Plywood Making

Manufacturing
of
Plywood
● Report By:
(05130201) ● Engr. Jose C. Alcantara
BSME - 5 Instructor
INTRODUCTION TO THE
MANUFACTURING OF PLYWOOD
WHAT IS PLYWOOD?
Plywood is a versatile wood product, which makes it in great demand

by contractors. It is a building material made from layers of thinly sliced
wood, which is glued together. Each layer called a ply is arranged so that
the direction of the wood fibers or grain is placed at right angles to the
layer next to it
INTRODUCTION TO THE
WHAT IS PLYWOOD?
Plywood is a type of engineered wood made from thin sheets of wood,

called plies or wood veneers. The layers are glued together so that
adjacent plies have their grain at right angles to each other for greater
strength. There are usually an odd number of plies, as the symmetry
makes the board less prone to warping.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
WHY WE USE PLYWOOD?
A common reason for using plywood instead of plain wood is its resistance to cracking,
shrinkage, twisting/warping, and its general high degree of strength. In addition, plywood can
be manufactured in sheets far wider than the trees from which it was made. It has replaced
many dimensional lumbers on construction applications for these reasons.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
TYPES OF PLYWOOD
1. SOFTWOOD PLYWOOD
2. HARDWOOD PLYWOOD
3. DECORATIVE PLYWOOD
4. HIGH STRENGTH PLYWOOD
5. MARINE PLYWOOD
6. OTHERS
INTRODUCTION TO THE
TYPES OF PLYWOOD
SOFTWOOD
A vast number of varieties of plywood exist for different

applications. Softwood plywood is usually made either of
Douglas fir or spruce, pine, and fir (collectively known as
Spruce-pine-fir), and is typically used for construction and
industrial purposes.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
TYPES OF PLYWOOD
HARDWOOD
Hardwood plywood is used for some demanding end

uses. Birch plywood is characterized by its excellent strength,
stiffness and resistance to creep. It has a high planar shear
strength and impact resistance, which make it especially
suitable for heavy-duty floor and wall structures. Oriented
plywood construction has a high wheel-carrying capacity.
Birch plywood has excellent surface hardness, and damage-
and wear-resistance.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
TYPES OF PLYWOOD
Average-quality plywood with show veneer. High-quality concrete pouring plate in plywood.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
TYPES OF PLYWOOD
DECORATIVE
Decorative plywood is usually faced with hardwood,

including red oak, birch, maple, lauan (Philippine mahogany)
and a large number of other hardwoods.
Plywood for indoor use generally uses the less expensive

urea-formaldehyde glue which has limited water resistance,
while outdoor and marine-grade plywood are designed to
withstand rot, and use a water resistant phenol-formaldehyde
glue to prevent delamination and to retain strength in high
INTRODUCTION TO THE
TYPES OF PLYWOOD
HIGH STRENGTH
High-strength plywood, known as aircraft plywood, is

made from mahogany and/or birch, and uses adhesives with
increased resistance to heat and humidity. It was used for
several World War II fighter aircraft, including the British-built
Mosquito bomber which was nicknamed the wooden
wonder.
Certain plywood do not have alternating plies. These are

designed for a specific purpose. One such plywood is known
INTRODUCTION TO THE
TYPES OF PLYWOOD
MARINE
Marine plywood is specially treated to resist rotting in a

high-moisture environment. Marine plywood is frequently
used in the construction of docks and boats. It is much more
expensive than standard plywood, which is about three times
as expensive as standard plywood.
Marine plywood can be graded as being compliant with

BS 1088, which is a British Standard for marine plywood.
There are few international standards for grading marine
INTRODUCTION TO THE
TYPES OF PLYWOOD
OTHERS
Other types of plywoods include fire-retardant, moisture-

resistant, sign-grade, pressure-treated, and of course the
hardwood and softwood plywoods. Each of these products is
designed to fill a need in industry.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
US Plywood Grades
Plywood grades are determined by a veneer quality on the

face and back of each panel. The first letter designates
quality of face veneer (best side), while the second letter
denotes the surface quality of the back of the panel. The
letter "X" indicates the panel was manufactured with scrap
wood as the center plies, not "exterior" as is commonly
thought. The A-D rating is only good for construction
(softwood) plywood, not for hardwood plywoods such as oak
or maple.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
US Plywood Grades
"A":
Highest grade quality available. Can be defect free or contain

