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A plywood sheet having ISI mark photographed at a carpenter's shop The IS specification
number IS:303 is mentioned above, and a CM/L number (Licence number) is mentioned below
the ISI mark.
The Indian Standards quality specification for all these so-called commercial plywoods is
detailed in the document IS: 303. Plywood companies that have a BIS (Bureau of Indian
Standards) certification are allowed to have the ISI mark printed on their plywood sheets. The IS
specification number has to be printed above the ISI mark, and the CM/L number (Unique
Licence Number)is printed below the mark.
Marine Plywood
Marine Plywood is of a superior quality compared to Commercial ply and it is also costs a lot
more. It is not usually used for indoor applications such as for making furniture. It is rather used
for applications such as for boat building and other industrial uses where the plywood is bound to
get a prolonged exposure to water.
For making furniture, commercial plywood is usually sufficient.(BWP/BWR resist water better
than MR types. So for kitchen furniture using BWP/BWR is quite common). For furniture that is
unlikely to get wet, MR grade ply is usually good enough.
The Indian Standards quality specifications for marine type of plywood are described in the
standards document IS: 710.
Types of plywood based on the type of wood used
Generally hardwood is used for making plywood, because it is stronger and more durable,
however some manufacturers may also use softwood for making lower cost plywoods. Still other
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manufacturers can use a combination of both woods, with some wood veneers of hardwood and
others of softwood.
Hardwood Plywood
For example made from teak wood, or gurjan wood or birch wood. If all the veneers used in
making the plywood have been obtained from hardwood trees it will be termed as 100%
hardwood plywood and its cost will be higher.
Softwood Plywood
For example made from woods like cedar, SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir) or Mango wood.
Categorization based on the particular wood (tree) used in its making.
For example:
Gurjan plywood
Teak plywood
Redwood plywood
SPF Plywood
More terminology and usage based classifications
MR grade: Moisture Resistant
The most common type of plywood used for indoor furniture. Note that moisture resistant does
not mean water proof. It only means that the plywood can resist a certain amount of humidity or
dampness.
BWR and BWP grades
The BWP (Boiling Water proof) grade is generally used to indicate grade of External grade
blockboards (which are different from plywood and consist of blocks of softwood at the core)
and BWR (Boiling Water Resistant) grade is used to indicate External grade plywood. Both
these naming conventions BWP and BWR mean almost the same thing in terms of quality.
Such types of plywood can be called adequately water-proof for most furniture requirements.
Flexible Plywood:
Also called 'flexi ply' in India. In some countries such as US, it is also known by another name
'bendy ply'. This type of plywood is not stiff and can be easily rolled up. Useful for creating
rounded shapes in furniture.
FR grade: Fire Retardant
Used in places where fire risks have to be reduced such as in the case of public theatres, malls or
shopping complexes, restaurant kitchens and the like. The surface of this type of plywood is
treated with chemicals that delay the burning process of wood (hence called fire retardant).
Indian standards document number IS: 5509-1980 has detailed quality specifications for this
type.
Marine grade: Marine Grade Plywood
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Commonly used for marine applications such as in the construction of boats and ships. Has better
resistance to water than any other type of plywood. Indian Standard specifications for marine ply
are detailed in the IS document number IS: 710
Termite-Resistant and Borer-proof
As the name suggests, offers protection from external pests that can destroy the wood.
Structural Plywood
Suitable for construction applications where structural stability is required. Quality specifications
detailed in document IS: 10701
Concrete Shuttering Plywood
Used in building construction work to create the wooden moulds into which concrete will be
case. Hence called concrete shuttering plywood. Can be reused several times before being
discarded or used for other purposes. Indian standards specified in IS: 848-1974
Film-faced shuttering plywood has a shiny phenolic film over the surface, so that the concrete
does not stick to the plywood, and the dampness does not damage the ply.
Plywood sheets are made by bonding several individual wood veneers (plies) together. Veneers
are thin layers of wood usually obtained by rotary cutting timber logs obtained from trees. Rotary
cut means that the logs are rotated along their longitudinal axis using machines, and a cutter
peels layers (slices) from the log while it is being rotated. These thin slices of wood (called
veneers) are then pressed and bonded together using phenolic resins.
A plywood sheet is made up of at least 3 veneers (plies) if not more.
For example:
3 ply
5 ply
13 ply etc.
(Number of plies are always an odd number)
When more number of veneers are used, the thickness as well as the cost of the plywood
increases.
Thickness:
18 mm ply
19 mm ply etc.
Standard size sheets are manufactured by most manufacturers across India. While thickness is
usually measured in mm (metric system), the prevalent naming convention for sheet sizes is still
in feet. Prices are also based on cost per sq.foot.
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Listed here are the standard Plywood sizes and thickness in India.
the bigger plywood brands have now also ventured into the manufacturing of particle boards and
MDF boards.
Plywood is used in furniture making because of its high versatility and great finish, which gives
your furniture the best look and appearance. Plywood has several advantages over normal solid
wood .Hence, most of the furniture makers and manufacturers prefer plywood rather than normal
wood. As plywood is highly water resistant, it can be used to make both outdoor as well as
kitchen fittings. Moreover, it is more affordable than solid and pure wood furniture’s. The
modification and change in design can be easily implied on plywood. An excellent benefit of
using plywood is its characteristics of not warping like normal wooden furniture’s. They do not
warp off and remain in their original shape or design.
Selection of best quality plywood determines the quality of your construction. There are different
grades and varieties of plywood available in the market. Different grades of plywood are used in
making different kinds of furniture’s. The strength of each grade depends upon the layers of the
wood strip placed to form the plywood. Generally, plywood are made from different varieties of
wood including oak, maple, pine, spruce, fir etc.
MR Grade plywood:–
MR grade plywood or better known as moisture resistant plywood is a type of commercial
plywood, which is widely used in robust construction needs. This grade of plywood has the
unique characteristic of moisture or humidity resistance. This type of plywood is generally used
in various indoor furniture making like kitchen rooftops, cabinets, doors, tables etc. MR grade of
plywood is known for its high internal strength. They are used in making furniture’s of home or
office.MR grade ply has more internal density than any other grades and hence used in robust
furniture making works. Also they are devoid of any warping effect, which ensures the longevity
of your furnitures.MR grade plywood is made from, IS: 303 of Indian National Standards.
2. Which is costlier?
High quality veneers are generally costlier than laminates. The cost of laminates depends on the
brand and quality.
3. Which ones are easier to maintain?
Laminates are easier to maintain. They are scratch-resistant, waterproof and usually retain their
look for years. In comparison, veneers require more maintainence. They need to polished from
time to time, so that they look as beautiful as ever.
4. Which one is better. Veneered MDF or laminated plywood?
This is matter of choice. Amongst substrate wood materials, good quality waterproof plywood
made using phenolic resins is usually considered stronger and better than MDF (Medium density
fibre boards), but the suitability of material depends on the kind of furniture being made.
For example in the case of kitchen cabinets, veneered MDF is often used for making the doors
(shutters), while the box frame is made from plywood since it has a greater structural strength.
In terms of aesthetic value, veneered MDF (natural veneer glued over MDF wood) looks better
than laminated plywood in many cases. But laminates on the other hand, offer a wider variety
such as high-gloss, plain vanilla look, thousands of design patterns and colours, as also the
popular ones that resemble natural wood grain patterns.