Background: Every business owner would either own or dream to own an office and the conversation always comes around which wood to use. So here is a short article to understand the nitty gritties. 

Plywood is used extensively for building cabinets, doors and other furniture items for offices and homes. Here I explain some important facets of this home and office staple.

What is plywood?

Plywood or ply is a wood-based panel product made up of thin layers of wood veneer, called lamins. The thin layers of wood are glued on the faces and are layered long grain – cross grain to create the plywood. The outer layers of plywood are usually of better quality in order to give the best finish.

When dealers in India say, ‘commercial ply’, they mean MR (Moisture Resistant) grade, and when they say ‘water-proof ply’ what they generally mean by that is BWP/BWR grade plywood. However, there are many shopkeepers as well as interior designers who often refer to BWP/BWR grade plywood as ‘marine ply’.

Aesthetics

Plywood is used as core material only. However, aesthetics is achieved by decorating it from the following.

• Laminates
• Acrylic sheets
• Painting
• Lacquered Glass
• Polish
• Veneer

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Grades

Plywoods come in different grades based on the requirement.

• MR grade (Moisture Resistant): It is also known as Commercial ply and is the most common type of plywood used for indoor furniture. This plywood can resist a certain amount of humidity or dampness. It is usually used in dry areas, for applications such as wardrobe cabinets, crockery cabinets, pooja room, etc. The Indian Standards quality specifications for MR type of plywood are described as IS: 303.
  
  
• Marine grade: Marine Plywood is of a superior quality compared to Commercial ply. It is usually used in wet areas, for applications such as kitchen cabinets, vanity cabinets and other industrial uses where the plywood is bound to get a prolonged exposure to water. The Indian Standards quality specifications for marine type of plywood are described as IS: 710. So, for kitchen furniture using BWP/BWR is quite common.
  
  
• FR (Fire Retardant) grade: Used in places where fire risks have to be reduced such as in the case of public theatres, malls or shopping complexes, restaurant kitchens, etc. The surface of this type of plywood is treated with chemicals that delay the burning process of wood (hence called fire retardant). Indian standards number IS:5509.
  
  
• Termite-Resistant and Borer-proof: As the name suggests, offers protection from external pests that can destroy the wood.
  
  
• Flexible Plywood: Also called ‘flexi ply’ in India. This type of plywood is not stiff and can be easily rolled up. Useful for creating rounded shapes in furniture.

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Cost

Cost of marine ply is more than commercial ply. Carpentry done from plywood is expensive as compared to engineered boards.

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Also read: Declutter your business the Marie Kondo way

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