Birch plywood...your opinions please

[The Welsh Workshop]

Hello all

I am planning to make some workshop cabinets and was thinking of using birch ply.
Whilst recently perusing my local B&Q, I came across some 8x4 sheets of birch ply. What I would like to know is, has anyone used these sheets from B&Q and what is the quality like???

Many thanks, Matthew.

 

[Malcolm R]

I have used B&Q's birch ply for a few projects and the quality varies from batch to batch. Sometimes it is fairly free from patches but the next time it is full of them. There are some voids when you cut it but the most annoying thing is the sticky label they put on every sheet - no matter how much you sand it always seems to leave a residue that affects the finish. That apart, it does come up well when sanded and finished.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I have used it it seems softer than usual Birch ply, easyer to work but apart than that (and the label problem I used white sprit) its fine and cheap.


Pete

 

[tim]

Out of interest what are B&Q's prices for Birch Ply?

Matthew - it may be worth getting a price from someone like Edens. They now have a south wales branch but oddly my account is still handled in Corsham (their choice).

Cheers

Tim

 

[The Welsh Workshop]

Thanks for your replies.

Tim B&Q charge £33 at Cardiff gate branch, it's one of the bigger stores.

I'll take a look at Edens, thanks.

Cheers Matthew.

 

[tim]

Is that for 18mm 8 x 4 sheets? If it is then for single sheets, its not a bad price.

Cheers

Tim

 

[The Welsh Workshop]

Yes Tim, 18mm 8x4 sheets.

It looks a good price as long as it's pretty good quality.

My father-in-law bought some 12mm Eastern ply, from China, what a waste of time. It was totally rubbish, no strength in it at all.

Cheers Matthew.

 

[George_N]

I've used the 18 mm birch ply from B&Q a few times in the last couple of years and the quality had been fine with few if any voids (I would reject anything with visible patches). Last time I looked the price had gone up from £33 to £37, but still pretty good value.

 

[jasonB]

Is it birch throughout or just birch faced as some of the cheaper boards use a softwood core, may be why it sems a bit soft.

Jason

 

[Jake]

It is birch throughout. I think it has fewer plies for the thickness than some high quality finnish stuff I've used in the past (not that I've counted, just a sense) - so it's a bit less stiff and rigid than the very best stuff.

 

[newt]

The sticky labels are a bummer on anything wood,I remove mine with a little heat and then clean with white spirits. The birch ply in my B&Q was hopeless, Out of 30 odd sheets there was not one that was flat and all had water stains. However the ply in homebase was much better, in fact all their wood seems to be much better ( I found some PAR pine that was straight ) than B&Q, but more expensive.

 

[johnnyb]

b and q warehouse birch ply (not their far eastern crap) is good. i hesitate to recommend all board materials from b and q apart from birch ply and mdf. storage at individual depots is also variable. quality does vary over time but generally it is consistently flat and well behaved(they sell so little a good batch will last months). all bandq far eastern ply is suspect in all thicknesses. i have built doors using b and q b ply using bridal joints and they look superb. ps the units in birch ply are very heavy(but very sturdy as it takes screws so well)

 

[The Welsh Workshop]

Thanks for all your replies.

The birch ply looks quite good at my local depot, so I'll get a sheet and give it a go.

Cheers Matthew.