I’m looking for some material advice here. I’ve built a storage ottoman and for the life of me I can’t find a flat piece of plywood for the lid. The dimensions are 20 X 40. The current lid is warped about 1/8 of an inch. Does anyone have any suggestions for what material I could use that would lay flatter than the cabinet grade birch ply that I bought from Home Depot?
Thanks!
-Solan
Replies
For the most part, Home Depot is the Wal-Mart of home improvement stores. They don't carry top quality plywood, just inexpensive alternatives. Finding quality suppliers to the trade is where you need to go. They may not be as convenient, not open on weekends, no charge cards with crazy interest rates, but you will have a large selection of quality products. Starting with higher quality product won't guarantee an end to all problems. There is more to it, from how you store the sheets to what you use them for and how. A 20" x 40" flat top may need additional structure. Wood, even plywood, will move with swings in humidity.
Here on the east coast, I've been using Norbord plywood and been very happy with it. It's what one of my suppliers carries exclusively. As with so many things, imports of questionable quality have changed the market and better products may require some effort to find. They will cost more but what is the cost of your HD plywood when a finished project is failing? You just have to make sure you aren't asking plywood to do the impossible with your application.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
No need to waste what you already have. Framing the plywood with solid edging can flatten it and finish the edges at the same time. Use straightgrained 3/4 X 3" or a similar stiff scantling in hardwood and splines. 1/4" plywood strips and a matching 1/4" slotting cutter for the router make excellent splines. Set your clamps for glueup on a flat indexing surface, test the glueup using a straightedge and have cauls ready to clamp any high spots to the indexing surface. Joint and mold your solid edging after glueup.
Edited 12/8/2007 11:18 am by BobSmalser
Try to find some Baltic Birch or Apple Ply. Flat with no voids. Pricey but worth it in your situation. You can find it in 3/4 if you go to a good supplier
http://www.andersonplywood.com/content/hardwood_plywood.htm
Edited 12/11/2007 10:33 pm by Sancho
solan,
I'd think that 1/8" is in the realm of flat enough. In addition to, or place of, Bob S's suggestion of solid wood edging, you might consider battens applied under the top, and/ or some sort of catch or latch to hold the top in place. If you were to find a piece of perfectly flat plywood today, there is no guarantee that it will remain that way after the next weather change.
Ray
I'm a cabinetmaker and pay big bucks for good quality plywood.......but it ain't flat. Some ideas: Frame and panel, 1/8" or 3/16" ply contact cemented to both sides of mdf and then edged.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled