Plywood was first introduced in the 20th century. For several decades, it was taken as an alternative to solid wood. However, it has become one of the best options for homeowners and builders. In this article, we are going to discuss the top 8 benefits of the product. keep reading
1. It looks great
Even if we talk about the outer appearance, plywood looks amazing. Plywood panels usually look just as beautiful as real wood. In fact, if you use a high-quality veneer, it will look better than real wood.
2. It’s strong
There is no difference of opinion that solid wood offers a lot of strength. Plywood is even stronger. In fact, it doesn’t have many of the problems you face with solid wood.
Since it has the cross-grain nature, it can distribute its force evenly across the entire panel. On the other hand, solid wood is stronger only along its grain. If you use phenolic adhesives and veneers, the plywood will become stronger.
3. It is durable
As stated earlier, plywood exhibits uniform strength throughout the panel, regardless of direction. Apart from good quality adhesives and veneers, plywood can withstand heavy knocks and different types of abuse in service.
4. It is light
Weight-wise, plywood is much lighter than natural wood. This is what makes it an ideal choice for making furniture. On the other hand, solid pieces of wood are much heavier and are not suitable for commercial uses.
5. It comes in different sizes
You can find it in different sizes. Can you use a single piece of wood to make furniture? You can not do that. This is where regular sheets of plywood come in. The length and width of these sheets is 1800mm and 1200mm respectively. Therefore, they are a much better option.
6. Offers better coverage
Since you can find plywood in different sizes, it offers the advantage of better square foot coverage. In other words, a regular sheet can be enough to cover a specific area and there will be no jagged ends or gaps. Also, there will be minimal waste.
7. Do not part
Another big disadvantage of solid wood is that it tends to split along the grain. This usually happens when you drive a screw or nail through a part. On the other hand, plywood does not have this problem as it has a cross-ply structure.
8. Ideal choice for curved surfaces
If you try to make a curved surface out of a piece of solid wood, you may end up with an uneven or rough surface. On the other hand, plywood offers a better fit for any curved surface due to its smoothness. And we know that a piece of furniture is useless if it has rough and irregular surfaces.
In short, with all the benefits that plywood has to offer, it is safe to say that it is a much better option for any project that involves the use of wood material. So you might want to give it a try today.
