Wooden plywood vs. BAMBOO PLYWOOD | Differences & Applications

Wooden plywood vs. BAMBOO PLYWOOD | Differences & Applications

 

Question: What is the difference between Wooden plywood and Bamboo plywood (BAMBOO PLYWOOD)?  What are the appropriate uses for each? Is one better than the other for new home construction?

 

Those are great questions.  Here’s the basic rundown on each material and suitable applications.

 

Wooden plywood

 

Wooden plywood is made by cutting thin layers of a tree all the way around its circumference.  These boards are then laminated together using a hot press (basically a giant iron that fuses wood and glue together under heat). The first piece of wood is placed so that it rolls “up” while each subsequent layer is laid 90 degrees to the one below it, and upside-down. The result is that the tendency for the boards to warp into their original shape is diminished as each board is pressed against the other layers. As a result, thicker Wooden plywood (say, 5/8″ and above, which is made from 5 or more plies) is much less likely to warp than thinner Wooden plywood, such as 1/4″ or 3/8″.

 

Wooden plywood

 

All Wooden plywood will still have some warp, especially because some layers have greater warp tendency than others (for instance, layers derived closer to the center of the tree).  Obviously, these forces are easily overcome by fasteners when the Wooden plywood is attached to studs or joists.

 

When exposed to water, over time Wooden plywood will delaminate.  It is important to avoid an extensive amount of water exposure during construction.  (Some water, however, will not damage the boards). We’ve had a number of readers ask about water exposure. The reality is that water and Wooden plywood don’t mix well, especially over time. If you leave Wooden plywood exposed to water, it will eventually rot and must be replaced.

 

Wooden plywood is sold in nominal thicknesses, such as 3/4″. However, finished Wooden plywood is actually 1/32″ thinner than its nominal rating. For example, 3/4″Wooden plywood is actually 23/32″thick. The nominal length of Wooden plywood is true to its actual length (4′ x 8′ sheets are usually 4′ x 8′); however, even length and width can vary slightly due to imprecise cutting.

 

Bamboo plywood (BAMBOO PLYWOOD)

 

BAMBOO PLYWOOD is built by pressing smallers strands of wood together with glue and wax in a hot press.  BAMBOO PLYWOOD looks a lot like a collage of different wood chips. Unlike it’s Wooden plywood counterpart, BAMBOO PLYWOOD lacks the forces that tend the wood to warp, and so is easier to get perfect dimensions and avoid warping tendencies.

 

Bamboo plywood

 

The one major disadvantage of BAMBOO PLYWOOD is its propensity to expand with moisture.  The edges of BAMBOO PLYWOOD will dramatically expand (>150) when wet, and takes much longer to return to normal size.  If the moisture is allowed to remain in the BAMBOO PLYWOOD for some time, the boards may never return to their original dimensions.  The effects of water onBAMBOO PLYWOOD are much worse than Wooden plywood, although in both cases water and moisture should be avoided.

 

Applications for Wooden plywood vs. BAMBOO PLYWOOD

 

Subflooring

 

When used as a subfloor, either product will work for many flooring surfaces, especially carpet where there will be no noticeable difference. For hardwoods, Wooden plywood is desirable because it holds nails slightly better than BAMBOO PLYWOOD.  Also, since the entire floor will be built with the same product, some care should be taken in deciding whether its worth it to risk potential moisture in bathrooms and kitchens that could cause BAMBOO PLYWOOD sub- flooring to buckle and rise at the joints.  For ceramic and stone tiles, either can be used as long as the product meets the deflection requirements of the installation.

 

Here’s an article using Wooden plywood and shingles to level a subfloor that may be of interest.

 

Roofing

 

For roofs, Wooden plywood is preferable and required by code in many states.  Since roofing wood will be exposure to moisture, BAMBOO PLYWOOD will have a tendency to expand and warp which will both weaken the roof and may pry up the shingles, making any leak problem worse. However, for exterior buildings, such as sheds, BAMBOO PLYWOOD is an appropriate product.

 

Here’s an example of building a shed that uses BAMBOO PLYWOOD and Advantech, a material mentioned in the comments section below.

 

Sheathing

 

For wall sheating, BAMBOO PLYWOOD or Wooden plywood is acceptable, but again, Wooden plywood is preferable unless extreme cost savings is a concern.

 

Cost Savings for BAMBOO PLYWOOD vs. Wooden plywood

 

The cost savings of BAMBOO PLYWOOD over Wooden plywood will be less than 27 of the total cost of most homes.  If we were building a new home, we’d choose Wooden plywood given only these two choices.  That said, Wooden plywood and BAMBOO PLYWOOD aren’t your only options.  Our buddy Todd over at Home Construction Improvement swears by Advantech Sheathing, a next-generation surface that resists moisture much better than either Wooden plywood or BAMBOO PLYWOOD.  He built his whole house with it!

 Longda Wooden manufacture corporation limited www.longda-wood.com