Odd sized plywood at HD

Jan 27, 2004 28 Replies

I stopped by Home Depot today. I rarely shop there so don't know what they normally stock. I noticed a palette of 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood marked for $18.95 a sheet. The sign said "New size 5' x 5'". Yep, it was just plain weird looking. It was perfect for how much I needed but one problem - it wouldn't fit in my Van in any direction. So I bought a 4x8 and had them cut it at the 5' mark.



Bob


New to Home Depot.

5' X 5' baltic birch is normal and has been for years.

UA100

"Real" baltic birch ply comes in 5x5's.

This is why my haulers are a 5x10' box trailer, and an open trailer.

Barry

Baltic Birch comes in 5'x5' sheets everywhere. What you probably bought is Birch plywood. I'm a little surprised HD even had Baltic Birch. The one near me has very little selection in plywood and hardwood. The closest they come to a cabinet grade particle board is floor underlayment.

Woodchip

Like I said, I don't get out in the world very often. This is the first time I've seen this size in my area. It seems to me Home Depot just did a major re-stocking. I can remember looking for 1/2" plywood there before and never finding it. Yesterday, they had plenty in all sizes in both red oak ply and BB ply. Lowe's better hussle. Their wood choices for projects is nowhere near as large as Home Depot.

Bob

I have never seen true BB at a Lowes. Only "birch" ply. Sure would be happy if they started carrying it! How many plies is it?

be aware that it isn't likely to 1/2" either, Bob.

It's probably 12 MM...

dave

Bob Davis wrote:

I agree. I stopped in HD and found some 3/4" MDF in a 2' x 4' sheet, just what the doctor ordered since all I wanted was enough to do a couple of jigs. SO that got me to looking around and noticing their selection is somewhat more diverse than Lowes.

I usually buy my BB from a small shop in town called Gates Plywood. He told me that BB comes in the 5' x 5' size. Have two sheets of 1/2" in the garage now just dying to turn into something......

Nailbender

5x5 is the steandard size for baltic birch

John

The stuff I got is 1/2" 7 ply.

Bob

No, its 1/2". The sign said 1/2". The bar code label says 1/2" and the vernier caliper measures it at 1/2".

To be clear I purchased this at HD, not Lowes. I also double checked. The stuff I bought does not say Baltic Birch - had it confused with something else I saw. What I bought says "1/2" classic birch".

Bob

If anyone goes to buy this stuff, look it over closley, much of is warped, curled, bowed etc., not quite the quality of "baltic burch" I'm used to. If you pick through the stack you may find a straight piece.

-- "Shut up and keep diggen" Jerry

What part of the country are you in? I went to my local HD, looked around - nothing. Asked an employee working in the plywood aisle, and he gave me that same blank look I always get when I ask for baltic birch or talk about 5'X5' sheet goods. I'm in central New Jersey.

bummer. it should be 9 ply...

dave

Bob Davis wrote:

Chris: Do you have Baltic Birch plywood? HD Guy: Birch plywood? Right over there. Chris: No, "Baltic" birch plywood. HD Guy: Bal.. huh? What plywood? Chris: It's called "Baltic Birch" also known as cabinet grade plywood. It has 11 plys instead of 7, no voids, and... HD Guy:

BAD's right. The Baltic Birch / Finnish Birch stuff has more plys and is "metric" size (thickness, width and length). Also nice quality - void free. A funny little stamp, with "furr'en" letters in the corner.

Pop over to the ShopNotes web site and examine any one of their projects - you'll see the edge that you can get with BB.

Still sounds like what you found is pretty useful. I was surprised to see 1/2" MDF, for the first time at HD last month. Can finally start making some of those DJM Templates out of 1/2" instead of

3/4" MDF.

Maybe, if we all asked nicely, Corporate HD would agree to stock BB?

As soon as you can convince them that it will sell "Hot & Heavy" , it would be in the stores in weeks.

How many "units"(50 sheets) of Baltic Birch can they sell in reality ??? Not very many... The home centers count on one thing in sales...Very large volume.

mttt wrote:

Do you count the little thin veneers on the outside as plys? If so, its 9.

Bob

The stack I picked from was impressively straight with no evidence of curling or warping. In fact it was so good, I took the piece off the top, something I almost never do.

Bob

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