Plywood is the English name for multiplex. Plywood consists of several layers of wood, also called veneer, which are glued together crosswise. Plywood was originally used to name sheet material consisting of 3 layers of wood veneer and plywood was used to name sheet material consisting of 5 or more layers of wood veneer. Nowadays, these sheets are often grouped together under the name plywood. Plywood can be made from different types of wood and can also be glued in several ways. If you want to know more about this, read on.

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The types of wood used in plywood

Plywood as plywood and plywood is made from different types of wood. Each species has its own advantages and disadvantages. The properties of plywood therefore vary depending on the type of wood used and the gluing of the veneer layers. We therefore summarise the possibilities:

Birch plywood

Birch plywood is light in colour and very strong. Because birch plywood consists of many thin layers of wood veneer, more than other types of plywood, the panel is very flat and has a minimal chance of warping. Depending on the gluing, it can be used in damp or dry indoor areas. Interior glued birch plywood can only be used in dry indoor areas, whereas exterior glued birch plywood can also be used in damp indoor areas. Think of the kitchen or bathroom. If you treat the material well, it can also be used outdoors.

Poplar plywood

Plywood made of poplar wood is light in colour with beautiful, soft, flames. The wood itself is also somewhat softer and very lightweight. It is therefore a very popular board material for making furniture and wooden toys. However, the wood itself cannot withstand moisture very well and is therefore mainly used indoors in dry areas; for this reason, it is glued inside. Poplar plywood is also available with a primer on top and bottom, so that you can paint the panel directly. That saves a lot of work!

Hardwood plywood

Hardwood is known for its good moisture-resistant properties. Plywood made of hardwood therefore has good moisture resistance. The exterior bonding optimises these moisture-resistant properties and makes it an ideal board material for use in damp spaces indoors. For outdoor applications it is less advisable, because the hardness of the wood means that thicker layers are used than with other types of plywood. This puts more stress on the panel, which can lead to faster weathering of the panel due to changing temperatures and different degrees of humidity.

Okoume plywood

Okoumé plywood is the plywood that can be used outdoors. The material has a beautiful pink-red colour and is therefore often left in sight. Okoumé does not work much under humid conditions and is also a little more flexible than other types of wood. This makes the plywood more resistant to moisture, provided it is properly treated, and it will last longer in outdoor applications. If you intend to paint okoumé plywood, it is a good choice to order primed okoumé plywood boards. Then you can immediately continue painting yourself; really handy!

Beech plywood

Beech plywood is very strong and very popular in the food industry. Beech wood has a unique property that many food producers can appreciate: it does not give off any odour or taste! This is why it is used in, for example, boards for ripening cheeses. These unique properties are of course also useful when making wooden toys or, for example, a breadboard. Beech plywood is glued inside, so it can only be used in dry indoor areas.

Polish pine plywood

Polish pine plywood has a characteristic pine look. The flames are very clear and give a special effect. Pine is a somewhat tougher type of wood and is therefore easy to process. It is therefore used to make furniture, for example in interior construction. Polish pine plywood is glued inside and can therefore only be used in dry indoor areas.

The gluing of the veneer layers

The bonding of plywood, or plywood, is responsible for much of its water resistance. You can read what that means here:

An MR bond

MR bonding, also known as interior bonding, stands for 'Moist Resistant' bonding. Literally translated, 'Moist Resistant' means moisture resistant. Although it seems that the material can withstand moisture because of this bonding, this is not quite the case. An MR bond is protected against accidental, brief contact with moisture, but not against systematic exposure to moisture. An occasional spill of moisture on the panel can therefore do no harm, but if you want to use the plywood in a moist area such as a kitchen or bathroom, a WBP glued variant is a better choice.

A WBP bonding

A WBP bonding, also known as exterior or water resistant bonding, stands for 'Water Boiled Proof'. A WBP board has passed a special test in which it is placed in boiling water for 72 hours. If the glue does not come off during this test, the board is given the classification WBP. WBP is a kind of quality mark which makes it clear that the glueing is resistant to moisture. This means that WBP glued boards can be used in damp areas indoors or outdoors, depending on the type of wood used.