Plywood Grades and Types in TH

[Morakot]

Grades

 

I'm trying to understand the local grading system for plywood, but not really sure what's going on.

 

I see grades like "AAA" and "A" with the former more expensive than the latter. What are the front and back face grades?

 

I'm looking for sheets for making furniture.

 

 

Types

 

I saw one regular supplier selling plywood made from rubber wood for the face with a mixed wood core. What's this like to work with?

 

Others suppliers I saw, sell sheets with a more reddish face, but I not sure what type this is and whether this for indoor. I couldn't find anything about formaldehyde-emitting like E0/E1 Classes though.

[Kwasaki]

You can answers by google.

Global house where I go for wood they have a great selection. 

 

I think plywood furniture is made up from different thicknesses to build to a shape that's required. 

 

Onetimewoodworker on TVF know s a lot about wood stuff maybe he will post soon. 

 

Most our furniture was made from old teak. 

Other furniture is either pine or eucalyptus.

See bamboo used and covered chipboard.

[Morakot]

Thanks!

 

So this an example how plywood is graded in Europe and North America. What happens in Thailand?

 

I'm looking for plywood  for a project that is like A/B for example.

[Morakot]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

 

Most our furniture was made from old teak. 

 

That's nice! ????

 

 

For this project I'm looking for a mid-century minimalism design. See here for example how plywood can be used for high quality builds. ????

 

[OneMoreFarang]

These links might be helpful:

 

https://www.onestockhome.com/en/categories/wood-timber-lumber/sub_categories/plywood

 

https://www.tnkwood.com/order

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, Morakot said:

Grades

 

I'm trying to understand the local grading system for plywood, but not really sure what's going on.

 

I see grades like "AAA" and "A" with the former more expensive than the latter. What are the front and back face grades?

 

I'm looking for sheets for making furniture.

 

 

Types

 

I saw one regular supplier selling plywood made from rubber wood for the face with a mixed wood core. What's this like to work with?

There are online guides to plywood grading. The single A will apply to one face, the triple A to both. 
 

Assuming you are using 20mm do not pay less than ฿1,000 per sheet, you will be lucky to get it as low as that but I can.

 

here is an AB grade zero overlap or voids you can see the difference in the faces 

I am cutting it now. 

 

 

If you want a teak plywood expect to pay in excess of ฿4,000 and you will have to go to wood street for it. 

cheaper plywood will have voids and overlaps 

 

I have never found good plywood in places like Global House, DoHome, Thai Watsadu, HomeHub, HomePro etc. you will have to go to a specialist shop. 
 

rubberwood plywood isn’t so common but it’s an easy wood to work with (if you found it online I would like the URL) I use sheet rubber wood in A and B grades for things like doors and tables, sometimes the strips glue isn’t so great so I work round it or re-glue it. 

[sucit]

I had a small recent project and finally got fed up with looking for a place to buy wood and lucky came across some very nice pieces of driftwood that did the trick for me. It took a lot more work but there are nice pieces at the beaches right now. 

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, Morakot said:

I'm looking for sheets for making furniture.

You don’t say where you are located.  In general you need to inspect the plywood before buying. 

[Morakot]

Thank very much @sometimewoodworker That's very helpful!

 

What wood are these reddish sheets?

 

 

  

33 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

rubberwood plywood isn’t so common but it’s an easy wood to work with (if you found it online I would like the URL)

 

This is shop in Bangkok: https://www.plywoodthai.com/13698978/20-มม-aaa If I understand this correctly this means rubberwood face with a mix core: 20mm = B1,060 (plus high transport costs, B600-1,000)

 

Interestingly I also found this place that sells  Baltic Birch Plywood (but only B/BB grade): http://birchwoodth.com/products/ I'll ask for their price list, but I'm sure it won't be cheap!

Edited July 11, 2021 by Morakot

[Morakot]

2 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

You don’t say where you are located.  In general you need to inspect the plywood before buying. 

North Bangkok

[sometimewoodworker]

1 minute ago, Morakot said:

North Bangkok

Then wood street is the place to visit, Bang Pho soi 24 and surrounding areas 

[sometimewoodworker]

12 minutes ago, Morakot said:

Thank very much @sometimewoodworker That's very helpful!

 

What wood are these reddish sheets?

 

 

  

 

This is shop in Bangkok: https://www.plywoodthai.com/13698978/20-มม-aaa If I understand this correctly this means rubberwood face with a mix core: 20mm = B1,060 (plus high transport costs, B600-1,000)

 

Interestingly I also found this place that sells  Baltic Birch Plywood (but only B/BB grade): http://birchwoodth.com/products/ I'll for their price list, but I'm sure it won't be cheap!

The shipping cost isn’t that high neither is the price per sheet, considering the weight and that you need to protect the faces. 
 

for the birch plywood, the sheet size is unusual. 
 

also it is unusual to have the same wood in the core unless you are paying a lot more for your material. 

Edited July 11, 2021 by sometimewoodworker

[Morakot]

2 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

 

for the birch plywood, the sheet size is unusual 

 

These are imperial/ US dimensions, I think. Why "Baltic" plywood sold in Thailand is made like this is a puzzle.

[sometimewoodworker]

For more about plywood than you will want Shannon Rodgers has about 5 podcasts just on it

Shannon’s site you will learn that there are no bargains, that in general you must pay for quality, if it’s low price then it’s low quality. 

[sometimewoodworker]

17 minutes ago, Morakot said:

 

These are imperial/ US dimensions, I think. Why "Baltic" plywood sold in Thailand is made like this is a puzzle.

No. Baltic birch is usually in sheets of 1524mm or 5” square 

 

however you can get sheets of almost any size you want if you go to the factory and buy enough. 
 

I suspect that the birch isn’t from the Baltic but from China or Russia, that doesn’t make it bad or low quality, as long as the price is high enough, I would think that 2,000+ for 20mm would be reasonable. 

Edited July 11, 2021 by sometimewoodworker

[Morakot]

8 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

For more about plywood than you will want Shannon Rodgers has about 5 podcasts just on it

Shannon’s site you will learn that there are no bargains, that in general you must pay for quality, if it’s low price then it’s low quality. 

Thanks for the link. Yes, I totally agree.

[Morakot]

16 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I would think that 2,000+ for 20mm would be reasonable. 

I'll find out and let you know.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 minute ago, Morakot said:

I'll find out and let you know.

The U.K. price is here 

these are 5’ square sheets 

so if you knock of 20% U.K. VAT that gives around 3,000 per sheet