HD Birch ply. Will it work?

[ChrisMcCune]

Hey all, I found this Birch ply at HD. It was super smooth and sourced from Ecuador. Wondering how it would fare for a couple of cabinet builds. Any opinions??

[Bruce Weldy]

No.

9 times out of 10 when you hear birch plywood - it means cabinet grade birch with a thin veneer. That is NOT Baltic Birch.

You will not find baltic birch at any big box store. You have to find a lumber supplier and ask specifically for baltic birch. It usually comes in 5x5 and occasionally in 4x8.

[ChrisMcCune]

Ok. Thanks Bruce, thats what I was thinking. My only other option to BB is Auraco Pine ply right?

[DJPhatman]

Ok. Thanks Bruce, thats what I was thinking. My only other option to BB is Auraco Pine ply right?

Read your plans some more, Chris. It tells you that you may use fir, spruce, pine or even poplar plywood, as long as it has at least 5 equal thickness plies, no voids and no thin veneers. Look at the last picture you posted. I see 3 plies with a super thin veneer on the top and bottom. NFG.

When you call around for the plywood, ask for baltic, Russian or Finnish birch. You may also use Radiata pine or Poplar plywood, if it is available. The important part that must be adhered to is a minimum of 5 equal plies. Arauco plywood is known to meet this requirement.

Check out the pictures at http://www.araucoply.com/index.asp They show exactly what the ends should look like.

[Grant Bunter]

Just for confirmation,
Arauco is a brand name, just happens to be huge and ships worldwide.
It is made from radiata pine (pinus radiata).
So, if you find radiata pine ply that isn't branded Arauco that will be fine as long as it has the required 5 equal plies.

Before anyone jumps in a says radiata pine is crap, I'll point out the differences to working with it.

Baltic/Finnish/Russian birch is apparently a dream to work with, cuts nicely (apart from chipping on the edges as you cut) and tends not to warp easily. It's more dense, therefore heavier.

Radiata pine ply is lighter, but is prone to warping. More so once you start cutting it up.
You can make life for yourself easier with Radiata ply by not buying warped sheets in the first place and storing them flat (easier said than done as 8 x 4 sheets take up some space).
The warping itself isn't an issue if you follow the plans (including the panel jig plans for the large table to screw sheets to, to measure and cut), ie use the dewarping jigs.

All my cabs are built with radiata pine ply and I haven't had any problems with structural integrity. That's with no "extra" pieces added in.

If the price differential between BB and radiata ply is next to nothing for you, I'd go BB. That's not the case where I am.
If I had built what I have so far using BB here I would have spent over $1000 just on ply alone, before shipping/freight. In comparison, radiata ply has saved me more than 60% of that cost, with freight included...

[AntonZ]

Look at the last picture you posted. I see 3 plies with a super thin veneer on the top and bottom. NFG.

It matters not for your conclusion DJP but that is not the real super thin veneer. At least not as I know it. I will see your crap ply and raise you a hair thin layer

All joking aside I have seen ply where the outer ply face was no more than a hair thick. A fraction of that outer ply there. You really couldn't tell there actually was an additional outer veneer layer other than peeling it with a nail on the edge. Only then did it show. I had almost bought a full sheet. That would have been a disappointment.

Still I do agree: don't use that ply there, just saying there is even worse.