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What are folks doing for plywood these days?
I've been getting mine at Menards (regional big box) and it has really, really sucked lately. I got some red oak a few months ago and it was full of voids. I recently got some birch ply and after cutting it up, it cupped overnight. I was told by a local building materials wholesaler that it's all imported junk. Whether or not it's imported I don't know, but I do know it's junk. I can clearly tell that the interior plys are not a native species.
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(03-03-2022, 09:02 PM)mr_skittle Wrote: What are folks doing for plywood these days?
I've been getting mine at Menards (regional big box) and it has really, really sucked lately. I got some red oak a few months ago and it was full of voids. I recently got some birch ply and after cutting it up, it cupped overnight. I was told by a local building materials wholesaler that it's all imported junk. Whether or not it's imported I don't know, but I do know it's junk. I can clearly tell that the interior plys are not a native species.
I don't think Menards/Home Depot/Lowes has ever sold plywood that wasn't imported? I've never had good luck with their plywood - too many voids.
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I've typically gotten maple plywood from Lowes. It's definitely not that great, but the projects I've done work okay with it. Any voids are hidden.
I hate using plywood in "nice" projects anyway. I have been using it for drawer bottoms as well, but I use dovetailed soft maple for the sides to cover it.
There is really good plywood available at the lumber yards here, but it's very expensive and one of the places is only open M-F.
For shop projects, I get the stuff from Home Depot. I forget which type it is. It has a thicker veneer (pine, I think) and is usually structurally decent.
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If I'm working on something that isn't all that important, I might get my ply from a box store. When it really matters I get it through a local vendor where I by my regular furniture lumber. A few months ago I bought a sheet of cherry (A1 grade) which was only about $20 more than the inferior grade. It was $150.
Jim
Jim
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If I need non junk plywood, I usually go to Menards, I've always had good luck with the made in the USA sheets.
Unfortunately, very expensive now.
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I agree about the US made stuff being very good. I've only used Columbia Forest Products and State Industries stuff, but I'm sure there are other companies making plywood. It is expensive, that's why you don't see it at the box stores, and can even be a little hard to find.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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My local HD carries Columbia Purebond, so it must very by store and/or region. It's OK, not great, but OK. The poplar and Sandeply they carry is usually pretty good, actually, and lower in price.
My local full service lumber yard carries Canadian and Chinese made junk. I swear you can see through the veneer of the maple plywood I got there, and some of it warped like a potato chip. So again, you can't necessarily judge quality by who the supplier is. I've ordered top end Columbia Forest Products stuff through them, over $160/sheet and that was at least 5 years ago. It was better than Purebond but not perfect. I also sometimes buy plywood from a local millwork supplier. It's pretty good but not perfect either. I get Baltic birch through them, too, and the quality has gone down substantially in the last couple of years while the prices have gone up from $65 to $100 for a 5 x 5 x 3/4" sheet when last I bought some about 2 months ago. I can only guess what the price is now.
All that led me to make my own plywood for show surfaces when it really matters. I start with Baltic birch plywood and glue on 1/16" shop sawn veneer with Unibond 800. It's the most expensive stuff when I consider my time but it's perfect and there's never a problem with color or grain matching with the rest of the project. Clearly this is not a solution for a commercial application or any large square foot needs, although I did do all the show surfaces of my kitchen.
My advice to the OP is to use veneered MDF or particle board for non-structural applications where water is not a concern. Those products are heavy but stable, consistent thickness, and flat. When you must use plywood on show surfaces seek out the best stuff you can find and pay whatever it costs.
John
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03-04-2022, 11:23 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-04-2022, 11:29 PM by Tapper.)
Recently bought a sheet of 12mm (1/2" class) Sande plywood at Home Depot for $49 and change. Using it for a shop project and was able to pick a nice sheet.
Haven't bought any 3/4" hardwood plywood in some time now. Prices have gone up exponentially. We do have a local hardwood lumber dealer. Hate to think about what he's charging now.
Doug
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(03-04-2022, 01:19 AM)greatscott Wrote: I don't think Menards/Home Depot/Lowes has ever sold plywood that wasn't imported? I've never had good luck with their plywood - too many voids.
Box stores buy what is cheap locally. Usually that is imported, but I have been surprised, finding Apple ply and 11 layer cabinet grade stock.
The lumber business is strange. Distributors sometimes make ordering mistakes, or a big project order gets cancelled, so good quality stock can drop in price. But this is VERY local, not a trend you see on the news.
Bigger cabinet shops I have worked in have two or three vendors they use regularly, and when an order is needed, they call all three to check prices. The lowest AT THE MOMENT gets the order. Two days later, the other guys may have better pricing.
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I've been calling around my own area and even 90 miles away in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market. Prices are really all over the place and that's not considering the quality. I can't necessarily assume an independent place isn't selling the same crap as big box stores. It doesn't sound like there's an issue getting what you want, but it's all spendy. I was really surprised to find paint-grade maple from a reputable distributor for right around $100/sheet. The bummer for me is there is no place in town to buy it. I have to order it through a local store and then pay their upcharge. No knock on the upcharge, we all need to make some money where we can, but I'm just so thrifty I want to get it at the distributor's price. I know someone will say that you just pass the extra cost onto the customer, but all the extra material costs and up, and I've already lost a job over it.
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