small knots, providing they are replaced with wooden plugs
(the fillers having a "boat" or an "American football" shape) or
repaired with synthetic patch. This grade may contain
occasional surface splits that are repaired with synthetic filler.
The surface is always sanded and provides for smooth
paintable face quality.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
US Plywood Grades
"B":
Second highest quality veneer grade. Normally a by-product

of downgraded "A" quality veneer. Solid surface, but may
contain small diameter knots and narrow surface splits.
Normally repaired with wooden plugs or synthetic filler. The
surface is normally sanded smooth.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
US Plywood Grades
"C":
Considered to be a lower end face quality, but a reasonable

choice for general construction purposes. May contain tight
knots up to 1½ inches diameter, some open knot holes, some
face splits, and discoloration. Some manufactures may repair
the defects with synthetic filler. Panels are typically not
sanded.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
US Plywood Grades
"D":
Considered to be the lowest quality veneer and often used for

the back surface for construction grade panels. Allows for
several knots, large and small, as well as open knots up to
2½ inches diameter. Open knots, splits, and discoloration are
acceptable. "D" grade veneers are neither repaired nor
sanded. This grade is not recommended for permanent
exposure to weather elements.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
Veneer Quality
There are 5 veneer qualities specified for plywood in the

Australian Standard. The veneer quality relates to
appearance only, and not to structural properties.
Veneer Quality A:
is a high appearance grade veneer suitable for clear finishing
where surface decorative appearance is a primary
consideration.
Veneer Quality S:
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
Veneer Quality
Veneer Quality B:
is an appearance grade suitable for high quality paint
finishing.
Veneer Quality C:
is a non-appearance grade with a solid surface (all open
defects are filled) and is designed specifically for applications
requiring a solid non-decorative surface such as flooring
which will be overlaid with a decorative flooring surface.
Veneer Quality D:
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
Veneer Quality
The plywood veneer quality is specified by two letters; the first

being the face veneer quality and the second the back veneer
quality.
For example,
AA for marine plywood,

AD for wall cladding where only the front face is visible,
CD for structural plywood flooring
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
Bond Quality
Four types of bond quality are defined in AS2754.1. The

appropriate type bond must be matched to the application
and service conditions.
Type A bond:
is a permanent bond, recognizable by its black color, which
will not deteriorate under wet conditions, heat or cold, and is
required for all structural and marine plywood, and in areas
around sinks, vanity units and laundry tubs.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
PLYWOOD GRADES
Bond Quality
Four types of bond quality are defined in AS2754.1. The

appropriate type bond must be matched to the application
and service conditions.
Type C bond:
is suitable for non-structural interior applications, free from
wet or damp conditions.
Type D bond:
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Plywood is used in many applications that need high-

APPLICATIONS OF PLYWOOD
quality, high-strength sheet material. Quality in this context

means resistance to cracking, breaking, shrinkage, twisting
and warping.
Exterior glued plywood is suitable for outdoor use, but

because moisture affects on the strength of wood, optimal
performance is achieved in end uses where woods moisture
content remains relatively low. On the other hand subzero
conditions don't affect on plywood's dimensional or strength
properties which opens some special application
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Plywood is also used as an engineering material for

stressed-skin applications. It has been used for marine and

aviation applications since WWII. Most notable is the British
De Havilland Mosquito bomber, which was primarily made
out of wood. Plywood is currently successfully used in
stressed-skin applications.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Softwood Plywood Applications

Typical end uses of spruce plywood are:
• Floors, walls and roofs in house constructions

• Wind bracing panels
• Vehicle internal body work
• Packages and boxes
• Hoarding
• Fencing
There are coating solutions available that mask the prominent grain structure of spruce plywood. For
these coated plywood there are some end uses where reasonable strength is needed but lightness of
spruce material is a benefit e.g.:
• Concrete shuttering panels

• Ready to paint surface for constructions
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Birch Plywood Applications

Coated special birch plywood is typically used as a ready to install component e.g.:
• Panels in concrete formwork systems

• Floors, walls and roofs in transport vehicles
• Container floors,
• Floors subjected to heavy wear in various buildings and factories,
• Scaffolding materials
Birch plywood is used as a structural material in special applications e.g.:
• Wind turbine blades

• Isolation boxes for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Birch Plywood Applications

Smooth surface and accurate thickness combined with the durability of the material makes birch
plywood a favorable material for many special end uses e.g.:
• Die cutting boards

