F.A.Q

Marine Plywood were originally developed to specify plywood meeting the exacting requirements of use in marine craft but has expanded to a wider range of use in other marine and general building applications. The most common misconception about Marine Plywood is that untreated Marine Plywood is highly durable. Marine Plywood was originally designed for use as a component in Marine craft not necessarily Marine environments.

Marine Plywood is made from timber veneers and is subject to the natural durability of the timber used in its construction. The phenolic resin adhesive forms a permanent bond that will not deteriorate under wet conditions and is more durable than the timber. Most statements concerning the durability of Marine Ply refer to the adhesive properties not the timber component. Marine can only be made from a list of approved species. These species have been assessed for their mechanical and physical properties and tend to be slightly more durable than average plywood.

Plywood can be treated with preservatives to make it more durable than untreated Marine Plywood however it should be noted that while preservatives help against rot and insect attack they general offer little or no protection from weathering effects such as, surface checking, swelling, and shrinking.

No, there are other plywood that can offer a similar design life to Marine Ply in an external exposed or semi exposed application. There are three main components to consider when assessing plywood for external use, the durability of the adhesive bond, the durability of the timber veneers, and how it can be protected from weathering as a component in a building system (i.e. fixings, coatings, workmanship, and maintenance).

Marine Plywood is constructed from carefully selected veneers of the highest grades to give both structural integrity and a superior face quality. These veneers usually only make up about 5% of the veneer from a log.
As a result they are highly sought after and therefore more expensive than the more abundant lower grade veneers with less demand. Some decorative plywood looks similar to Marine Plywood but it is the high quality of the veneer you can’t see in the core that makes Marine Plywood more expensive. Additionally, Marine Plywood generally has more plies (layers of veneer) which means more glue lines. More glue lines equal more expensive.

Although the standards are different, but they are also similar in many respects, For example, it is possible to produce a single Marine Plywood that conforms to both standards and specifications that overlap to provide a suite of Marine Plywood
products for use within the marine craft / boat building industry.

Although different both standards;
• Define the types of species available for use
• Provide construction/assembly specifications.
• Provide veneer specifications which strictly limit the amount of core gap and defects in all veneers (voids trap moisture and accelerate rot as well as physically weakening the plywood)
• Provide veneer specifications which prescribe the thickness in all veneers
• Provide bonding requirements suitable for a permanent structural waterproof bond between plies.

The result in both cases is a balanced consistent panel in which any small section of approximately 100 x100mm (4”x 4”) within a sheet will behave almost identically to any other section and won’t delaminate when exposed to occasional wetting. From a design stand point this is especially important for impact resistance on the hull of marine craft (sticks, logs, and other floating debris), the construction of narrow plywood ribs or bulkheads with large openings, and the use of plywood strips in strip built or clinker built construction.

To use plywood in a marine environment it can only be used as a component if it is protected by a coating or a system (e.g. fibreglass) to prevent direct environmental exposure. Marine environments (subject to prolonged immersion in sea water) are designated Indian Hazard Class.

Timber has been used as a building component both internally and externally for hundreds of years. Plywood is a timber product and when used externally needs the same consideration as natural timber. Plywood combines timbers natural beauty, with amazing engineering properties, environmental sustainability, and a low carbon foot print but it needs to be treated as a timber product.
Some types of plywood can be used outside however the performance in exposed or semi-exposed
applications will depend on how well the design process is completed.

Glue bonds in plywood are often described by the words ‘Exterior’, ‘Marine’, ‘Moisture Resistant’, or ‘Interior’ as part of the product description, these glue bond descriptive are often incorrectly ascribed to the whole plywood panel as a statement of the type of application for which the plywood can be used without additional preservative treatment or protective coating. They refer only to the glue bond and equal consideration is required for both the timber veneers in the plywood and the plywood as a component in a building system (ie. fixings, coatings, workmanship, and maintenance) An important part of the design process involves a thorough understanding of the hazards and stresses the plywood will be exposed to in external applications.

The main hazards that need to be considered are:

  • Natural durability and hazard classes (‘H’)
  • Biological Hazards
    i) In-ground and above ground decay
    ii) Insects (inc. termites)
    iii) Marine borers
  • Physical considerations
    i) Weathering
    ii) Corrosion (of fasteners)
  • Occasional considerations
    (i) Chemical degradation
    ii) Fire resistance

It is important to remember that durability of plywood is not an inherent property of the material or
component. It is the outcome of complex interactions among all the factors below.

