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Before I hung out a shingle to become part of the world of reproduction furniture making, a large portion of my work was producing bookcases and built-in units for new home construction. As you might imagine, most of the focus when building products such as these is centered on costs and not so much on staying true to period design and building with hardwoods.
As a result, veneered plywood played a much larger part in my day-to-day work. Plywood allowed for quick panel assembly, a consistent appearance (be it flat-cut or rotary-cut) and it helped me hit short deadlines. The cost to build was less thanks to less expensive material cost and reduced labor.
When I shifted from clients who were home builders to clients who were interested in quality reproduction furniture, my affair with plywood diminished. In fact it all but disappeared. These folks were paying good money for a piece of furniture expected to last for generations. No plywood allowed.
Recently, I built a new bed for my wife and I (to see the process, click here) and I once again turned to plywood. I had flat panels in the piece; and to me, this is where plywood shines. I shortened my construction time quite a bit and kept my cash outlay smaller. I didn’t set out to build a monument. I wasn’t looking for a bed that would be around in the year 2259.
This got me wondering about the amount of plywood woodworkers use today. Are we focused on building monuments where no plywood is allowed? (OK, I know there are those out there who lay-up their own plywood , you North Bennett Street School guys know who I’m talking about.) Or are we looking to shorten our construction time to produce a viable piece of furniture and as a result, building more with plywood or other sheet goods.
After a discussion about this with Editor Christopher Schwarz, he put together a quick survey. Take a minute to answer the two questions, then look at the accumulated results. I’m interested, as I’m betting you are, to see how many of us use plywood.
Also, I wonder if plywood use is growing, is it a result of economic times, scarcity of quality hardwoods or simply a move toward reduced costs and quicker results? Leave a comment to let us know what you think.
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I have no problem with plywood in appropriate situations. What I have an issue with is the imported stuff you get these days that they sell as plywood. Micro-thin face veneer, voids and friable middle layers, overlapping middle layers such that the number of plies in any one provile might differ by 4, warpage issues, and held together with duck spit that delaminates.
I’ve used the birch ply from the home centers for a couple of projects for my wife’s classroom. I built a wall of 12(?) lockers with cubbies above and adjustable bookshelves on each end, and I made a free-standing set of deep shelves for her science and math supplies (both projects trimmed to hide the ply edges.) If it’s for a more utilitarian project like this, or if it’s faced with good veneer, I don’t see the problem with using it. Heck, the altar rail of our church is all trimmed with oak faced 1/4" plywood panelling. Pictures on the home page if anyone cares.
FWIW, I pretty much only use higher quality baltic birch (those weird 5′ x 5′ sheets) and really only for drawer bottoms and cabinet backs. I actually think ply is better for drawer bottoms given it’s stability.
Plywood has a place in many jobs and projects. While some may not want to use it for fine furniture it is still useful for a great many projects. I am planning on building a large entertainment center and computer desk. I will use plywood for the carcase and the large panel doors. It wont be an heirloom peice, just good looking functional furniture. I do however think that MDF is a waste of sawdust and glue. The sawdust should be used for heating stove wood pellets because in my opinion building anything with the stuff is a waste of time.
Al
I used to use a lot of oak or birch veneered ply in furniture but the quality, especailly of imported ply available at home centers, is so terrible that I use it very sparingly now. I’m not just talking about the micron-thick veneer layer but the plywood itself often warps in three dimensions and after a couple of days in the shop, even a nominal 3/4 inch thick sheet looks like the hull of a boat! There used to be several local lumberyards where quality product was available but the home centers have put these guys out of business.
To me, the question of whether to use plywood is sort of like the decision you make when choosing the best tool for the job. There is some furniture construction where plywood just has no place (IMHO), but there are other instances where it makes sense. For example, 6 of the pieces of A&C furniture in my living room (Morris Chair, ottoman, tables) are 100% solid oak. The 7th piece (TV cabinet) has an oak ‘skin’ and legs, but the casework itself is plywood.
What kind of quesrtion is this? The use of one kind of wood over another is entirely based on what you are building, not on some kind of arbitrary preference. I’ve been a professional cabinetmaker for 35 years and have bought more than my share of lumber in nearly every configuration, and I’m not sure this subject can be addresed in two questions and two minutes. Furniture needs to be wood. Cabinets are a mixture based somewhat on the maker’s preference, some on the nature of the beast. Utility stuff and jigs can be plywood, MDF,
solid pine (my preference-I really LIKE pine, it’s pretty, strong, and the "plys" never come unglued!), or any combination of whatever isn’t spoken for in the shop at the time when the jig is needed. Bottom line: I see an article in someone’s future.
I would never use plywood any furniture I am building that would be in my house or in any other house.
For the amount of time and joy that goes into making each project, I feel that spending the extra time and money to keep it all solid lumber is well worth it to me. After all this is NOT something I want to "get it over with" , it is fun and relaxing.
Plywood is good for making jigs, utility cabinets and drawers in my workshop. Other than that my personal preference is quality solid wood. For many years I built and restored wooden yachts and became hooked on quality wood.
I use "Baltic Birch" for all my jigs, tool stands, shop cabinets and Kitchen cabinets trimed with Hard wood. I get it from Lowe’s or Carter’s home centers.
I also use it for scroll sawing
Dave
Plywood is a required material,,, not sure why you are taking this poll, try building a set of kitchen cabinets without ply?
I use a lot of reclaimed wood and there is plenty of beautiful hardwood available to re-work and give a new life to.
Plywood is nice for board up services…..
I would use so called "Baltic Birch" exclusively for jigs and fixtures IF I could find it without paying huge shipping charges.
If you do run articles in either magazine, please include source of supply. I know you have Paxton lumber down there in Cincy, but up here in northeast Ohio, we are not so lucky. Or maybe I have not looked in the right place…
Tom
It always get back to the presentation. Are we surveying the plywood as seen above, or sheetgoods as is mentioned in the post?
I’ll enter an area that gets confusing. The photo of plywood presented is typical of the 2nd hand nature the material "plywood" gets. Today’s woodworker has so many options available to make flat panels shine.
Flat panel building also means doing curved worked to find all sorts of form. The generic word plywood is misleading.
I’d like to see a piece of Balic Birch ply with laid-up commercial quilted maple or resawn bubinga in the example above.
The photo above and the term plywood, does not do flat panel goods any justice.
In the name of Material Defense :^)……Neil
Hi,
Can one of the editors please contact me about the above used picture.
Thank you,
John Andrews