Plywood - 10 Interesting Facts

Plywood is one of the common construction materials. It is an engineered wood which is made by gluing sheets of wood veneers. It is light weight but very sturdy. From furniture to exterior paneling, plywood in India and other parts of the world has versatile usage. Here are a few interesting facts about plywood:

1.    Plywood minimizes deforestation. It is a viable alternative to solid wood. It is made of multiple wooden sheets, thus minimizing wastage. Moreover, it is cost effective.

2.    Plywood in India comes in a variety of grades. The most common plywood grades are: MR Grade (Moisture Resistant plywood), BWR Grade (Boiling Water Resistant plywood), and Marine Grade Plywood.

3.    Usually, plywood is of two types: Hardwood and Softwood ply. Hardwood ply is made using wood from mahogany, oak, maple or birch trees. On the other hand, softwood ply is made from fir trees such as pine and spruce.

4.    Plywood has inner and outer layers. The outer layers are usually made of expensive and good quality timber which gives it a beautiful grain appearance. On the other hand, the inner layers of the plywood are made of less expensive wood.

5.    Plywood is not a product of the modern world. The history of plywood goes back to ancient Egypt and China. At that time, wooden articles were made of gluing multiple veneers together. Such furniture was found in the tombs of ancient Egyptian and Chinese Emperors. This was done due to the shortage of solid wood. Thin sheets would be glued together for multiple usages.

6.    The first appearance of modern plywood can be traced back to 1797 when Samuel Bentham applied for patenting machines in order to manufacture veneers. In his patent application, Bentham described the idea of laminated veneers glued together to form a thicker and sturdy piece. This was the predecessor of the plywood we use today.

7.    During the World War II, the usage of plywood was strictly controlled. Primarily, the US military used plywood for their barracks. They also used plywood for construction building gliders and assault boats that were used to cross the Rhine River.

8.    In India, it was during 1906-07 when plywood was first imported. Plywood was mainly imported to make tea chests. So, with the rise of Tea Industry in states such as West Bengal, Assam, and Kerala, the plywood industry also developed. And it was during 1923-24, two plywood factories were established in Assam. However, they operated on a small scale and the industry mainly depended on imported plywood.

9.    During the 2nd World War, with the non-availability of imported plywood, the tea chest manufacturers felt the need of manufacturing plywood in the country on a large scale. It was during that time when large scale ply production began in India.

10.    It was during 1947-48 that the plywood industry in India diversified their products and started producing decorative plywood, block board, aircraft and marine plywood etc.
Hopefully, these facts will give you an insight into the history of plywood.