Plywood
An ultimate in performance and durability

Plywood is high quality light weight multi layered plywood panel made throughout from machine composed birch veneers and faced with a natural whole piece birch veneer of 1.4mm thickness. It is bonded with thermosetting, exterior quality phenolic resin adhesives commonly known as WBP (Weather and Boil Proof) and is compliant California ARB regulations on formaldehyde emissions. It also complies with European E1 standard.

Plywood is ultimate in Plywood having excellent physical and mechanical properties. It can be laser cut and also CNC machined owing to its uniform construction.

Plywood has been designed to suit any and every application where durability, versatility, high bending strength, rigidity, stability, accuracy and tolerance to humidity parameters of performance value are critical.

Plywood is an answer to both interior and exterior applications where combination of physical properties with high class surfaces is necessary without any compromise.

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Applications Plywood

Thermal Properties

Thermal Insulation

The thermal conductivity of plywood is dependent on its moisture content. Table shows the thermal conductivity coefficient of Birch plywood in two different humidity conditions.

Thermal Deformation

Birch plywood has excellent dimensional stability under heat, far superior to that of metals and plastics. In practice, the thermal deformation of birch plywood is so small, that it can generally be disregarded.

Useable temperature range for Birch Plywoods

Standard Birch plywood and most coated birch plywood products are suitable for use at temperatures of 100°C and many up to 120°C. The supplier should be consulted for applications at high temperatures, especially if the birch plywood is load carrying. Birch plywood endures cold even better than heat and can be used at sustained temperatures as low as-200°C.

Fire Performance

Although Birch plywood burns it can have better fire resistance than many materials which do not burn. Birch plywood has an optimal dimensional stability under heat and a low rate of combustion, better than solid wood.

The temperature at which Birch plywood will ignite when exposed to a naked flame is about 270°C whilst a temperature of over 400°C is needed to cause spontaneous combustion. When exposed to a fully developed fire, Birch plywood chars at a slow and predictable linear rate (about 0.6 mm per minute), which enables it to be used in certain fire resisting constructions. This property can be improved by impregnation or coating the Birch plywood with proprietary formulations or by facing with non-combustible foils.

The sound insulation of Birch plywood can be improved by using sandwich construction and by avoiding gaps between elements.

Emission of formaldehyde

Formaldehyde emission from phenol formaldehyde resin adhesive bonded Birch plywood is very low and measured values are below even the tightest national requirements. When determined according to EN 717-2, the formaldehyde emission from unsurfaced exterior birch plywood is 0.4 mg HCHO/(m2·h), significantly lower than the requirements of class E1 (the best class). Also Sveza, Birch plywood-exterior meets requirements of the formaldehyde emission limits of EN 1084, release class A (the best class) as well as enjoys the exemptions from California ARB regulations for P2.

Chemical Resistance

Birch plywood has good resistance to many dilute acids and acid salt solutions. Alkalis tend to cause softening. Direct contact with oxidising agents such as chlorine, hypochlorites and nitrates should be avoided. Alcohols and some other organic liquids have an effect similar to water, producing swelling and slight loss of strength. Apart from discoloration, petroleum oils have no effect.

Sound Insulation

Sound is transmitted through air and through structures. Airborne sound insulation is dependent on the density of the insulating material. Birch plywood is a good insulating material in relation to its weight. For these reasons plywood is a good material for acoustic improvement solutions. The average measured sound reduction index (for the frequency range 100-3200 Hz) for single panels of Finnish plywood is given in table.

Preservatives

Plywood is made from natural Birch wood Veneers grown and harvested in Russia and is free from any toxic chemicals except resin. As is common knowledge, all wood products are susceptible to insects or termites and/or borers present in different climatic zones in the soil or buildings. It is recommended that the users are applying the coat of suitable chemicals or insecticides on all exposed surfaces of wood in addition to treatment of masonry foundations of the building where the Wood products are required to be use. Fipronil emulsified concentrate at about 3% is one such chemical and effective deterrent against insects and pests or termites in tropical climate zones. However, the application should be in accordance with manufacturers guidelines for effective results. Users own discretion in selection of appropriate chemical and its doses or frequency of such treatment is advised for satisfactory results in the light of experience gained over the period of time.

Availability options:
Plywood is made in a range of thickness from 4mm to 40mm.

However, the commonly available Ex-Stock thickness is

6mm x 5 ply
9mm x 7 ply
12mm x 9 ply
16mm x 11 ply
18mm x 13 ply
21mm x 15 ply.

The most commonly available dimension is 2440mm x 1220mm.

Other dimensions such as

2500 mm x 1250 mm
2500 mm x 1525 mm
1525 mm x 3050 mm
1525 mm x 1525 mm

can be had on prior arrangement.

Commonly available surface Grades are B/BB, BB/BB.

Other grades can also be had under prior arrangement.

Appearance Grading Rules

Grade "B": Natural Whole piece surface has light and uniform colour. A few small pin knots and some brown streaks are allowed. Veneer of this grade is intended for natural finishes. Plugging is not allowed.

Grade "BB": Natural Whole piece surface has light and uniform colour. A few sound tight knots are permitted. Open knots and defects are eliminated and plugged with small oval or round colour matched veneer patches before gluing.

Grade "CP": Natural Whole piece surface is very close to Grade BB. However, thin splits and tight knots are allowed. The oval or round plugging by veneer is allowed in unlimited numbers which may not be colour matched

Grade "C": Natural Whole piece surface Open defects such as open knots and veneer splits are allowed. The surface remains unsanded. It is a cost effective solution in packaging and for crating where strength is more important than the appearance.

Related Documents

	View our Birch Plywood Catalogue
	View Birch Plywood Simpified Grading Rules
	Birchply - Exterior Special Technical Properties
	Test Results on Birchply-Shriram Institute
	Test Results on Birchply-IPIRTI
	Plywood - European Regulation on Formaldehyde
	Test Results - WKI - Formaldehyde Emission results on Birch Plywood
	CARB Indoor Air Quality Guideline

Related knowledge documents :
US Lacey Act - Declaration Form
FAQ- The US Lacey Act
EPA Wood Composite FAQ
US EPA formaldehyde-emission-standard
EPA-EPA-950-F-17-001