 8 ft or 5 ft by 5 ft [5]
[edit] Grades Grading rules differ according to the country of origin. Most popular standard is the British Standard (BS) and American Standard (ASTM). Joyce (1970), however, list some general indication of grading rules:[6]
Grade Description A Face and back veneers practically free from all defects. A/B Face veneers practically free from all defects. Reverse veneers with only a few small knots or discolorations. A/BB Face as A but reverse side permitting jointed veneers, large knots, plugs, etc. B Both side as reverse of A/B B/BB Face as reverse of A/B. Reverse side as reverse of A/BB BB Both sides as reverse of B/BB WG Guaranteed well glued only. All broken knots plugged. X Knots, knot-holes, cracks, and all other defects permitted. [edit] Applications Plywood is used in many applications that need high-quality, high-strength sheet material. Quality in this context means resistance to cracking, breaking, shrinkage, twisting and warping.
Exterior glued plywood is suitable for outdoor use, but because moisture affects the strength of wood, optimal performance is achieved in end uses where the wood's moisture content remains relatively low. On the other hand, subzero conditions don't affect plywood's dimensional or strength properties, which makes some special applications possible.
Plywood is also used as an engineering material for stressed-skin applications. It has been used for marine and aviation applications since WWII. Most notable is the British De Havilland Mosquito bomber, which was primarily made out of wood. Plywood is currently successfully used in stressed-skin applications.[citation needed]. The American designers Charles and Ray Eames are famous for their plywood-based furniture, while Phil Bolger is famous for designing a wide range of boats built primarily of plywood.
[edit] Softwood plywood applications Typical end uses of spruce plywood are:
- Floors, walls and roofs in house constructions
- Wind bracing panels
- Vehicle internal body work
- Packages and boxes
- Fencing
- constructing house
- Concrete shuttering panels
- Ready-to-paint surfaces for constructions
- Panels in concrete formwork systems
- Floors, walls and roofs in transport vehicles
- Container floors,
- Floors subjected to heavy wear in various buildings and factories,
- Scaffolding materials
- Wind turbine blades
- Insulation boxes for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers
- Die-cutting boards
- Supporting structure for parquet
- Playground equipment
- Furniture
- Signs and fences for demanding outdoor advertising
- Musical instruments
- Sports equipment
- Common plywood
- Concrete panel
- Floor base
- Structure panel
- Container flooring
- Lamin board
- Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
- BS 1088
- Engineered wood
- Fiberboard
- Glued laminated timber
- Hardboard
- Masonite
- Medium-density fiberboard
- Oriented strand board
- Particle board
- Pressed wood
- ^ O'Halloran, p.221.
- ^ Handbook of Finnish plywood, Finnish Forest Industries Federation, 2002, ISBN 952-9506-63-5 [1]
- ^ Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia
- ^ Pro Woodworking Tips.com
- ^ Metric conversions, Canadian government publication
- ^ Joyce, Ernes. 1970. "The Technique of Furniture Making". London: B.T. Batsford Limited.
Parts Cut-To-Size utilizing our state of the art CNC Horizontal Panel Saws.
CUT-TO-SIZE PANEL PARTS:
Jay Bird Manufacturing CO., Inc. has two High Tech CNC panel saws with a sheet capacity of 61" x 145" and a part tolerance of +/- 0.008". Panel Products include OSB, Particle Board, MDF, Hardwood Plywoods, BeadBoard and other wood sheet components.
Jay Bird Manufacturing CO., Inc. has two High Tech CNC panel saws with a sheet capacity of 61" x 145" and a part tolerance of +/- 0.008". Panel Products include OSB, Particle Board, MDF, Hardwood Plywoods, BeadBoard and other wood sheet components.
Parts Cut-To-Size utilizing our state of the art NC Cross Cut Saws
CUT-TO-SIZE LUMBER PARTS:
Jay Bird Manufacturing Co., Inc. has two Numerical Controlled Cut Off saws capable of cutting bunks of lumber and panels up to 8" x 11", 6" x 14", 4 x 16" or 2" x 17", utilizing the best yields and performance available in the market today. These high speed, highly accurate saws cross cut your material with a precision and squareness of cut, ensuring products meet your standards exacting standards.
Jay Bird Manufacturing Co., Inc. has two Numerical Controlled Cut Off saws capable of cutting bunks of lumber and panels up to 8" x 11", 6" x 14", 4 x 16" or 2" x 17", utilizing the best yields and performance available in the market today. These high speed, highly accurate saws cross cut your material with a precision and squareness of cut, ensuring products meet your standards exacting standards.
Parts Machined, Shaped utilizing our state of the art CNC Routers & Machining Centers
Shaped to Size Panel Parts:
Jay Bird Manufacturing CO., Inc. has several High Tech CNC Routers and Machining Centers with a maximum sheet capacity of 61" x 145" and a part tolerances of +/- 0.004". Both Nested, and individual component part processing available. We can assist you with custom engineering and we have an investment in the latest CNC equipment to assist you in providing Scalability of Resources. Wood, Plastics, and Non-Ferrous metals machined. Machining operations include surface boring, edge boring and routing. We cut components to size utilizing our CNC's and can shape complex geometric shapes to order.
Jay Bird Manufacturing CO., Inc. has several High Tech CNC Routers and Machining Centers with a maximum sheet capacity of 61" x 145" and a part tolerances of +/- 0.004". Both Nested, and individual component part processing available. We can assist you with custom engineering and we have an investment in the latest CNC equipment to assist you in providing Scalability of Resources. Wood, Plastics, and Non-Ferrous metals machined. Machining operations include surface boring, edge boring and routing. We cut components to size utilizing our CNC's and can shape complex geometric shapes to order.
Parts Machined, Dimensioned, Profiled utilizing our state of the art Moulders
With our moulders we are capable of manufacturing longitudinal products made of
solid wood, boards such as MDF, plastic or similar materials. In one run your products can be planed, profiled or rip sawed. The transport
through the machine is carried out by numerous feed rollers and the machine is capable of running up to 100ft per minute depending on the application. In addition, we have the capability of running material up to 12" wide x 6" thick.
Round, Rectangular, Radius Cornered Parts with or without Edge Shaping
Several in house copy shapers are available to profile complex parts requiring edge profiling and shaping. These edges can include waterfall, bullnose, chamfered and custom profiled. Part sizes can range from 3 ~28". These machines are designed for medium & small work pieces shaping
& profiling. They are high production machines and afford the best
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