Hardwood Plywood comes in many lengths and widths, but the two most common sizes are 4 x 8 and 5 x 5 feet. Standard sheets are 1/2 inch thick, while non-standard thicknesses range from 1/8 inch to 3/4 inches.
In addition to these standard sizes, home improvement stores like Home Depot carry pre-cut panels in various other sizes including 2 by 2, 2 by 4, and 4 by 4 feet.
Softwood plywood is commonly found in sheets 4 feet wide, 8 feet long, and 3/4 inch thick. Some stores even sell oversized sheets up to 6 feet wide.
Keep in mind that the bigger sizes are less expensive, so it’s often cheaper to buy one 4 x 8 sheet than it is to buy 2 smaller pieces.
Although standard plywood sheet sizes range from 1/4 to 3/4 inch thicknesses, it’s actually slightly thinner. This is because after it’s manufactured, plywood shrinks as it dries.
So, when you are buying a standard utility-grade sheet, the actual size will be as follows:
1/8 inch = 7/64 inches
1/4 inch = 7/32 inches
3/7 inch = 11/32 inches
1/2 inch = 15/32 inches
5/8 inch = 19/32 inches
3/4 inch = 23/32 inches
In fact, all wood expands as it gets wet and shrinks as it dries. Remember, plywood is made from many layers of thin wooden sheets. And the top layer needs to be sanded after the sheet is made.
During this process, 1/32 inches is typically removed from each sheet. While this varies by type, utility-grade sheets have a tolerance of 1/32 inches and cabinet-grade sheets have a tolerance of 1/64 inches.
