Plywood types for corners/luan alternatives

[Patrick Star]

I'm gonna be skinning this in the near future and was seeing this stuff from Lowe's. 5mm and was thinking doubling it up to use around my corners on the exterior. Lowe's is getting mad at me coming in and snapping plywood as part of my destructive testing procedures, lol

What's the deal with luan plywood?? Would the plywood I included in the pictures be equivalent? I don't know what the hype is about it and really know nothing about it

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[tony.latham]

One of the problems with "luan" is knowing what it really is and what glue was used. There's price competition between HD and Lowes with this stuff ––who can have the lowest price-- or who can sell the cheapest junk. Various factories in the far east make this ply.

The stuff has worked for some folks but what you're buying this month is probably not the same stuff they bought three years ago.

Do yourself a favor and call your local lumberyards ––not box stores–– and ask if they stock or can order 1/8" Baltic birch. It'll come in 5' x 5' sheets and is damn good stuff. Somebody can get it for you and it'll be around $20 a sheet.



Tony

[Woodbutcher]

What Tony said!

[2bits]

I used the Utility plywood from the Orange store it was just $10 a 4x8 sheet, that is substantial savings for my vintage camper build compared to $24 for 5X5 sheet for 1/8 Birch at my local "real" plywood company. It is not labelled as luan on the shelf. I love it because it is super thin at 2.7mm and bends great. It has awesome grain too, you have to search through the sheets and I had to go to three stores to get a good run but it was worth it. These are for interior use, I think people sometimes overthink and have deeper pockets than me, I am extremely happy with the way it turned out.

[Patrick Star]

One of the problems with "luan" is knowing what it really is and what glue was used. There's price competition between HD and Lowes with this stuff ––who can have the lowest price-- or who can sell the cheapest junk. Various factories in the far east make this ply.

The stuff has worked for some folks but what you're buying this month is probably not the same stuff they bought three years ago.

Do yourself a favor and call your local lumberyards ––not box stores–– and ask if they stock or can order 1/8" Baltic birch. It'll come in 5' x 5' sheets and is damn good stuff. Somebody can get it for you and it'll be around $20 a sheet.



Tony

Thanks!! I check it out. I think all our lumber stores are chains, but I hit all them quite often looking for old growth 60+ year old 2x12x8s to rip down with my table saw

South TX ain't much for trees, but that Baltic Birch sounds promising, that project panel at Lowe's I think is poplar from Chile

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[Patrick Star]

I used the Utility plywood from the Orange store it was just $10 a 4x8 sheet, that is substantial savings for my vintage camper build compared to $24 for 5X5 sheet for 1/8 Birch at my local "real" plywood company. It is not labelled as luan on the shelf. I love it because it is super thin at 2.7mm and bends great. It has awesome grain too, you have to search through the sheets and I had to go to three stores to get a good run but it was worth it. These are for interior use, I think people sometimes overthink and have deeper pockets than me, I am extremely happy with the way it turned out.

Damn!!! That's nice

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[Andrew Herrick]

Tony, I have to laugh ... I think at least 30% of your posts are recommendations for Baltic Birch But you're right! It's awesome stuff!

If you want quality but don't want to pay the semi-ridiculous prices of marine-grade plywood, then Baltic Birch is the way to go.

Any of the other options - lauan, underlayment, cabinet-grade bending plywood - are all interior-use only woods. If you use them in exterior applications, you must make triply sure they are, will, and forever will be waterproofed and UV-protected.

I think about plywood price as a percentage of the build. If you're stooping to pick up nickels and dimes to fund your barebones build, underlayment plywood can be a significant savings, although it DOES decrease long-term quality. But if you plan to install a sink or stove, hardwood cabinetry, maybe an A/C ... well, why wouldn't you spend the extra 5%?

[twisted lines]

thinking doubling it up to use around my corners on the exterior.

I am stuck in almost the same spot, but at 5'6" wide, Would like to use 1/4" 4 x 8 Birch exterior underlayment for the sides and flat part of the top and front.
I have a 20" Radius Front top to bend & I can get 1/8" 4' x 8' Birch; 5' x 5' wont do it, If I stack two I believe it would be a little thicker then the 1/4" but easier to bend.
This bend will be the long (Hard Way) ? which way would the experienced do it, or other suggestions
I can stretch plywood But not close to a woodworker, I use to could weld though.

[tony.latham]

I don't think you can bend 1/4" underlayment to a 20" radius without failure. Especially against the grain. Buy a sheet and give it a try.



Wish I had a solution.

T

[Andrew Herrick]

Ayy ... bending 1/4-inch plywood over a teardrop roof has been attempted many, many times. Most people crack a few panels. Some people douse the plywood in boiling hot water to loosen the glue before bending (hate to think what that does to its final strength, though). Some people kerf cut. Some people use ratchet straps to distribute the stresses as evenly as possible. Some people say the hell with plywood and either use 1/4-inch tempered MDF or FRP panels.

In the end ... there's no easy way to do it!! And in some cases, there's just no way to do it. So ... use 1/8-inch plywood if you can, and bend along the correct axis. If not, you might be riding the struggle bus no matter :/

[twisted lines]

Thank's to you to all.
First Complete top layer will be .125 and then wing it.

[jimbo69ny]

I went with this stuff. I glued it to foam in my foamie build. Im working on it now. Check out my channel for more info. youtube.com/jimbo69ny
Here is my floor video. https://youtu.be/2sLI-FAJb7A

[Tom&Shelly]

Thank's to you to all.
First Complete top layer will be .125 and then wing it.

Could you just put another 1/8" layer over that one?

Tom

[twisted lines]

I went with this stuff. I glued it to foam in my foamie build. Im working on it now. Check out my channel for more info. youtube.com/jimbo69ny
Here is my floor video. https://youtu.be/2sLI-FAJb7A

I like the drop box!
I plan on gluing foam / Aluminum / & birch with something!

Could you just put another 1/8" layer over that one?

Tom[/quote]

That is One Idea I had but I got another faster then I typed this Oh it's Just another drawing I guess. still two layer thanks.......

[tony.latham]

Tony, I have to laugh ... I think at least 30% of your posts are recommendations for Baltic Birch

Andrew:

I'm busted.

But there's another 30% of my posts that abhor the use of OSB in campers.

With as much effort that goes into these projects, I hate seeing people cut a few corners to save a handful of bucks.



Tony