In home decoration, selecting boards is a crucial task. Plywood is widely used for interior furniture, wall cabinets, wall panels, solid wood door wrapping, and other decorative works. Faced with a dazzling and uneven variety of plywood in the building materials market, consumers should follow the guidelines below to buy cost-effective and suitable plywood.
Specification and Quality
Plywood on the market is roughly divided into three categories by origin: imported, joint-venture, and domestic. Common specifications are mainly 1220×2440×3mm and 1220×2440×5mm; other sizes include 1220×1830×3mm or 5mm, and 915×1830×3mm or 5mm. There are also special sizes for door wrapping: 915×2135×3mm and 1220×2135×3mm. Any other sizes are small-format plywood, rarely used in decoration. Multi-ply plywood refers to those with 7 plies or more, mainly used in construction and vehicles.
It is important to clarify the specifications when purchasing. Consumers should calculate the required material quantity reasonably according to the interior decoration area. Use 3-ply plywood where appropriate instead of 5-ply to avoid unnecessary waste from blind buying.
Imported lauan large 3-ply plywood is widely used in decoration. Those imported from Indonesia are called “Indonesian boards”, and those from Malaysia “Malaysian boards”. The former is better in quality but 2–3 yuan more expensive per sheet. Most imported lauan 3-ply plywood in China is Grade BB or CC, with Grade AA rarely seen. Some dealers pass off better-quality joint-venture plywood as imported, or low-grade as high-grade. Consumers can identify this by checking the outer packaging: imported plywood usually bears an import mark and English origin labels such as Indonesia and Malaysia, along with brand names.
In recent years, China’s plywood industry has developed greatly. Some joint-venture plywood factories produce products comparable in quality to imported ones but at slightly lower prices. When purchasing, pay close attention to the face veneer quality, especially whether imported lauan veneer is used. Also inspect each sheet for bubbling, delamination, large gaps in the core, uneven color, cracks, wormholes, bruises, stains, defects, or excessive patched tape.
Color and Pattern
The face veneer of imported lauan large 3-ply plywood falls into two types by wood species: red lauan and yellowish-white lauan. Selection should consider the painting process.
For clear varnish to highlight the natural wood grain, avoid red lauan plywood and choose plywood with attractive grains such as teak or ash.
For opaque paint finishes, red lauan or plain-colored veneers are acceptable.
Many domestic joint-venture factories produce decorative veneered plywood, faced with rotary-cut veneers of imported red oak, white oak, rosewood, cherry, teak, or domestic ash and beech, featuring beautiful and natural patterns and colors. Choose the right type according to the overall layout, style, and color scheme of the decoration, ensuring it matches and coordinates with indoor furniture.
Also consider the application location:
Solid wood door wrapping requires plywood with no obvious color difference, cracks, or scars.
Kitchen wall cabinets need moisture-resistant ash plywood, not veneered decorative boards that easily absorb moisture and delaminate.
