Plywood

Plywood – durable layered wood material for furniture, construction and toys

Plywood is an engineered wood product made by gluing together multiple thin layers (veneers) of wood, with each layer’s grain direction rotated—usually by 90 degrees. This cross-laminated structure gives plywood excellent dimensional stability, strength, and resistance to warping. It’s widely used in furniture making, interior design, construction, and increasingly in wooden toys.

Properties

• Crosswise glued veneers – minimizes swelling and shrinking

• High bending and tensile strength – strong despite low thickness

• Lightweight yet stable

• Easy to saw, drill, mill and sand

• Available in various thicknesses and grades

• Moisture resistance depends on glue type and quality

Types of Plywood

• Standard veneer plywood – classic cross-laminated structure

• Multiplex board – ≥5 layers, extra strong and thick

• Blockboard / lumber-core plywood – solid wood strips in the core, outer veneer layers

• Strip-core plywood – upright veneer strips in the core

• Formed plywood – shaped into 3D forms, e.g. seat shells

• Marine plywood – water-resistant glue, often with hardwood veneers

• Resin-impregnated plywood (e.g. Pagholz) – extremely hard, soaked in phenolic resin

Applications

Plywood is used across many industries:

• Furniture: shelves, cabinets, tabletops, seating

• Interior design: wall panels, doors, flooring

• Construction: formwork, roofing, partitions

• Vehicles & boats: flooring, wall linings

• Packaging: crates, pallets, transport boxes

• Wooden toys: back panels, housings, chalkboards, playhouses

In toy making, plywood is valued for its stability, smooth surface and splinter-free edges. It’s ideal for flat components like play kitchen backs, chalkboards or decorative panels. To ensure child safety, EN 71-compliant paints and adhesivesshould be used.

Advantages

• Strong yet lightweight

• Dimensionally stable thanks to cross-lamination

• Versatile and easy to process

• Available in many formats and qualities

• Eco-friendly when sourced from sustainable wood

Disadvantages

• Quality varies by wood species and glue type

• Not all variants are moisture-resistant

• Can swell if stored or handled improperly

• Price depends on construction and veneer quality

Conclusion

Plywood is a versatile and proven wood material known for its strength, workability and wide range of uses. In wooden toys, it provides a safe and durable foundation for creative designs—from play furniture to chalkboards and miniature houses.