• Supporting structure of parquet
• Playground equipment
• Furniture
• Sign and fences for demanding outdoor advertising
• Musical instruments
• Sports equipment
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Tropical Plywood Applications

Tropical Plywood are widely available from the South East Asian region mainly by Malaysia and
Indonesia. Tropical Plywood boasts its premium quality, and strength. Depending on machineries,
tropical plywood can be made with high accuracy in thickness, and is a highly preferable choice in
America, Japan, Middle East, Korea, and other regions around the world.
• Common Plywood
• Concrete Panel
• Floor Base
• Structure Panel
• Container Flooring
• Lamin Board
• Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Plywood can also be effectively used as the face of doors, and in cabinetry in buildings.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Structural plywood can find uses as nailing gussets in trusses,

webs in I-beams or box beams, as well as for bracing in buildings.
Thicker sheets can function well as slab elements and are often
used in formwork or floors.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
QUALITY CONTROL
Plywood Sheets – Flooring
Plywood flooring enables large areas to be covered quickly and economically. It’s
inherent dimensional stability also means that it is suited to the ‘platform’ construction
method where it can withstand the rigours of bad weather that may be encountered when
the floor is installed in advance of the wall and roof framing. These same properties also
make it suitable for small increases in moisture content if used in ‘wet’ areas such as
laundries and bathrooms enabling the one flooring system to be used throughout the
building. In ‘wet’ areas a good quality seal is required over the plywood to protect it from
moisture during normal service. This will enhance its durability.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
QUALITY CONTROL
Interior Panels
Decorative plywoods are frequently used as internal linings and ceilings of dwellings
and commercial premises providing the feel and appearance of timber, but with the
advantages of a panel product. These interior linings can be made from appearance finish
structural plywood, or any decorative internal plywood. In some cases, holes can be used
to give the panels appropriate acoustic properties.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
QUALITY CONTROL
Interior Panels
The standard sheets are called Interior Plywoods. A large range of grain patterns and
species is available, giving a large variety in decorative appearance products. Because of
the cross-grain, the plywood can be significantly thinner than solid timber lining boards,
and it is less prone to movement in changing environmental conditions. Clear finishing of
all these decorative panels is all that is needed to protect the surface from scuffing and
stains.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
QUALITY CONTROL
External Cladding
A range of preservative treated plywoods is produced for external cladding. This

plywood can effectively connect the floor framing to the top plate and can be used as tie-
down as well as bracing walls. The sheets must be joined on studs, so careful attention
needs to be paid to the framing layout.
In order to resist weathering, either a good quality opaque paint is required, or regular
replacement of a clear finish. ‘Stucco’ or other render systems will also protect the
plywood.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
QUALITY CONTROL
Bracing (Shearwalls)
Plywood is particularly suited to applications such as shear or bracing walls that are
designed to resist the effects of wind or earthquake that may cause the structure to sway.
The cross banded nature of plywood allows close nailing at edges and enables the use of
very thin plywood to achieve a cost effective bracing system.
Plywood Webs and Gussets
The high shear strength of plywood makes it suitable for bracing panels or as webs in
manufactured beams such as plywood webbed I-beams and box beams. Timber flanged
plywood webbed box and C-section beams can provide a stable, lightweight and cost
effective alternative to conventional timber trusses in applications where headroom is an
issue, or where the loads on a beam are relatively light or uniformly distributed, but the
span is large.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Formwork
QUALITY CONTROL
The timber veneers used in plywood are relatively stable along the grain, and
therefore the cross-laminated construction of plywood ensures that sheet sizes remain
relatively stable under changes of temperature and moisture. This factor is important in
platform floor and concrete formwork construction where exposure to moisture is inevitable.
In addition to dimensional stability, plywood’s high strength and stiffness to weight

ratio, ease of working and impact resistance are well suited to the formwork application.
The ruggedness of the product allows it to tolerate the abuses that often occur on
construction sites. The material requires the normal tools that a formworker would use for
other timber products, and the sheets can be readily curved or cut to form the unusual
shapes required in architectural or civil construction.
Formwork timber has high durability glues and is generally coated to improve wear
resistance of the faces.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
SPECIFYING PLYWOOD
When specifying plywood, the following information needs to be supplied:
• Number of panels
• Length ´ width ´ thickness (mm)
• Plywood type (eg. structural) and Standard (eg. AS/NZS 2269)
(if structural) Stress grade and ID code
• Face and back grades
• Glue bond type
• PAA product certification stamp
• Preservative treatment level.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF PLYWOOD
High Strength & Stiffness to Weight Ratios
- make its handling and installation very cost effective in applications such as residential and
commercial flooring, shear-walls and diaphragms, formwork and webbed beams.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Surface Dimensional Stability
- the cross-laminated construction of plywood ensures that sheet sizes

