PLYWOODS,

BOARDS,
LAMINATES

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 PLYWOODS

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 PLYWOODS
• Unique thing about plywood is its strength
to remain stiff and not sag under load, over
small spans, in both axis.
• This strength is achieved by gluing
together a sandwich of odd numbers of
thin (1/8”–1/16”) wood veneers (plies), with
alternating wood grain directions.
• Wood is strong along its grain directions,
and much weaker across its grain direction,
in both tension and compression.

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 PLYWOOD

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• This natural quality of wood is utilized in
the construction of plywood.
Interior Hardwood Plywoods:
• a. Sizes:
(1) Thicknesses: 1/8” to 1”, in 1/16” and
1/8” increments.
3 ply: 1/4”, 3/8” (mostly decorative)
5 ply: ½”, 5/8”, ¾”
7 ply: 7/8”, 1”, 1¼
(2) Widths: 18, 24, 32, 36, 48 inches.
(3) Lengths: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 feet
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• b. Types:
(1) Technical: fully waterproof bond.
(2) Type I (exterior): fully waterproof
bond / weather and fungus
resistant.
(3) Type II (interior): water resistant
bond.
(4) Type III (interior): moisture
resistant bond.

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• c. Grades:
(1) Premium 1: very slight imperfections.
(2) Good 1 : suitable for natural finishes.
(3) Sound 2 : suitable for painted finishes.
(4) Utility 3 : may have open defects.
(5) Backing 4 : may have many flaws.

Note: Sr. 1 & 2 are outer decorative & expensive

plies with grains and/or patterns e.g. teak,
deodar, sheesham, beech etc, for polished
surfaces.
Sr. 3, 4, 5 are commercial quality, for painted
surfaces, doors, cabinets, economical
construction, shuttering, boxes etc.
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• Inner plies are of economical wood to make
the bulk, outer plies are decorative &
expensive.
• Ply wood has its shortcomings. Raw edges
are unsightly if not treated properly. A
“liping” of hardwood strip matching the
decorative outer ply, 3/8” thick and as
broad as the plywood sheet thickness is
glued to all edges.
• Thin plies soaked with steam and glue are
spread over a mold, in layers, to create a
molded plywood object / furniture.
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 MOLDING PLYWOOD

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MOULDED PLYWOOD FURNITURE

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 PLYWOOD EDGING

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 PLYWOOD EDGING

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 PLYWOOD EDGES

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 ALUMINUM CORNER
PROFILES

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 PVC EDGE BANDING TAPES

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 CHIPBOARDS
PARTICALBOARDS
FIBERBOARDS

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 CHIPBOARD / PARTICLEBOARD
• Chipboard, particleboard, fiberboard are
engineered products manufactured from
waste wood particles, wood chips, sawmill
shavings, or even saw dust. Particles are
sieved for uniform size.
• Resin in liquid form is sprayed onto the
particles. There are many types of resins
that are commonly used like: urea
formaldehyde,

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 phenol formaldehyde and melamine
formaldehyde. The later is more expensive, it is
moisture resistant.

• These resins are sometimes mixed with other

additives before spraying, to improve quality of
final products regarding water, fire, insect
proofing or some other qualities.

• The mixed material is hot compressed, to form

a rigid board with a relatively smooth surface.
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CHIPBOARDS / PARTICLEBOARDS

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• Fiberboards and other manufactured
boards are eco friendly.
• These have had a very positive impact on
timber resources, stemming entirely from
recycled materials.
• Wood waste and saw dust is efficiently
consumed.
• These boards come in sheet sizes of 4’x8’,
with various thicknesses of ¼” to 1”, in
various densities.