• the service conditions;
• material characteristics including jointing material and adhesives;
• design and detailing;
• workmanship; and
• maintenance

Consideration of all of these are part of the design process of making , otherwise it’s not recommended for outside applications.

The design process is to ensure timber structures and timber components like plywood can be designed to perform their intended function for a known life span, with minimal or programmed maintenance and which recognises all of the important aspects that relate to the durability of wood and other components of the timber system.

There is no such thing as ‘water-proof’ plywood however the term persists in some common plywood descriptions. It usually refers to any plywood that has a permanent phenolic resin or A-bond adhesive that will not deteriorate under wet conditions. This will not make the plywood ‘water-proof’ as moisture will still pass through glueline and the timber veneers. The plywood will also still be affected by moisture induced weathering effects.

These terms are abbreviations to describe the adhesive bond type. Bond types are split into three broad categories based on their ability to withstand exposure to environmental conditions.

  • Interior– long term exposure to medium humidity and occasional exposure to high humidity
    • Semi exposed or limited exterior – withstands short term water soaking
    • Fully exposed or fully exterior – withstands long term water soaking and drying

Glue bonds in plywood are also often described by the words ‘Exterior’, ‘Marine’, ‘Moisture Resistant’, or ‘Interior’ as part of the product description, these glue bond descriptive are often incorrectly ascribed to the whole plywood panel as a statement of the type of application for which the plywood can be used without additional preservative treatment or protective coating. They refer only to the glue bond and equal consideration is required for both the timber veneers in the plywood and the plywood as a component in a building system (i.e. fixings, coatings, workmanship, and maintenance)
MR: Moisture Resistant (IS 303), BWR: Boiling Water Resistant ( IS-303), BWP: Boiling Water Proof (IS 710)

No, in fact some interior glues provide better bond adhesion than exterior or semi exterior glues. However interior glues generally do not have the ability to withstand moisture and/or higher temperatures and are not suitable for structural applications.

These are plywood/veneer grades (e.g. AB, BB, BC, CD, DD ). Typically all world standards divide the veneer grade into 4-6 categories ranging from veneer having little or no defect to veneer with large open defects (holes or knots) and often including additional grades for specialty veneer with selected characteristics and for very low grade veneer often used for packing or pallets.

The plywood grade description is usually a combination of two veneer grades with the face veneer listed first. (eg. plywood with a C grade face and a D grade back would be described as CD grade plywood). However some plywood grades describe the face grade only, particularly plywood where one face only is likely to be seen (e.g. Door skins) or face grade is unimportant (Pallet or case grade)

It is important to note that although different plywood grades use similar categories (e.g. A, B, C, D) actual grades may vary between plywood class/type. The actual grade is defined by a combination of veneer grade and product class/type. Plywood/veneer grades are defined as a minimum specification. As plywood is a natural wood product differences within a grade will still exist between manufacturers, and production batches. In order to ensure your product is fit for purpose and meets your expectations all sheets should be inspected prior to use or remanufacture especially for appearance grade products.

Two different batches of plywood with the same veneer grade may still have significant differences in appearance. Plywood and veneer grades are defined as a minimum specification. As plywood is a natural wood product differences within a grade will still exist between manufacturers, and production batches. In order to ensure your product is fit for purpose and meets your expectations all sheets should be inspected prior to use or remanufacture especially for appearance grade products.

Physical samples and photographs should be considered as a guide or indication only. While every attempt is made to ensure samples are as representative as possible it is not possible to accurately reflect all possible variations of a grade. Plywood and veneer grades are defined as a minimum specification. As plywood is a natural wood product differences within a grade will still exist between manufacturers, and production batches. In order to ensure your product is fit for purpose and meets your expectations all sheets should be inspected prior to use or remanufacture especially for appearance grade products.

Most of the environmental hazards for the use of plywood relate to exposure to moisture. Reducing exposure to moisture or the rate of change in moisture exchange with the environment reduces the environmental hazard risk. The end grain (parallel to the grain) of timber absorbs water significantly faster and in greater quantity than the face grain (perpendicular to the grain) and requires increased attention to reduce exposure to moisture or the rate of change in moisture exchange with the environment. Because plywood is made from layers of veneer glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another, the end grain of the timber is exposed on all edges. Ensuring this end grain is sealed is why many painting guidelines require twice as many coats on the edge of the plywood compared to the face and back.

