Working with plywood is an altogether different animal than with solid wood. Given the choice, I’d prefer solid wood but sometimes solid wood isn’t the best option. When I worked in the Set Design Industry we worked with plywood almost exclusively- these past few years however, in my ‘hand tool only’ wood shop, plywood has been completely eliminated.
Good quality plywood should have at least 7 layers of veneer and no voids between layers.
Do I like working with plywood? Well let me say that once you get it dimensioned it really has some advantages- its extremely stable, much more than solid wood. It comes with beautifully matched veneers that are 90% finished and because of the high quality of the products available, it’s very durable. The current project I’m working on is a ‘fold away bed’ so I have large surfaces in the neighbourhood of 7′ high and 5 ‘ wide- using solid wood for this application while possible, wouldn’t be very practical. Weight alone would be tremendous with wood movement issues being a thorn in my side to say the least. My shop time alone would be close to tripled thus elevating the cost of the piece out of reach for most clients. The plywoodallows me to use these large panels without the associated wood movement issues, much less jointing and finishing involved so a less expensive outcome, with a finished look that once complete, the common eye won’t be able to tell the difference anyway. Using plywood is conjunction with solid wood edging, face frames and drawer and door details can really make a project work well.
To begin, its important to use a quality product and plywood comes in many grades with different characteristics. Veneer core, particle board, medium density fiber core as well asdifferent combinations of all the above. I prefer using a veneer core for its stability as well as holding power when any mechanical hardware or fasteners are being used. The face veneers are also graded and some plywoods are sold with only one good surface. Watch what you’re buying and try to use a product that works for your specific situation and budget.
The extra thickness will be removed once the glue has cured.
So that’s some of the good points of plywood but obviously there are some bad- first off is the size of the sheets so the initial dimensioning can be a challenge. Fortunately for me, a friend came over on Saturday and we ripped all of the components to size in my back yard on a portable table saw. The saw was more than adequate but having an extra set of hands to handle the 3/4″ sheets was essential. It was minus 16 on Saturday but thankfully the sun was out and the wind wasn’t blowing too strong. We made quick work of the cut list and I moved the pieces in doors. From there, on Sunday I cross cut the pieces to length using a fine tooth panel saw (12 tpi) and then went on to attach the solid wood edgings. You could purchase the iron on veneer tape with matching wood species or apply a slightly thicker edge treatment- I chose to edge the stock with 1″ solid cherry. The cherry is dimensioned 1/8″ wider than the plywoodnd the extra thickness will be planed down once applied. I don’t own a biscuit joiner so I pre-drilled holes in the plywood edge and inserted my dowel centers.The solid edging is pressed into lace leaving small dimples to show me where exactly where to drill for a perfect fit. I drilled the solid wood with mating holes and used some blind hardwood dowels as fasteners. I could have only used glue or went with a spline or tongue and groove typejoinery option but felt this method would be more than adequate and didn’t take hours to execute. Once the glue is applied I clamp up the pieces to let cure and with a series of hand tools I bring the solid wood edging flush with the plywood. I think alot of woodworkers find this last step to be the most intimidating part of the plywood process but can be easy and effective when some simple hand tools are used.
5 1/2 Bench plane removes the bulk of the waste
I take down the bulk of the material with my 5 1/2 bench plane being sure I’m always working out and away from the plywood surface. At this point I still have 1/8″ to remove so there really is no danger of damaging the veneer. A fairly light shaving and I’m soon ready to move over to a low angle block plane.
Again setting the tool for a very fine shaving, I work down the side making sure to check my progress as I go. Once I no longer feel than tiny solid wood lip I move on to the next area. The front of the plane rides up onto the edge treatment and this protects the delicate veneers on the surface. Working down until that final shaving brings the two surfaces flush.
Notice the front of the plane is riding up onto the edge material. This will keep the cut off of the delicate veneers.
Always working out from the veneer I keep the plane at a skewed angle and before long I’m ready to switch again over to a simple card scraper. This will finish off the process and clean up any plane marks from the skewing action of the previous cuts. I wathc for the darkened surface where the glue squeeze out slowly lightens telling me that I’m done. The card scraper is a great tool for this final pass, it doesn’t remove much material so again there is little danger of tearing through the surface veneer.
The card scraper, with a well honed edge will finish off the process.
I follow with a light rub of 220 grit sand paper. If you still see tiny voids along the edge a trick I will sometimes do is after sanding, before you brush away the dust, apply a light coat of finish, in this case I’m using an oil and varnish blend. I deliberately mix it into the light dust left behind from the previous step and work it into any small voids along the edge treatment. Once applied I’ll wipe off any access and let dry as normal.After its cured I’ll go back and rub out the finish with some 000 steel wool and then follow with a tack cloth. Re-apply the finish as normal, coat after coat until you’ve reached your desired sheen and protection. Edging plywood shouldn’t be too difficult for anyone but using very sharp tools set for a very fine cut is key to a successful project.
