Plywood is a material used for a long time in the manufacture of furniture. In museums, there are pieces of furniture with plywood parts dating from the late 1700s to – early 1800s. It is a product derived from wood, made of three or more layers of overlapping veneer sheets. They are glued with hot press adhesives. The plywood has an odd number of veneers, the minimum being three. This means that the thickness of the material will also differ depending on the number of veneers. The veneer sheets in the plywood composition can have thicknesses between 1 and 4 mm.
The superior quality of the finish both on the front and on the back of the plywood makes it one of the favorite materials used in construction and the furniture industry and not only.
Among the main advantages of plywood, we emphasize high strength and rigidity, dimensional stability, impact resistance, multiple and efficient fixing possibilities, and the workability of the material.
How much does plywood cost?
The price of plywood varies significantly depending on the size and thickness. A 4X8 sheet can range from $7 to as much as $60. As an example, for a 1/4 inches thick board, you may pay $8, while an 11/32 inches thick panel will cost around $18. You can get a better idea through our chart below.
Home Depot’s prices for 4-by-8 plywood sheets range from $15 to $60, while Lowe’s offers similar products in a slightly larger price range of anywhere from $18 and up.
The average sheet of plywood can cost somewhere between $12 and $55.
| THICKNESS | PRICE RANGE (FOR A 4×8 SHEET) |
|---|---|
| 23/32″ | $15 to $40 |
| 15/32″ | $15 to $35 |
| 15/32″ | $10 to $18 |
| 11/32″ | $7 to $14 |
| 1/4″ | $6 to $25 |
| 19/32″ | $10 to $20 |
| 1/2″ | $6 to $11 |
| 7/16″ | $5 to $10 |
| 19/32″ | $7 to $14 |
Note: The price ranges above are for a 4’x8′ standard size that is standard with no alterations.
Plywood details
Plywood is a durable material (boards with a higher number of veneers are more resistant), used in the furniture industry, interior design, but also for making various types of packaging. Plywood is divided into general use, for the furniture industry or outdoor plywood or with special uses, used in construction or aviation.
The most common sizes of plywood in the United States are 3/4″, 1/2″, and 1/4″ thick.
Advantages of plywood:
low price;
- it is a lighter material than chipboard or MDF;
- pleasant appearance, especially if it has been veneered; the wood species from which the veneer comes can be varied, beech, birch, fir, maple, oak, etc.
- it is easy to process;
- it is resistant (it has several layers of wood veneer sheets in its composition; the more there are, the longer the plywood will last); the resistance is uniform along the plywood, therefore it behaves favorably on impact;
- plywood dimensions are large – you can buy a plywood 78 inches long and 50 inches wide; therefore, you can cover generous surfaces with a single plate;
- when inserting nails or screws it does not break, due to the fact that it is a layered product;
- is an ideal material for DIY (Do it yourself) furniture projects.
