4x8 plywood sheets of maple

[Dimitri]

I want to build a desk that is made out of maple. Can I buy 3/4" 4x8 sheets of maple plywood? Is it readily available?

thanks, Dimitri

[Lowell Holmes]

Yes it is. Texas prices are $60 to $80. You will have to choose between plain cut veneers and rotary cut veneers. IMO the rotary cut veneers *suck*. I found some birch that was nicer and it's hard to tell the difference in some cases except some of the birch will have severe color changes in the grain. They have birdseye and curly maple veneer core for a bargain $130/sheet.

You might want to try water based stain, even Bartleys Gel is difficult to use on it. It is every bit as difficult to stain as birch plywood is. I used minwax stain conditioner and then Bartleys gel on some cabinets I just finished.

Have fun.

[Mike in Mystic]

There are at least 3 places within an hour or so from where I live that you can get it. Probably more. It most likely depends on where you are, but it shouldn't be that hard to find. Not cheap, though. Expect to pay somewhere around $70/sheet.

Mike

[HarryM]

Not "readily" available, but it can be found. However, a lot of "maple" furniture is actually birch. Birch and maple are often combined in the same piece of furniture. If you can select your own plywood, you may find light colored birch that will blend in, especially if you plan to use a stain. harrym

[Chris Merrill]

I'm always shocked by these plywood prices...but if you do the math, the price really isn't that bad. The price stated above comes to $4.07/bf, assuming 32bf/sheet. That's not a bad price for curly maple...granted it isn't _solid_ wood...but it's all clear and flat, unlike 'real' wood - even the highest grade.

I had to remind myself of this recently when I paid $48/sheet for 1/4" walnut ply. This came to $1.50 / sqft. When I did the math for buying

4/4 stock, resawing, planing, sanding, etc...it was a good price. ************************************ Chris Merrill [e-mail] (remove the ZZZ to contact me) ************************************

[Lowell Holmes]

$130/sheet.

[Brint Keyes]

"HarryM" wrote

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Lurker Newbie here.

I've been reading this newsgroup long enough to know that the rec will condemn in general the 4x8 sheets of 3/4 maple ply that sell at the Borg for < $50. My question is, what precisely about them makes them lower quality?

TIA

[Thomas Mitchell]

[Charlie Spitzer]

newfangled invention. sits on the desk or a wall near you. called a phone. you might try using it.

the answer is: mine might, it might not. what yours does is anyone's guess.

[Thomas Mitchell]

[jhmmwoodman]

4 ft. x 8 ft. sheets of grade AA hard maple plywood at for $55.00/sheet. Recently picked up a dozen sheets, and half of them were more figured/curly than some of the curly maple solid lumber I have bought before. (Solid lumber, figured hard maple, Select white grade, $6.00/BF at same location.) FOB anywhere. Can't beat it.

Michael Helms Mountaineer Millworks Weddington, NC remove "nogoons" from email for replies

[lost160]