Timber & Sheet Materials

It shouldn’t be news that plywood is a versatile material, suitable for use in virtually every area of the home. It boasts exceptional durability and can be treated to further increased its resistance to rot, corrosion and moisture. However, for all their versatility it is also common for there to be leftovers from every project. Either from redundancy ordering or simple cut-offs.  

Here are just a few common uses of plywood, that may give you some ideas of how you can manage your own materials excess (or even ideas for new projects on the horizons): 

Furniture 

Whether it be dressers, cabinets, wardrobes, shelves, bookcases or any other piece of interior furniture that you can think of, plywood provides a practical answer. Not only is it durable and cost-effective, but you’ll also find that there are many different grades to choose from (D – A) with varying degrees of impact resistance, to suit different applications. 

Sheds & Garages 

It’s not uncommon for sheds and detached garages to bear the brunt of the British weather. It may be that a board had started to rot, splinter or simply has a nasty stain. Either way, treated plywood can do wonders for repairs – able to serve well as temporary floors or walls. 

If you are looking to start up gardening, you may also find plywood an ideal material for a small cloche or planter. A stylish decorative build that can also keep your plants safe and give them room to grow healthy and strong. 

Roofing & Flooring 

Perhaps one of the plywood’s staple uses, roofing and flooring applications all over the UK make use of this flexible timber. Being easy to work with, it makes an ideal choice for roof sheathing or subflooring with some types of plywood featuring a tongue and groove design for a secure fitting that won’t shift in response to heavier loads. 

Other Structural Applications 

At its core, plywood will always be a construction material, best used as bracing in all manner of structural applications. It is naturally able to withstand lasting stress as well as exposure to the weather, making it the dream material for anything designed to protect. This may well be a roof or wall, but it can also be crates, boxes, and bins as well. 

Plywood is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to timber construction, however, with OSB board providing a tempting alternative. Both materials are designed for similar applications – roofing, walls, flooring, outbuildings and DIY furniture – but offer slightly different long-term benefits. 

Rather than being 100% timber, like plywood, OSB is made up of a unique formulation of cross-oriented strands of timber, bonded together with a waterproof resin. This construction makes them arguably more durable than plywood, as they tend to be thicker and thus more able to withstand higher levels of stress. 

The lower percentage of timber also makes them, on the whole, a far more economical choice – especially in larger-scale constructions. Needlessly to say, they have become a more popular choice for the tradesperson, though it is important to remember that these savings tend not to show themselves as clearly in DIY projects. 

With that being the case, and with their versatility still unmatched, plywood remains the preferred choice of many homeowners. The same board is able to be used as your subfloor, roof sheathing, in your garden and even as a rustic-styled coffee table. 

Considering the number of decorative applications plywood can be used in, it’s no surprise that many opt for a more stylish finish. However, not any old paint will do. When it comes to plywood and chipboard water-based acrylic-latex paints or epoxy tend to work well though, for OSB, oil-based paints may be preferred for external applications as these run a smaller risk of peeling over time. Offering a good balance between finish and durability.  

Before you get to painting though, you should first take the time to prepare your timber. This means a suitable wood putty and primer. Putty works to fill in any nail holes or cracks in the surface of the material, whilst primer seals off the entire top layer preventing the painting from soaking in and causing damage. 

Make sure the always apply your primer with the grain for the best results. 

Once you’re happy, you can start applying your paint. Ideally use a high-quality brush and work along the grain. Typically, two coats will be more than enough to ensure a good finish but do remember to allow paint the fully dry in-between coats.