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• Density is dependent upon the amount of
compression the board is subjected to
during its manufacture.
• These boards are manufactured in low,
medium and high densities, as follows:
• Low density fiberboard (LDF) less than
400 kg/m³.
• Medium density fiberboard (MDF) from
600 to 900 kg/m³.
• High density fiberboard (HDF) from 900
to 1,450 kg/m³.
•
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• Low density fiberboard / chipboard has
coarser wood particles, the surface is not as
smooth as compared to MDF, it may
therefore be laminated. Needs lipping.
• Because of low density, tooling is not
possible with LDF / chipboard.
• Chipboard tends to soak up water and
swells, therefore use of chipboard is not
recommended near wet areas.
• Low density fiberboard is mostly used for
suspended ceilings, acoustics.
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 • Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) is
dense, flat, stiff has no knots, and easily
machined.
• Due to fine particles it does not have any
surface grain patterns, it can be cut,
drilled, machined / tooled, filed, painted to
produce a smooth quality surface.
• MDF may be dowelled together and
traditional woodwork joints may even be
cut. MDF may be glued together with PVA
white wood glue.
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• Oil or water based paints and varnishes
may be used on MDF. Veneer and
laminates may also be used to finish MDF.
• The homogeneous density profile of MDF
allows intricate & precise machining &
finishing techniques for superior finished
products.
• Moisture resistant MDF is typically green.
• Fire resistant MDF is typically red.
• Lasani brand of MDF is locally
manufactured and available.
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Salient features of MDF:-
• It is an excellent substrate for veneers.
• Some varieties are less expensive than
many natural woods.
• Isotropic (no grain), so no tendency to
split.
• Consistent in stability, strength, size and
density.
• Pale color, smooth finish, material
uniformity & ease of machining / t0oling.

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Common uses:-
• Door leaves, jambs & millwork.
• Edge shaping & machining.
• Laminate flooring, laminating & finishing.
• Molding, embossing.
• Office & residential furniture.
• Paneling, cupboards.
• Store fixtures, shelving.
• Interior projects.

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Drawbacks of MDF:-
• Heavier than plywood or chipboard (resins are
heavy). Cannot be used out doors or wet areas
• Swells and breaks when water logged.
• May warp or expand if not sealed.
• Contains urea formaldehyde which causes eye
& lung irritation when cutting & sanding. This
resin is injurious to health. Ventilate the place
for some days after completion. Remove dust.
• Screwing into the edge of a board will cause it
to split. Needs edge lipping, use screws 25mm
or smaller, drill pilot holes.
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• High density fiberboard is used for
flooring purposes, kitchen cabinets
carcass, etc.
• It soaks less quantity of water when
compared with LDF and MDF.
• Lipping / edging is required wherever an
exposed edge of chipboard, particle board
or fiberboard requires such treatment.

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 LAMINATES
• The materials used in laminates can be the
same or different.
• For example, it can be two decorative /
expensive wood veneers (laminates), glued
one on either side of a cheap plywood sheet
(the laminated subject).
• Vehicle windshields are commonly made
by laminating a tough plastic film between
two layers of glass.

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USES:-
• In building construction industry lamination
of cheap chipboard, particleboard, LDF,
MDF, plywood sheets by expensive decorative
wood veneers, formica, printed / textured /
plain plastic sheets is quite common & in
vogue. Lipping is a must to cover raw edges.
• In order to avoid bending of the finished
laminated product, it is essential that
lamination materials on both sides should be
the same, to neutralize the stresses in the
laminated product.
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 LAMINATED SHEETS

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• LAMINATE FLOORING is a multi-layer
synthetic flooring product fused together
with a lamination process. Laminate
flooring simulates wood or stone with a
photographic applique layer under a clear
hard wearing protective layer. The inner
core layer is usually composed of melamine
resin and fiber board materials. It is glued
over a concrete substrate or existing floor.
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 LAMINATE FLOORING

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 Glued and laminated
(Glulam) beams: Dimensioned timber
is used in construction industry to make
wooden beams, with sizes larger and stronger
than can be obtained from single pieces of
solid wood.
Another reason to laminate wooden strips
into beams is quality control, as with this
method each and every strip can be inspected
before it becomes part of a highly stressed
component.
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GLUED-LAMINATED(GLULAM)BEAMS

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• Laminating paper, such as photographs,
documents etc. can prevent it from
becoming creased, sun damaged, wrinkled,
stained, smudged, abraded and / or
marked by grease, fingerprints and
environmental concerns. Photo
identification cards and credit cards are
almost always laminated with plastic film.

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