Cheers!
14 Comments
I appreciate the detail you’ve put into the full process. Most accounts I’ve seen of this process talk about applying a solid wood banding to the edge and planing it flush, but don’t go into the details of the techinques to avoid damaging the the plywood veneer. Previously I’ve gone down the block plane route, but run into trouble because I was planing along the glue joint, rather than across it.
Thanks for the comments- I too found out the hard way years ago…the simple skewing action really helps to protect the face veneers and working out across the seam. Simple enough technique but if no one shows you then we’re all in the same boat…
cheers!
Hi Tom. Great blog as always.I am forever learning something here,thank you for that.But minus 16,ouch!
I am not ready to try that yet, especially if the outdoor polar bear woodworking is required. Nice blog though, very informative. Thanks for sharing.
It is only -16 degrees centigrade! – not a problem for us south of the border!!
Really enjoy your blog especially the new format – reading your book right now, when are you planning on a sequel?
I’ve got power tools in my basement but with the weather being as cold as it was over the weekend (I’m in Markham), I think I’d rather rip the sheets down by hand indoors if the choice was between power tools outside or hand saw inside.
Seriously…that -16 was without windchill wasn’t it?
Hi Tom,
Great indepth post on edging on plywood, especially how to stay clear of the showside veneer.
Is that all of the solid edging done now?
Also, didn’t you experience any difficulties drilling in the edges of the plywood or were the dowels quite small (I’m sometimes having the two show-sides ‘bulge out’ a little when doing this and have to clamp the two sides back while gluing in the dowel)?
Lookin’ forward to the next post.
Andre,
thanks for the comments. I still have some more plywood to do so I’ll try to get some shots of he dowels being inserted. They’re only 1/4″ dowels so no problem about bulging out the face. I know what you mean and have had that happen to me hundreds of times in the Set building days but it was usually while driving a screw too close to the edge!
keep well
I don’t know if that was with or without wind chill- all I know is that it was bloody cold!!! my toes were screamin’ at me.
thanks for the comments-
Ross,
thanks for the comments and great to hear you’re reading the book. I hope to write another someday but time will tell. for now I’m focusing on giving hand tool classes, the web site and my current commissions.
hope you enjoy the book- keep well.
The project I am working on calls for a lot of plywood mostly because it will be painted. I have been a little aprehensive to post photos because I don’t consider this material suitable for fine woodworking, which is my goal. But as you say, plywood is the best choice for my project. Thanks for the post. Someone of your skill utilizing plywood in projects makes me feel better.
thanks for the comments jeff-
interesting to hear that and I’d be curious to know how many other wood workers feel that way. I too have a bit of that train of thought from time to time- almost like using plywood is somehow ‘cheating’…fine furniture should be made of solid wood through out right?
a bit like using nails in a fine wooden piece- brings along a certain feel- why? I’m not sure where or when this change took place but I know just what you mean about working with plywood- Not too sure these feelings are justified either-we can find beautiful examples of fine furniture pieces utilising both plywood construction over the past 50 years or more- for a hand tool user it’s a challenge but to tell you the truth, I’ve been using my planes and saws on the edges these past three days and not cringing quite as much as I thought I was going to be…
it boils down to the design dictating the material and sometimes, certain designs work really well in plywood and would be next to impossible to pull off with solid wood- I could have used solid wood and went with another product altogether for the murphy bed mechanism but I liked this piston type sold at Lee Valley Tools- it doesn’t have that old screech and clank and snap the old metal spring-style murphy bed hardware did-
I remember using a few of those through the years on different occasions- they were always hard as hell to raise and lower and the sounds coming out of the bed box were terrifying-
this new hardware should ne efficiant and quiet for years of daily use…
looks like a whole other blog topic here- not enough time in my days!!
gotta run-
thanks again for sharing your thoughts, I appreciate the feedback.
Tom, I have no problem with man made materials being used in fine furniture. I feel it is the design that dictates the material or, at least, influences the material. Plywood for panels, with shop made veneers or even purchased veneers is more stable for panel applications, as well as being (what I consider) a more earth friendly choice.
Vic,
thanks again for the comments-
It’s funny when we think about’ manufactured products’ being more ‘earth friendly’
- in a so many cases this is completely accurate.
We have options at every level and on every scale and its up to ‘we the consumer’ to ‘watch what we consume’ !!
tread lightly…
walk softly
cheers