Extra Long Plywod

[Arthur2]

Is plywood available in lengths greater than 3050cm? and if so, where?

Thanks.

Arthur

[Pete C]

If it is it'll probably cost an arm and a leg.

A local joiner may be able to scarfe (sp) 2 sheets together, or have a go yourself (google).

cheers, Pete.

[Bruce]

Plywood is made in larger sizes but is cut down for shipment, mostly to 2440 x 1220mm (8ft x 4ft) with, exceptionally 3050 x 1525mm available. To get sizes bigger than this you would need to buy directly from manufacturers who are mostly in either Finland or Canada.

[The Medway Handyman]

I've never seen bigger than 8 x 4. Where do the bigger sheets go?

[Bruce]

I have used them in formwork for large concrete pours. I've only used

10 x 4 (3050 x 1220) because the 10 x 5 (3050 x 1525) were too large to handle. Some years ago I was quoted prices for a much larger sheet but it would have had to be cut specially in Canada and delivery time was an issue.

There are several UK suppliers of larger than 8 x 4 sheets. I can give you some contacts if you need them.

[Frank Erskine]

I had to specially order (from my local sawmill) a couple of 10' x 4' sheets of ½" WBP - it wasn't cheap; ISTR paying over 100ukp (delivered though). It only took them a few days to get the stuff.

[Andy Dingley]

Most plywood specialists. It's to order, and expect to have to buy a whole palletload. It's also not stocked across the full range. I've seen

2'x16' (in feet, 'cos I is old) but you can get 4' x extra-long in low-grade stuff for formwork (concrete shuttering).

There's also a trade in high quality unjoined plywood for trim work, but most of that is the core board scarfed up from 8' lengths, then a single face veneer that goes the full length (try someone like Shadbolts in London)

3m is about the max and even that's rare to find over 2.44m.

[Arthur2]

Useful information from a number of you. Thanks.

I ony asked because the 'stair bulding' book I have has a guy building a string from plywood but it doesn't say howlong it is. For my 3.6m long requirements it sounds cheaper to buy 50mm x 300mm pirana.

Thanks anyway.

Arthur

[Rod]

Tempting the fate that befalls everyone who corrects the spelling/grammar of a post on Usenet, I think there is something fishy about pirana (almost). You probably mean parana. :-)

But you did also make me wonder if glulam would be suited?

Doesn't look like it is standard in quite the size you want, but I don't know what flexibility you have in your design at this stage so it might be useful. (I know nothing about it beyond what I have seen - on the box and made into big boxes. :-) )

[Arthur2]

Interesting product and I will call 1 or 2 supliers for quotes. All of the web sites I've found have a minimum glulam thickness of 56mm which is too much I think.

But I bet its expensive at any thickness.

Arthur

[Bruce]

You can make your own laminated timber section using plywood. For example, you could make a 30mm thick section using 5 layers of 6mm ply glued together, with staggered joints. A structural engineer would be able to do a quick calculation as to the required dimensions, for not much money.