The Material Group Number refers to the fire hazard requirements of different materials and is used primarily in designing for fire resistance in wall and ceiling linings in commercial buildings

Structural use can be defined as a load-bearing application for which predictable reliable load and/or engineering design values (characteristic values) are required. Structural plywood differs from other plywood because it has defined characteristic values and is bonded with a structural glue bond which has the ability to withstand both long term static loading without deformation and long-term exposure to water and heat. It is possible to use other plywood structurally but it must be certified by an engineer and deemed to satisfy the performance requirements.

No, having more plies (layers of veneer) does not mean the plywood is better. It does mean that the properties to the panels will be different.

In simple terms plywood can be considered as two pieces of timber merged together at 90 to each other. The number, placement, grade, and thickness of the veneers in each direction will determine the characteristic properties for the plywood. Assuming all the veneers are the same grade and thickness the higher the number of plies the closer it comes to having identical properties in both directions (parallel and perpendicular to the grain). This would be an advantage when making curved shapes such as in boat construction. Consequently Marine Plywood tends to have more plies than structural or general purpose plywood. In addition more plies, and therefore less variation in properties in both directions, tends to make sheets more stable and less likely to bow or twist.

By using less plies and/or thicker veneers it is possible to increase the characteristic properties for the plywood in one direction. For example plywood flooring is predominately used perpendicular to floor joints (parallel to span) and is stiffer and stronger if more or thicker veneers are used in the length of the sheet (the direction of use).

It depends entirely on the end use of the plywood. Both thin and thick veneers have advantages and
disadvantages and will serve better in different applications. For example, thin veneer face/back tends to resist weather exposure better than thick veneer. ‘Face checking’ or cracks parallel to the grain, tend to be reduced producing smaller cracks which are less likely to damage paint finishes. Thicker veneer face/backs tend to produce larger cracks under the same conditions. Alternatively, as the thickness of the face/back veneer has the greatest effect on bending strength and stiffness. Structural uses such as plywood flooring, which is predominately used perpendicular to floor joists (parallel to span), can benefit from a thicker face/back veneer to increase the stiffness and strength in the length of the sheet (the direction of use).

Natural characteristics such as knots or holes in veneer definitely decrease the relative strength of the veneer. However timber is very good at ‘sharing load’ and particularly so with plywood due to its cross laminated construction. What this means in practice is that knots and holes make very little practical difference to strength until they reach about 30-75mm provided they are not in clusters or groups.

No, although concrete formwork is a load-bearing application for which predictable reliable load and/or engineering design values (characteristic values) are required, it is a temporary construction.

For this reason there is a separate standard for plywood used in concrete formwork AS 6669.What this means in practical terms is that the glue bond only needs the ability to withstand both short term static loading without deformation and short-term exposure to water and heat. Unlike the structural standard, the formally standard AS6669 allows the use of A-bond, B-bond, or C-bond glues. In most other respects the determination of engineering design values (characteristic values) is almost identical to structural plywood.

The other significant feature of plywood for concrete formwork is that it usually has a film or coating on the face and back which helps to prevent the plywood sticking to the concrete, allowing for multiple re-uses.

‘Film Face’ plywood is a general purpose plywood that is coated with the same type of film.‘ The film provides a smooth, prefinished surface that eliminates the need for painting and staining in some applications as well as reducing the ability for water to penetrate the surface of the plywood.

To determine which plywood flooring to use there is information you or your supplier will require to ensure the correct specification.
Is it a residential or commercial building?

  • What is the intended use of the room?

(i.e. residential floor or office, retail sales area)

  • What floor loads (if any) have been specified on the plan by the engineer?
    Concentrated Load* (kN) (*usually determines which plywood to use)
    Distributed Load (kPa).What is the span (joist spacing) required?
    If you have this information your supplier can assist you to find the right flooring for your application, or, if the flooring specified on your plan is not readily available they can help you find a possible alternative solution.

Decorative structural plywood flooring can be clear finished in exactly the same way as strip timber flooring. However do not use appearance grade plywood flooring as a platform during construction. If exposed to the weather, checking of the face will occur. For best results the floor should be laid just prior to finishing. Any damage during construction can be problematic as there may be as little as 1mm of veneer available for re-sanding before the glue line is exposed. It is also important to note that most plywood flooring in India made from Pine species which are relatively soft timber that scratches and marks with relative ease when compared to hardwoods. It is essential this information is conveyed to the builder, the designer, and the end user (home owner) to ensure the design limitations are understood and that the product is fit for purpose.

