ACX Plywood Uses and Benefits

Amongst the many kinds of plywood available is ACX plywood. This is a type of softwood plywood of a very high grade. While it is not hardwood plywood, it is as if it is trying to compete with it.

This is the highest grade of softwood plywood commonly manufactured, with a rough face-side surface that can be used for furniture or architectural applications where one rough face of the wood is exposed, and one rough face is either stained and varnished or painted. It is essentially cabinet-grade softwood plywood. There is also an AB softwood plywood rating, the availability, quantity, and availability of which is rarely found.

The name “ACX Plywood” doesn’t refer to a specific type of tree or wood, although all softwood ACX plywood is made of some pine, fir, or spruce. The name refers to the grade of wood and glue used to make the veneer on the plywood product. It has nothing with strength since it mostly depends on thickness. Grades are determined by the quality of the veneer on the face and back of each plywood panel.

Almost all plywood has face and reverse sides, with the face side having a better finish than the reverse side. This better finish includes the number and size of knotholes allowed, whether or not splits are allowed, and how smooth the finished surface is sanded (if sanded).

Grades

Softwood and hardwood plywood are graded slightly differently. In both cases, the sheet, face, and reverse sides are graded separately, with the face side listed first in the grading and then the reverse. The face side receives a letter model number grade in hardwood plywood grading, while the reverse side receives a name model number grade. Softwood plywood gives the face and reverse side a letter model number grade.

Since this is softwood plywood, the face and reverse side are given letter grades.

To begin, the “A” refers to the face side of the plywood, which is always the better side. This site will have fewer noticeable blemishes, such as wood knots. “A” grade wood is known for having very few defects or knots. Flaws and knots are usually fixed by inserting wooden plugs, adding synthetic patches, or synthetic fillers to provide a smooth, unbroken surface and turn one rough face of the wood into an “A” grade wood. Also, note these surfaces are always sanded to make them smooth enough to provide a good finish when painted.

The “C” or the back side is lower quality than the face. These wood panels often have several defects, including open and closed knots, cracks, and splits. The wood discoloration is also common for this grade of plywood. Even so, the number and size of these defects are limited by specifications.

“A” and “C” grade plywood veneers are commonly seen on the same piece of plywood since most projects only require one exterior “good side.” The exterior “good side” will always be visible, such as being used outside a home, where other materials will not cover it.

Glue

As with any plywood, ACX is made of several layers of wood veneer. An odd number of layers is always used, with the face and reverse sides in the same direction. Each adjacent layer is laid so the grain is perpendicular to its neighbors, ensuring strength and stability.

The various layers are bonded together with a rosin adhesive under pressure. Several different adhesives are used, but the” X” used in this exterior plywood’s rating shows that a specific choice was made in selecting the adhesive. The “X” means “exposure” and refers to the plywood usable for exterior applications on a home’s exterior, where it will be exposed to the elements. In contrast, the home is being built and not thoroughly dried yet.

Please note that even though this plywood is graded for exposure to the elements, that’s not advisable. While the adhesive used in the plywood can withstand moisture, the wood fibers themselves will soak up some water. This will happen mostly at the board’s edges and along the sanded face. Soaking up moisture in the sanded face of the board will cause the grain to rise, eliminating the finely- sanded face surface and requiring sanding to smooth it back down.

Another important item to note is that “X” rated plywood isn’t waterproof, as pressure-treated plywood is. The wood fibers themselves will still decay if exposed to enough moisture, even if the glue still holds. This provision indicates that the plywood can be used in architectural applications where the home is not yet dried in, and there is a chance of it being exposed to moisture while under construction.

Uses

Softwood ACX plywood is predominantly used for construction purposes. Since ACX plywood is a higher-grade material than CDX plywood, it is specifically used in cases that require a good appearance, a smooth finish, and durability. Because this plywood is more expensive to purchase than other grades of softwood plywood, it is only used where needed, not in all situations. One important use for it is for subflooring underneath vinyl flooring.

Although this is an exposure-graded plywood product, it is rarely used for sheathing. All sheathing applications, whether in roofs or walls, will be covered by other materials, eliminating the need for the high-quality appearance that ACX plywood provides.

It should not be used in situations where the plywood is likely to be subject to moisture regularly, such as for a shed. Using sheets of it for floorboards or wallboards that come into contact with the ground will guarantee that the plywood sheets will rot within a few years, requiring replacement.

ACX plywood is an excellent choice for use by the handyman or do-it-yourselfer for projects around the home, including children’s furniture, workshop shelves, and any other shelving or furniture which will be painted. The lower cost of ACX plywood, when compared to hardwood plywood products, helps to keep the cost of these projects down while

When used for children’s furniture, the smooth surface of the “A” face gives the item an excellent finish when properly primed and painted. If a lower-grade sheet of softwood plywood is used instead of sheets of ACX plywood, the surface will not be smooth and will usually need to be filled before sanding.

Cutting a high-quality piece of plywood

Location

While ACX plywood is more expensive than lower grades of softwood plywood, it is still readily available, especially as “project panels” rather than full sheets. You may have to look around a bit to find full sheets in stock. Some retailers, such as Menards, The Home Depot, or Lowes, may have some stock of these products available for purchase in stock or online, although I imagine shipping would be cost-prohibitive.

Check a store in your area for store vendors who specialize in selling architectural trim to contractors. They often carry a better selection of plywood products than the store, including ACX and hardwood plywood, as both are used in cabinetmaking. Avoid those store vendors early in the morning, as most contractors go there. It might be a bit difficult getting waited upon by the store with all those contractors, many of whom are regular store customers, in the warehouse.