Wood is the most ancient and commonly used building material, especially when it comes to making furniture. However, with the advancement in technology and due to its the dearth, wood was replaced by the products that functioned like wood, had almost a wood-like look and solved major purposes that a wood would.
Well, with the passage of time, these products too went through a lot of transformation. The resultant is, today we get to see various artificial wooden products available in the market such as block board, plywood, MDF, particle board, etc.
All these artificial wooden products are extremely popular in the market. The best part of these products is, they can be used with a fewer number of joints. Hence, majority of them are used in the form of furniture. Among these, plywood has undoubtedly remained on the top.
Plywood is an engineered wood that is made up of thin sheets of veneers (thin slice of natural wood) glued together. There are several uses of plywood. If you just take a look around in your house, you will notice that from flooring to doors, partition wall to kitchen cabinets, and other furniture; your house is dominated by this versatile building material. Plywood is durable and cost-effective as compared to solid wood.
In the global market, plywood is popularly known as ‘Ply’, available in the form of flat sheets.
After having a brief idea about ply, now that you have opted to go ahead with it, so essentially you ought to know the standard sizes and prices of plywood.
Size and Price of Plywood
Hence, here we have provided the basic and popular size and price of plywood that are available in India. This might be helpful to you while you make a purchase.
Plywood Size
Plywood sheets are economical for the pocket as they can be produced to precise dimensions as per the requirement. The commonly manufactured and sold plywood size in India is 2400 x 1200 mm (8’x4’). Other plywood sizes available are 6’x3’, 7’x3’, etc. These are also available in the market.
According to ‘Indian Standard, IS: 10701:2012’ (Structural Plywood — Specification) and ‘IS: 303:1989’ (Plywood for General Purposes Specification), here we have summed up some standard plywood sizes which are available in India in square feet as well as its corresponding value in mm.
- 8′ x 4′ (ft) – 2400 x 1200 (mm)
- 8′ x 3′ (ft) – 2400 x 900 (mm)
- 7′ x 4′ (ft) – 2100 x 1200 (mm)
- 7′ x 3′ (ft) – 2100 x 900 (mm)
- 6′ x 4′ (ft) – 1800 x 1200 (mm)
- 6′ x 3′ (ft) – 1800 x 900 (mm)
In other countries like USA, Canada, UK, etc. plywood is available in different sizes. According to the Canadian Wood Council, plywood is manufactured in prevailing sizes:
- 8′ x 4′ (ft) – 2440 x 1220 (mm)
- 9′ x 4′ (ft) – 2740 x 1220 (mm)
- 10′ x 4′ (ft) –3050 x 1220 (mm)
- 7.8′ x 4′ (ft) – 2400 x 1220 (mm)
- 8.2′ x 4′ (ft) – 2500 x 1220 (mm)
Buying Right Size of Plywood
While buying plywood, it is essential to consider the right size and type of plywood. Now this will depend upon as to what we need to build i.e. table, door or kitchen cabinet door. This is important as the wastage otherwise will be increasing cost of ultimate product by many folds. If you do not buy the right size, ultimately that will be a waste of money.
In such cases, redesigning an element based on the sizes available in the market is the right option. In fact, a good designer will always design in a way as per the sizes available in the market. This is to eliminate wastage and to ensure that the final product turns out economical. If the price is sterring you away from your home projects, consider applying for emergency cash loans today.
Buying Right Thickness of Plywood
Similarly, bear in mind that for imparting strength to any element, it is the thickness of the plywood that will matter the most. It could be possible that your design may be good and the size selection would be appropriate that would take care on ‘no wastage’, still, if you should opt for a ply of lesser thickness, that will affect the strength of the element.
In other words, you will not get the expected toughness and durability. This will result in bending or improper functioning. Hence you need to be careful while purchasing plywood, particularly when you considering the cost factor.
Plywood Price
How much max cash you can pay for plywood? Well, it may vary for different location, supplier and brand. The plywood price is always calculated in square feet. Their price varies depending upon their type and thickness. Also, grade and quality affect the price of plywood. For your convenience, we have also written a very useful article on testing of plywood to check the quality of the plywood.
Plywood prices may vary depending on the suppliers, their location and brand.
Here is the price list of various types of plywood which are popular in India:
01. Commercial or MR grade Plywood
MR grade plywood means Moisture Resistant Plywood popularly known as commercial ply. However, ‘moisture resistant’ does not mean that it is ‘waterproof’ in nature. It simply means that this type of plywood is able to resist humidity and moisture but not water. MR grade plywood is famous as the interior grade plywood. Therefore, it is used for interior furniture like wardrobes, shelves, partition, TV tables etc.
Thickness: The thickness of moisture resistant plywood is generally 3mm, 4mm, 6mm, 8mm, 12mm, 15mm, 18mm, 21mm, and 25mm as per IS 303.
Price:
The following are prevailing price of MR grade plywood:
- 4 mm Thick – Rs. 30 to 35 / sq.ft.
- 6 mm Thick – Rs. 38 to 42 / sq.ft.
- 9/10 mm Thick – Rs. 42 to 50 / sq.ft.
- 12 mm Thick – Rs. 45 to 55 / sq.ft.
- 18/19 mm Thick – Rs. 72 to 85 / sq.ft.
