Sensible guide to using plywood indoors | Chappaqua Real Estate

Plywood has earned its place in the pantheon of versatile and indispensable building materials at the architect’s disposal. Strong, lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and easy to work with and install, it’s the industry standard for structural sheathing and subflooring. As a structural material it’s very often buried and concealed in the finished building — until recently. 

Architects and designers in search of novel uses for humble materials are now using plywood for a higher aesthetic purpose as a finished surface in living spaces. It’s become a handy means of modernizing and warming an interior for a relatively inexpensive cost. Although I appreciate the raw aesthetic of plywood and can relate to the desire to have the warmth of wood on a limited budget, it’s not right for every surface of a home. Here’s how to know if it’s right for you.

Nicholas Lee Architects

To use plywood wisely, it helps to understand a little about its origins and makeup. 

What is plywood? Plywood is essentially stacked layers of thin plies (sheets), commonly called cross-bands, of wood. Each successive ply is rotated, which lends the panel strength. The rotation determines the ultimate strength; 90-degree rotations between plies are found in less expensive plywoods, while 30-degree rotations are found in higher-quality plywoods. Each ply is glued to the successive one with heat and pressure to form the sheet.

chadbourne + doss architects

Sheet thickness is determined by the total number of plies that comprise the sheet; the typical range is ¼ inch to 1 inch and up. The thickness, wood species, type of glue used and grade of the outward-facing plies determine the grade of plywood and ultimately its cost.

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