Luan plywood vs. 1/4" birch plywood.

I am trying to choose between Luan plywood vs. 1/4" birch plywood that I plan to use as walls for a temporary structure.

Other than price, I am trying to understand pros/cons of each:

So is there any significant difference in:

- Strength/durability

- Stiffness

- Weatherability

- Weight

- Smoothness of the surface and lack of defects

If so what are they?

Note: I am assuming some type of "standard" grade for each material.

Reply to
blueman
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These three are largely a function of thickness. If you did not know already, plywood is seldom actually the stated nominal thickness. IME garden variety luan is pretty close to 3/16" these days. I don't know about the birch. You will have to compare the thicknesses to get a real answer, although I would give a small edge to birch.

Both poor. The stuff is not made to be rained on. it will delaminate over time.

Luan will be nicer.

I'm not sure that there is a standard other than pricing pressures of the market ensuring the lowest possible quality that the public will tollerate being sold at the major retail outlets.

What's your application and how temporary is temporary?

-Steve

Reply to
Stephen M

None that you would probably notice.

No

No

No

Birch will have a smoother sruface. Defects? Theat depends on the quality of the wood you are buying, otherwise one typically does not have any more defects than the other. The Luan is probably more like to splinter along the edges.

Reply to
Leon

When you say birch, do you mean Baltic Birch? I'm looking at the Luan and Baltic birch I bought. There is a huge difference in stiffness between the two. I think of the luan as a cosmetic material and the BB as having some structural strength. What do you mean by walls for a temporary structure?

Bob

Reply to
BillyBob

He is probably talking about a regular Birch veneer plywood similar to Luan.

Reply to
Leon

What are you making? A room divider?

Reply to
Randal

In that case, doesn't matter what type of wood is on the veneer.

Bob

Reply to
BillyBob

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