Plywood has become a staple for construction and woodworking, since it was first invented in 1865. Although an American invention, plywood has been adopted worldwide, to the point where over two billion dollars worth of the plywood used in the United States is imported. Most of this imported plywood is made to US specifications; but … Read more
Oriented strand board (OSB) was conceived in 1965 as an alternative for plywood. Originally called “waferboard,” it is sometimes mistakenly referred to as “chipboard.” But chipboards are made from waste material produced at lumberyards. The sizes of the chips are extremely inconsistent, negatively affecting the overall strength of the product. OSB on the other hand … Read more
The idea of making aircraft out of plywood may seem strange to us today, but back in World War II, when there was a shortage of enough aluminum to make the massive fleet of aircraft needed for the war, plywood became one of the alternatives used by aircraft designers. The British De Havilland Mosquito bomber … Read more
All plywood is made from veneers laid up and glued together so that the grain is perpendicular to the adjacent layers. But even within that seemingly tight definition, there can be a world of difference between one sheet of plywood and the next. Wood choice, quality of material, thickness, surface finish, and the way the wood veneers are cut all play … Read more
Building with Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) was developed in the 1930s as an alternative home-building technique. Yet, it is hardly known by the general population. Interest in the use of SIPs has been growing in recent years, primarily due to the potential energy savings that SIP homes are promoted as offering. SIPs consist of an … Read more