What is the Difference Between Plywood and Plyboard?
Plywood is not exactly wood. Instead, it is a wood-based material that is actually made of numerous thin layers of stacked wood veneer sheets acquired from certain species of trees for a hardwood structure. Plyboard is also a wood-based material, just like plywood, but what makes it different is its construction.
Plywood Assembly
Plywood is assembled in layers of wood veneers that are glued crossways—up to 90 degrees—and hot-pressed into a sheet. The process of compiling these wood veneer sheets is as follows:
- Stacking
- Assembling
- Gluing
This process of compilation affects the quality of plywood depending on the gluing and the number of layers used to make each sheet. Although plywood is essentially “laminated” wood, plyboard, on the other hand, has timber framing and solid wood layers in the core.
Plywood has a variety of uses and it is strong and durable. Some of these common uses are below.
- Flooring
- Interior and exterior walls
- Kitchen cabinets
- Roofs
Plywood can be used for fencing and on boats due to its water-resistant nature. You would never want to use plyboard for items exposed to the elements because it retains moisture. On the other hand, plywood sags and would not be good for long furniture.
Plyboard Assembly
Instead of gluing together thin layers of wood, manufacturers combine softwood strips and glue them together to make up the core of the material. The plyboard sides are made of veneer panels, while the wooden strips make up the middle.
Plyboard contains layers of wood-based material and one to two veneer sheets that cover the sides of the playboard, basically squeezing the wood strips in between the veneer sheet(s). The wood strips are about an inch wide and placed edge to edge. Plyboard is usually weaker at its core and not meant to be as durable as plywood.
Plyboard comes in handy for those long furniture items. It should be used for wooden projects that need longer pieces of wood since it is less susceptible to bending than plywood. Examples of these projects are below.
- Bookshelves
- Tables
- Benches
- Wardrobes
- Doors
- Wall panels
Plyboard will not last as long as plywood, but it can be veneered, painted, or laminated, which extends its lifespan by 50 years or more. Its lifespan is increased even more if you keep the plywood in a dry environment (although it can be used around water). Plywood is more expensive, however, due to the quality hardwood strips used.
Which is Stronger, Plywood or Plyboard?
Plyboard could have a long lifespan when compared to other products and can make a quality piece. However, it is weaker than plywood because it is made of softwood strips (but these softwood strips are also more affordable). That being said, you should not worry about using plyboard for longer tables, shelves, and benches.
Plywood and plyboard have similar uses for furniture, shelving, doors, and paneling. If you have ordered a bookshelf and it came in pieces, for example, some of those pieces are more than likely either plywood or plyboard. They have different finishing and are both used to cover larger areas of the furniture like doors, shelves, paneling, and tables.
Plywood is stronger – Although plywood is made of very thin sheets of wood veneers, plywood is stronger than plyboard. It is thicker, and the thickness of the material is uniform, unlike plyboard that only has softwood strips in its core surrounded by the veneer sheets. Now, if those wood strips are made of hardwood, this could greatly improve the strength of plywood.
Plyboard does not bend or sag – When it comes to bending and sagging, plyboard over plywood and should be used for longer projects. Plyboard is more advantageous if you need to use longer pieces of material because it is stiffer than plywood. This means the plywood may bend and sag, whereas the plyboard can be used when a long piece of wood is required.
Plywood is resistant to warping and cracking – Plywood is usually stronger and is more resilient to warping and cracking. This makes plywood ideal for framing and paneling interior walls since it is both strong and flexible. Plus, it lasts longer. Plyboard should be used when longer pieces of material are needed, but it is less durable overall.