remain relatively stable under changes of temperature and moisture,
making it particularly suited to formwork applications.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Panel Shear
- approximately double that of solid timber due to its cross laminated

structure, making it suitable for use in gussets for portal frames, webs of
fabricated beams and thin plywood bracing panels.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Workability
– plywood is easily nailed close to edges, which is important when used

with relatively slender timber backing members, or as bracing, webs and
gussets in portal frame construction.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
Impact Resistance
– plywood, as with all timber products, has the ability to accommodate the
occasional short-term load up to twice the design load. This property is
advantageous for applications such as loading docks where vehicle impact can
be expected or in buildings subject to seismic activity or cyclonic winds.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
VARIATION OF PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION
Strength of the material

Thickness of the material
Glues – interior, exterior, marine
Quality of finishes of faces
Species of face and other plies
HOW PLYWOOD IS MANUFACTURED
SELECTING THE LOG
Plywood is made from several different species of trees. Most softwood

plywood is made of Douglas-fir or southern pine. Hardwood plywood is
actually made from over eighty different species of woods. Some of the
most popular woods are oak, red gum, poplar, birch, cherry, and
walnut. Plywood and oriented strand board have many of the similar
processes. Attached is a hyperlink of some birch trees in the raw material
form. These trees could be used for plywood or oriented strand board.
SELECTING THE LOG
The first step in the manufacturing process of plywood is the selecting of the
logs. The logs that are selected are chosen for their straightness and roundness. They
also must be relatively free from knots and decay.
SELECTING THE LOG
STRIPPING THE BARK
The selected logs are then stripped of their bark. According to the
following picture, the logs are fed in from the right by chain conveyors.
The logs are going to be stripped so therefore, they are rotated by ridged
wheels as the cutting head on the track reverses the log from end to
end. This is also known as debarking. The following illustration
demonstrates this portion of the manufacturing process. Two additional
illustrations of this debarking process are located at the following
hyperlinks.
STRIPPING THE BARK

PEELING THE LOG
The next step of the manufacturing process is peeling the log. The log
sections, which show the marks of the debarking knives, are fed into the
lathe loader where the log revolves around on a huge lathe against a long
cutter blade which is reduced to a 6-inch core or sawed into lumber or
chipped. The following illustration shows the operation of the peeler.
PEELING THE LOG

MAKING A CONTINUOUS RIBBON OF WOOD
Following the peeler process, the next step in the manufacturing process
of plywood is taking the logs and making them into a continuous ribbon of
wood. The cutting edge of the lathe is forced against the spinning log. The
wood is unwound in a continuous ribbon varying in thickness depending on
how its used. The following illustration is a good example of this process.
MAKING A CONTINUOUS RIBBON OF

WOOD
CUTTING AND STACKING
The next step of the process is the cutting and the stacking of the
ribbons of wood. The standard size for the pieces of wood to be cut is 4’ X
8’. The thickness of the plywood will be determined later when the sheets
are glued and pressed together to a varying thickness of which ¼” to ¾” is
the most common. The following hyperlink shows the process of cutting
the sheets to the proper length and width.
As the sheet emerges from the peeler it is scanned automatically and

then it is stacked green and is prepared for the transferring to the drying
ovens. This next picture shows the wood after it is cut to rough size and
stacked green and ready to be sent to the drying ovens. The moisture
content of commercial plywood should not be lower than 6 percent nor
greater than 14 percent at the time it leaves the factory.

