All you should know about plywood

1. 19 Apr

2. All you should know about plywood By Affinity

Look around your house. The ceiling, floor, furniture, cabinets; there would be at least one plywood-based structure. Commonly used in the construction & manufacturing of various interior decor items, plywood has become indispensable due to its longevity and eco-friendly attribute. Interestingly, the inception of plywood goes back to ancient times. The Egyptians and Greeks used to cut wood in thin layers and glue them together to make a flexible building material.

In 1797, Samuel Bentham, a British naval engineer, applied for patents for what he described as the concept of laminating several layers of thin veneers to form one single thick piece. At that time, the wood was cut manually at different angles and thus had limits in width and length.

Then years later, Immanuel Nobel realized how the wood layers glued together would be comparatively stronger than a single layer of wood. And so, he invented the ‘rotary lathe’ which grew the industrial potential of laminated wood. Ever since, plywood (also known as veneer ply) is being used regularly by many industries, especially the real estate—such as being used at Affinity Greens’ 4+1 & 3+1 BHK flats in Zirakpur.

TYPES

Softwood & Hardwood

Non-deciduous trees are used for making softwood plywoods like pine, cedar, etc. These are easy to work with as they are light compared to hardwood plywoods. Teak, rosewood, walnut etc., are used for making hardwood plywoods. These are stronger and more durable than softwood.

Decorative

As the name suggests, decorative plywoods are those that are veneered with natural wood on the surface and are used for decorative purposes. It has natural grains and can be polished like real wood. It is made from mahogany, oak, etc., and can be easily dyed as well.

Marine

This is the highest-quality plywood available. It is often used on exterior surfaces such as boats due to its waterproof feature. It can last longer even when immersed in water or left in humid weather. Marine plywoods can resist any fungal attacks and delaminating. It is also called ‘Boiling Waterproof Ply’ (BWP).

Fire retardant

A fire retardant plywood is not fireproof but has low flammability and burning rate. It can endure fire long enough to give people the time needed to evacuate the place if there is ever a fire.

ADVANTAGES

Durability

Ever since its inception by the Egyptians and Greeks, plywood has been used consistently for various purposes. Its outer layer is made from solid wood and the core is layered with plies in alternating directions. The layers go through a cross-lamination process. This laminated design gives extra strength to the end-product which in turn prevents it from splitting.

Versatility

Plywood’s flexibility is what makes it one of the most popular mediums to use in interior decor. Its thickness varies from a couple of millimetres to inches, and from floors to furniture, plywood can be warped into any shape. Besides, it contains sound and thermal insulation properties that minimise the cooling and heating costs when used in the floors and ceilings.

Beauty

Other than being durable and flexible, plywood has the added advantage of looking great in any design. From bamboo to mahogany, you get all types of plywood to decorate your home with. You can either leave them exposed raw to show the natural beauty of wood or have solid polished edges on every sheet.

SUSTAINABILITY

What makes plywood stand apart is that it can be recycled and, thus, cause minimal wastage. It is made from a natural and renewable source. The sustainability of plywood is not only decided by its source but also by how it is being manufactured. Many industries use formaldehyde as an adhesive to join the plies. Formaldehyde is a colourless, harmful chemical compound that is known to be responsible for certain cancers in humans. This is why the World Health Organization labelled it as a carcinogen.

To prevent harmful long-term side effects of formaldehyde, industries are now using ‘green’ alternatives like methyl diisocyanate (MDI) based polyurethanes resins. If you use plywood by a company that follows the E0 (formaldehyde emission less than 0.5 mg/L) and E1 (formaldehyde emission 0.5mg - 1.5 mg/L) standards in manufacturing plywoods, it’ll help contribute towards living a sustainable life.

The use of sustainable plywood in swanky apartments by Affinity Greens, the decidedly opulent property in Zirakpur, gives you another reason to say ‘yes’ to this property. Visit Affinity Greens today for a luxurious and eco-friendly home.