02. BWR Grade Plywood
BWR grade plywood means Boiling Water Resistant Plywood. This is also not 100% waterproof plywood. But it certainly has better water-resistant as compared to MR grade plywood. It is exterior grade plywood. Therefore, it is used for furniture that is likely to get wet like garden tables, lawn chairs, cabinet, etc.
Thickness: As per the ‘Indian Standard, IS 303:1989’ (Plywood for General Purposes Specification), the thickness of BWR plywood generally available in the market is 4mm, 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 16mm, 19mm, 25mm.
Price:
The following are prevailing price of BWR grade plywood:
- 6 mm Thick – Rs. 32 to 35 / sq.ft.
- 9/10 mm Thick – Rs. 45 to 50 / sq.ft.
- 12 mm Thick – Rs. 55 to 70 / sq.ft.
- 18/19 mm Thick– Rs. 75 to 85 / sq.ft.
- 25 mm Thick – Rs. 80 to 95 / sq.ft.
03. BWP Grade Plywood
BWP Grade Plywood means Boiling Water Proof Plywood popularly known as Marine grade plywood. This type of plywood is used in building boats and ships. It is superior grade plywood which makes a sustainable option as far as better quality and strength are concerned. This type of plywood is an ideal choice where the furniture has prolonged exposure to water. However, its only drawback is that we cannot build stylish furniture with it.
Thickness: The thickness of boiling waterproof plywood generally available in 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 16mm, 19mm, etc. as per IS.
Price:
The following are prevailing price of BWP grade plywood:
- 4 mm Thick – Rs. 30 to 35 / sq.ft.
- 6 mm Thick – Rs. 40 to 45 / sq.ft.
- 9/10 mm Thick – Rs. 55 to 60 / sq.ft.
- 12 mm Thick – Rs. 60 to 80 / sq.ft.
- 18/19 mm Thick – Rs. 85 to 110 / sq.ft.
04. Flexible Plywood
It is commonly known as flexiply. As the name suggests, this type of plywood is used for round shaped furniture like chairs, tables or other antique furniture.
Thickness: The thickness of flexible plywood is 4mm, 6mm, 9mm, 12mm, 16mm, etc.
Price:
The following are prevailing price of flexible plywood:
- 4 mm Thick – Rs. 40 to 45 / sq.ft.
- 6 mm Thick – Rs. 40 to 50 / sq.ft.
- 9/10 mm Thick – Rs. 45 to 50 / sq.ft.
- 12 mm Thick – Rs. 50 to 60 / sq.ft.
05. Fire Retardant Plywood
Fire retardant plywood is a type of BWR plywood that is treated with fire-resistant chemicals during manufacturing. It is used where the risk of fire is high and is preferred in a shopping complex, public theatres, restaurant kitchen, etc.
Thickness: As per ‘Indian Standard, IS 5509:2000’(Fire Resistant Plywood Specification), the thickness of FR plywood generally available is 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 12 mm, 15 mm, 19 mm, 22 mm and 25 mm.
Price:
The following are prevailing price of fire-resistant plywood:
- 4 mm Thick – Rs. 45 to 50 / sq.ft.
- 6 mm Thick – Rs. 55 to 60 / sq.ft.
- 9/10 mm Thick – Rs. 60 to 75 / sq.ft.
- 18/19 mm Thick – Rs. 120 to 135 / sq.ft.
- 25 mm Thick – Rs. 165 to 175 / sq.ft.
06. Shuttering Plywood
Shuttering plywood is highly dense plywood with a smooth film coating on both sides. It is used in formwork in construction work in order to create the wooden moulds where concrete will be casted. It is used in shuttering for slabs, columns, beams, etc.
Thickness: As per ‘Indian Standard, IS 4490:2011’ (Plywood for Concrete Shuttering Works — Specification) the thickness of shuttering plywood generally available is 3 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, 9 mm, 12 mm, 16 mm, 19 mm, etc.
Price:
The following are prevailing price of shuttering plywood:
- 6 mm Thick – Rs. 25 to 30 / sq.ft.
- 9/10 mm Thick – Rs. 40 to 45 / sq.ft.
- 12 mm Thick – Rs. 45 to 55 / sq.ft.
- 18/19 mm Thick – Rs. 60 to 70 / sq.ft.
07. Architectural Plywood
Architectural plywood is one of the popular products of Centuryply. It is built from exclusive hardwood species bonded with BWP grade synthetic resin. The price may vary based on price of BWP grade plywood.
In India, 12mm and 18mm thickness of plywood is commonly used for furniture manufacturing.
In other countries like Canada, USA, UK, etc. the thickness of plywood is different. According to the Canadian Wood Council, the thickness of plywood is 6mm, 8mm, 11mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 21mm, 24mm, etc.
Summing it up, plywood is a wonderful combination of lightness, strength and flexibility. On account of social, economical and technological changes, it has traveled a long way. This article has briefed you about every aspect associated with it and we are sure that you an aware customer now!
While you go for choosing the right kind of plywood, there are lots of things you need to keep in your mind. You must have realized that the size and price of plywood may vary according to its brand, grade, thickness, location, etc.
Therefore, always choose plywood according to your needs and its intended use. Of course, that goes without saying that you also need to keep your budget in mind. After you are satisfied with plywood quality, make the payment and be sure to collect the receipt.