The tolerances for flatness (bowing and twisting) vary for different types of plywood manufactured to different standards and are best summarized in the statement, ‘Bowing, cupping, twisting, are allowed provided it does not compromise the panel utility’. However in all cases any statement or tolerance regarding flatness applies only to sheets before installation or use, stored correctly, acclimatized, and at equilibrium.

No manufacturer provides any warranty where flat plywood sheets distort on a jobsite due to incorrect storage, moisture, or weather exposure. The design process should include adequate fixing to a support structure to allow for any potential hygroscopic movement due to changes in the service environment. (Expansion, contraction, bowing, cupping, twisting).The cross-laminated veneers in plywood restricts the movement across the grain due to moisture and temperature changes. As a result the dimensional stability due to moisture content and temperature changes in plywood will be better than other wood products from the same ‘parent’ timber. How much it will bow depends on the construction, the ‘parent’ timber/s, the rate of moisture/temperature change, and the amount of moisture temperature change. As a general rule four factors have the greatest effect on the flatness of plywood. The more stable the\ ‘parent’ timber, the smaller the sheet, the greater thickness, and the greater the number of plies (veneers) all result in a more homogeneous and stable plywood.

We do not recommend the use of plywood without a supporting structure for use as cupboard doors and draw fronts. Cupboard doors and draw fronts have very precise dimensional tolerances and require the plywood to be very stable and flat without a supporting structure. The cross-laminated veneers in plywood retain much of the variability of the original natural ‘parent’ timber resulting in a higher rejection rate due to twisting than for more homogeneous timber products such as Medium Density Fibreboard or Particleboard. If plywood is used without a supporting structure as cupboard doors and draw fronts allowance must be made by the user in the design process to accommodate a potentially higher rejection rate. As a general rule four factors have the greatest effect on the flatness of plywood. The more stable the ‘parent’ timber, the smaller the door, the greater thickness, and the greater the number of plies (veneers) all result in a more homogeneous and stable plywood.

It is suggested that the door be delivered at the time of installation to prevent any damage to the door.In case the delivery is taken before the scheduled installation, the door should be kept on Horizontal to the surface. No heavy object should fall on the door. please follow our installation guidelines mentioned over door surface.

The lock will be installed by the trained installation team during door installation (mentioned the positioned area on the door surface). In case you found any trouble during fittings in the future, you may contact our dealer, company executives or call on the toll-free number.

Yes, but minimum quantity of 5 pcs required with more than normal delivery period & also  it can be done for an additional sur-charge as well. Generally doors available 3inch in height difference & 2 inch in width difference.

Ex: Height 72, 75,78,81,84

      Width 26,28,30,32,34,36,38,40,42,44 & 48

     (All are in inch)

Although Best Door is made from high quality wooden species, it may get damaged in case of improper handling or transportation. Use packing or shock absorbent material during transportation.

No, suggested to use SS Grade full thread screws. And it should be screw through the wood not to be hammered, otherwise , screw holding capacity may reduce drastically & it impact the life spam of door & hinges.

 It’s based upon the size of Doors, But average weight of the Best Flush  door is between 38 to 42 Kg.

    Its advised to use standard hinges available in markets.

The installation team shall take a time as per the convenience of the customer after the delivery has been done at the       consumer’s priority location.

The trained & experienced carpenters shall fix the doors & you may follow the installation guidelines or contact to the regional branch office of Best Ply as well.

We are ensuring immediate replacement of product in case of any manufacturing defects & at the same time kindly communicate the issues to our nearest authorised dealers or our sales Executive.

 Yes, Best ply Club Plus doors are Water Proof, BWP Grade & IS 2202 (part-1) standardisation*.

In case the complaint could not be logged in the system, an email will be sent to you or revert telephonic calls and the turnaround time would be “72 hours, excluding Sundays and National Holidays”. Otherwise you may get verbal Telephonic calls from our local Branch office for further assistance.

 Kindly share your details as mentioned in our Website ( www.bestply.co.in ) in new Dealer appointment Request form. We will get in touch with you within 12 hrs.

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