Plywood furniture has seen a huge uptick in popularity. Once seen as mainly a construction material, it has now become a design feature in its own right. Its exposed edges and minimalist appearance have made it a favourite for contemporary furniture pieces, retail interiors and custom cabinetry.
Plywood has benefits that can go beyond solid timber for furniture construction, here we’ll investigate how and why it has become such a trending cabinet making material.
Why plywood is ideal for custom furniture
Plywood is made by bonding multiple layers of thin timber veneer, with each layer positioned at a perpendicular grain direction to the previous. The cross-laminated structure gives various advantages to using plywood for furniture. These include:
- Stability: less impact from environmental changes when compared to solid timber
- Large sheet sizes: plywood is manufactured in large sheets, allowing cabinet makers to create wider panels with minimal joints
- Cost efficiency: plywood is commonly cheaper than solid timbers, while still providing a quality construction and finish
- CNC friendly: large sheets at consistent sizes and quality work means a repeatable and efficient material for CNC machining
Disadvantages of working with plywood can include:
- Plywood can splinter during machining
- Screw holding on exposed edges can be weaker than solid timber
- Plywood can be heavier than other alternatives
- The material can be sensitive to moisture
- Designing processes need to consider sheet size restraints
Choosing the right plywood for furniture
Not all types of plywood are suitable for making furniture and cabinets. The effectiveness of plywood for furniture is dependent on the thickness, core construction, and the face veneer.
For visible constructions, a cabinet-grade plywood is preferred as it contains minimal defects and a quality surface finish. Additionally, birch plywood is popular among most furniture makers for its strength, layer consistency, and attractive edge detail.
The thickness of plywood should be based on its purpose and application. For example, a plywood bookshelf needs to have the thickness to support the weight of heavy books, while a door or decorative panel needs to consider consistent movements and vertical hanging. So depending on if you are making plywood kitchens, wardrobes, cabinets or bookshelves, you should consider the best ply for purpose.
Plywood species may vary depending on the area in which you operate. Contacting your local supplier is a great way to consider what is best for your project’s requirements.
Designing furniture to get the best from plywood
When constructing with plywood, a common misconception is that it can be treated as if working with solid timber. The layered structure of the material behaves differently, especially when using fixings, finishing, and in its load bearing capacity.
For shelving, spans need to be considered carefully. A wide plywood shelf may require additional thickness, support, or reinforcement if sagging is to be prevented.
Common mistakes when working with plywood
Make sure to avoid these pitfalls when you use plywood:
- Using a low quality plywood that has uneven layering
- Poorly finishing exposed edges
- Selecting the wrong thickness for a design application
- Designing without considering sheet size constraints
Using a good furniture design software will avoid many of these problems before manufacturing begins.
From design to production with PolyBoard
Creating professional furniture from plywood takes more than just simple drawings. Accurate sizes, cutting lists, hardware, machining details and job documentation all need to be integrated and cooperatively accurate.
PolyBoard is a design software for furniture that creates custom projects while managing all production details. With parametric design, changes are quickly made while maintaining the correct relationship between components.
For a professional woodworker looking to produce custom plywood products, accurate digital designs are essential to create a reliable production process from simple good ideas. No matter the project, PolyBoard will aid in generating all relevant information and data for plywood furniture design.
If you are looking for a software solution to bring your plywood designs to life, click below to download PolyBoard, and contact us for a demonstration with a member of our technical team.