GLUING THE WOOD
The next step in making plywood is the gluing of the plies together in
order to determine the desirable thickness of the plywood sheet. Modern
methods of manufacturing use synthetic plastics such as urea resins or
phenol-formaldehyde for bonding the plies together. These glues are
mixed mechanically and then spread on alternate layers of lumber by
passing between pairs of grooved metal or hard rubber rollers. The
following picture shows the plywood sheets moving through the rollers as
the adhesive is being applied
GLUING THE WOOD

PRESSING THE WOOD
The following step in manufacturing process is the procedure of pressing

the glued sheets together to a desired thickness. Hydraulic or pneumatic
presses squeeze the plies together with heat and pressure or with just
pressure only. When heat is used the glue hardens within a few minutes. The
glue solidifies as the plies are pressed together; and once the pressure is
released, the boards are considered dry. The hydraulic presses are equipped
with a series of steam-heated platens with a temperature from 250 degree F
to 300 degree F. Each pair of platens has a sheet of plywood between them
that is pressed to the desired thickness. Sometimes a screw method is also
used but this method is not as desirable.
TRIMMING, SANDING, AND FINISHING
Lastly the sheets have to go through a process that gets them ready to
be shipped out for market. The process involves trimming, sanding and
finishing the sheets. This process also takes the sheets down to the
proper size that is desirable to the consumer. This is what makes the final
smooth edges that are seen in the modern lumberyard. The finished
panels of plywood are then divided into two groups indicating whether
they are for interior or exterior use. Plywood may carry a quality grade,
which is indicated with the letters A through C, with A being the highest
quality. This grade is based on requirements set by U.S. Commercial
Standard CS - (35-36).
CONCLUSION TO THE MANUFACTURING OF PLYWOOD
These are the steps of the manufacturing process of plywood from the
original type of tree chosen, clear to the completed sheets of plywood
stamped and ready to be shipped to your local hardware stores and
lumber yards. This process shows how the plywood, which the customer
buys, comes from a variety of different tree species. It also shows the
mechanics of how the plywood you buy is made into widths, lengths and a
variety of different thicknesses depending on the use of the material.
Hopefully, this illustrates the process of how a tree is manufactured into
the plywood that is found in a local lumberyard.
CONCLUSION TO THE
MANUFACTURING OF
PLYWOOD
THANK YOU !!!!

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Plywood Making

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Plywood Making

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Manufacturing

Plywood is a versatile wood product, which makes it in great demand

Plywood is a type of engineered wood made from thin sheets of wood,

WHY WE USE PLYWOOD?

A vast number of varieties of plywood exist for different

Hardwood plywood is used for some demanding end

Decorative plywood is usually faced with hardwood,

Plywood for indoor use generally uses the less expensive

High-strength plywood, known as aircraft plywood, is

Certain plywood do not have alternating plies. These are

Marine plywood is specially treated to resist rotting in a

Marine plywood can be graded as being compliant with

Other types of plywoods include fire-retardant, moisture-

Plywood grades are determined by a veneer quality on the

Highest grade quality available. Can be defect free or contain

Second highest quality veneer grade. Normally a by-product

Considered to be a lower end face quality, but a reasonable

Considered to be the lowest quality veneer and often used for

There are 5 veneer qualities specified for plywood in the

The plywood veneer quality is specified by two letters; the first

AA for marine plywood,

Four types of bond quality are defined in AS2754.1. The

Four types of bond quality are defined in AS2754.1. The

Plywood is used in many applications that need high-

quality, high-strength sheet material. Quality in this context

Exterior glued plywood is suitable for outdoor use, but

Plywood is also used as an engineering material for

stressed-skin applications. It has been used for marine and

Softwood Plywood Applications

Typical end uses of spruce plywood are:

• Floors, walls and roofs in house constructions

• Concrete shuttering panels

Birch Plywood Applications

• Panels in concrete formwork systems

Birch plywood is used as a structural material in special applications e.g.:

• Wind turbine blades

Birch Plywood Applications

• Die cutting boards

Tropical Plywood Applications

Structural plywood can find uses as nailing gussets in trusses,

Plywood Sheets – Flooring

A range of preservative treated plywoods is produced for external cladding. This

Plywood Webs and Gussets

In addition to dimensional stability, plywood’s high strength and stiffness to weight

When specifying plywood, the following information needs to be supplied:

High Strength & Stiffness to Weight Ratios

Surface Dimensional Stability

- the cross-laminated construction of plywood ensures that sheet sizes

- approximately double that of solid timber due to its cross laminated

– plywood is easily nailed close to edges, which is important when used

Strength of the material

SELECTING THE LOG

Plywood is made from several different species of trees. Most softwood

SELECTING THE LOG

STRIPPING THE BARK

STRIPPING THE BARK

PEELING THE LOG

MAKING A CONTINUOUS RIBBON OF WOOD

MAKING A CONTINUOUS RIBBON OF

CUTTING AND STACKING

CUTTING AND STACKING

As the sheet emerges from the peeler it is scanned automatically and

CUTTING AND STACKING