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• Mar 16, 2023
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5 Reasons to Choose Plywood Over Solid Wood for Your Home

A huge goal many want to achieve is buying their own home. Once that is complete, the next most exciting part is building the furniture and interiors of the home you hope to spend the rest of your life in. This is where most people get confused about the type of material they should use for construction since there are countless options available in the market. 

Two of the most popular choices that homeowners debate are solid wood and plywood. While solid wood has been used for centuries to create beautiful furniture, plywood is the modern, more durable, and versatile alternative that has emerged in the last few decades.

Putting your confusion to rest, here are the top five reasons you should choose plywood over solid wood for your forever home.

1. Affordability

For homeowners on a budget, plywood is a much more affordable option which is its biggest advantage. The cost of producing plywood is much less compared to solid wood. It takes less time and is treated to be boiling waterproof, fire retardant, borer, and termite-proof. You get various features for a price that is much easier on the pocket and comes with long-lasting durability.

On the other hand, solid wood is much more expensive and prone to shrinkage, pests, and other issues for which it may not have been treated. Solid wood lasts long but can split, crack, and stain while also requiring periodic maintenance to extend its durability.

2. Consistent Quality

Each plywood sheet is consistently uniform. The manufacturing is done to ensure consistent thickness, strength, and durability throughout the sheet for every plywood produced. The uniformity is important for carpenters who need a reliable material that will not crack, warp, or split over time with regular use. ​​​​​​​

Solid wood, on the other hand, is hard to work with. Being a natural material, each piece of solid wood varies in consistency and quality. You need to carefully inspect and select each piece of wood to ensure they are of the desired quality and strength. The furniture could develop cracks and warp over time if the wrong wood is selected.

3. Strength and Durability

Plywood is manufactured by layering thin sheets, chips, strips of wood, and adhesive together. This multi-layered construction gives it a lot more strength than solid wood since it has the stability to withstand heavy loads. The durability of plywood makes it suitable for furniture that is expected to handle regular pressure and load, such as tables, cabinets, and more. Plywood is more resistant to fluctuating or extreme temperatures and humidity and does not warp. 

Solid wood is known to warp, split, or crack along the grain when humidity levels rise, or the temperature fluctuates between extremes. Thus, it is not suitable to make interiors that are expected to withstand heavy usage in changing environments. Although solid wood can be treated to increase its durability, the process is costly and time-consuming. 

4. Versatile in Nature

One of the best uses of plywood is to create a range of designs since it is light, versatile, and can be easily curved, molded, and angled into unique shapes. It is why plywood is often used to create furniture with complex designs since it does not get damaged in the process. You can also apply laminates and veneers to give it a variety of finishes or to achieve a specific texture at half the cost and time. 

Solid wood is not suitable for complex designs since it is difficult to work with because of the natural pattern of the grains and knots of the wood. Moreover, solid wood needs to be additionally treated to achieve a certain look which is much more expensive than plywood. 

5. Environment Friendly​​​​​​​

Plywood is an environment-friendly product that requires far less amount of wood to be manufactured. Since it requires less wood to be made, this means that fewer trees need to be cut down to produce it. Additionally, various eco-friendly plywood is available in the market that is made from sustainably sourced wood. You can also buy plywood in various sizes since it is artificially manufactured, from the smallest to the largest, according to your need. ​​​​​​​

Solid wood does not have larger sizes available for bigger projects. Since solid wood comes directly from timber, it may contribute to deforestation if not sourced responsibly. ​​​​​​​

Conclusion​​​​​​​

Using plywood for your home construction projects is much more beneficial than solid wood. While solid wood has its own benefits, including its unique natural beauty, plywood is a practical option for those needing long-lasting functional furniture. Plywood is cost-effective, stronger, and much more versatile than solid wood.

Opt for CenturyPly plywood and get additional benefits like antiviral and antibacterial properties, fire retardancy, the ability to withstand extreme temperatures, protection from borer and termites, and more, at no extra cost.