CAT plywood is the industry term used to describe plywood performance category ratings under the PS1-09 standard. If you’ve ever wondered why a sheet labeled 3/4″ actually measures 23/32″, the answer usually comes down to CAT plywood thickness tolerances. While many woodworkers focus on species or face grade, CAT plywood classifications control manufacturing consistency, thickness … Read more
If you work with wood even a couple of times a month, you already know how fast sawdust piles up. Sand a tabletop? Dust. Trim a sheet of plywood? More dust. Cut hardwood on the miter saw? Dust everywhere — in your hair, on your shoes, on that cup of coffee you forgot to cover. … Read more
Plywood is a term used to describe all types of wood for residential construction projects, but, despite the different types available, it’s not the same as chipboard. Both chipboard and plywood use various materials and undergo different construction processes. This impacts the core density, load-bearing capacity, appearance, moisture resistance, and overall finish. Choosing the best … Read more
The Moment I Learned Regular Plywood Has Limits Years ago, I trimmed out a wall beside a freestanding wood stove using “good” birch cabinet-grade plywood. Looked flawless for a month—then the edge nearest the stove started to darken. Eventually, the veneer bubbled like toast under a broiler. Nothing caught fire, but the message was clear: … Read more
Most people don’t give a second thought to drying wood in an oven until something goes wrong. I didn’t either. I slapped together a pine bench once, proud of how it looked fresh off the clamps. A week later, though, it betrayed me—hairline cracks across the top, joints that suddenly didn’t line up. That’s when … Read more