Using Plywood Advantages & Disadvantages

Plywood is a very strong building material. During construction, each wooden panel is glued together with high pressure, which means it lasts a long period before deteriorating. 

The many layers of plywood make the panels extremely durable, especially when compared to solid wood and medium density fiberboard (MDF).

Available in a wide range of sizes and thicknesses, it can be used for all manners of construction projects. 

Thin sheets of flexible plywood can be used to make furniture, while thicker wood veneers, like marine plywood, is a handy building material for exterior use.

Despite the advantages of plywood, there are some disadvantages and limitations to using the wood panels.

Keep reading to learn the advantages and disadvantages of using plywood as a building material, and what plywood limitations are.

What are the Advantages & Disadvantages of Plywood?

Plywood Advantages	Plywood Disadvantages
Very strong materialLong-lastingValue for moneyEasy to cutResponds well to paint & stainHighly versatileFlexible plywood can be twisted to build unique furnitureNaturally moisture-resistantCan be used for outdoor and indoor useComes in a variety of types, weights, thicknesses & materialsCheaper than solid woodMarine plywood is fully waterproof	Not watertightMore expensive than other types of wood, like particle boardCut edges are prone to water damage and require extra care to finish properlyCan splinter when screwed intoDoesn’t always respond well to nails

Advantages of Plywood

Here are some of the many advantages of using plywood for interior and exterior construction projects. 

1. Strong & Durable

Plywood is renowned for being strong, sturdy, and long-lasting. Depending on how well it’s sealed and where it’s installed, plywood boards can last up to 35 years. 

Plywood offers more strength compared with solid wood in terms of its response to stress and overload. Because plywood is made to provide structural sheathing and reinforcement, it needs to be sturdy. 

During the manufacturing process, each wood veneer layer is installed at 90-degree angles. This ensures the grain runs in different directions. Therefore, if one set of grains break, the other layers continue to provide the required structural support. 

This is different from solid wood, which naturally has grains running in the same direction, making it weaker in response to stress.

2. Excellent Value for Money

Plywood is an easy-to-use wood veneer building material that offers excellent value for money. For its low cost, it can be used for all manners of construction, from roofs to subfloors, wall panels to kitchen furniture cabinets. 

On average, a sheet of plywood costs between $12-$55, with higher grades and thicker boards costing up to $120 per sheet. 

Plywood costs vary depending on the size, thickness, and grade. There are four grades of plywood from A-D. Grade D plywood is the cheapest type because it has more knotholes and is therefore weaker and less water-resistant. 

Naturally, larger and/or thicker plywood panels are more expensive than smaller boards. 

3. Easy to Cut & Finish

Provided you have the right tools and know your cutting angles, plywood is easy to cut. It’s best trimmed to size using a circular saw or a table saw with a sharp blade. Panel saws are not recommended. These saws won’t penetrate the wood veneers without blunting quickly. 

When cutting, always use a bench saw with clamps and wear protective equipment, like eyewear, long sleeves, and a dust mask.

Finishing plywood is also an easy task. It responds well to sanding, painting, staining, lacquering, and varnishing. You can also apply shellac to plywood to achieve a shiny, well-protected finish or use epoxy and polyurethane to make plywood waterproof (provided you are not using marine plywood, which is manufactured to be more waterproof than commercial grade plywood).

Other ways to make plywood look nice include texturing it or applying special effects to make it look like marble or steel. Laminated plywood or oak veneered plywood doesn’t need to be finished and just needs edge banding.

4. Available in a Variety of Types

A primary reason why plywood can be used for almost any interior and exterior construction project is because of the wide range of types available. 

Plywood comes in all different sizes, thicknesses, weights, grades, and material types. The most common types of plywood available include:

• Size: Available in large sizes, between 2×2 ft, 2×4 ft, 4×4 ft, and 4×8 ft
• Types: Available in 10+ material types (including softwood and hardwood) and 4 grades (between A-D)
• Weights: Variable per type and thickness, usually between 23lbs- 56lbs
• Thickness: Standard thicknesses for plywood include ⅛ inch, ¼ inch, ½ inch, ⅜ inch, ⅝ inch, 1⅛ inch, and 1¼ inch

Despite the variations of plywood available, you’ll usually only find it produced in flat, rectangular sheets. Custom sizes, like circles or squares, are only available through bespoke retailers with cutting facilities that will trim plywood to your preferred shape after purchasing. Otherwise, plywood needs to be cut to shape. 

Disadvantages & Limitations of Plywood

Here are several disadvantages of plywood and plywood limitations to be aware of before beginning a construction project.

1. Not Fully Waterproof

Most types of plywood are not fully waterproof. Some boards are water-resistant and can be used externally, like Marine plywood and ACX plywood (which have fewer splits and knotholes), but these should still be sealed with polyurethane or epoxy to make them watertight. 

On its own, without extra finishing, plywood is not waterproof. When wet, the boards can warp, bode, bend, and rot. 

Mildly water-damaged plywood can be dried and used again, provided the warped plywood is fixed. Repairing rotten plywood is possible when you apply epoxy products, but it’s often better to replace it entirely. 

2. More Expensive Than MDF

Particle board is made from scraps of wood, like wood chips, shavings, fibers, and glue. Plywood is made from multiple wood veneer sheets glued together with a moisture-resistant adhesive. 

This gives plywood more strength, durability, and a smoother surface compared with other types of engineered wood, like MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) and particle boards. Naturally, this makes plywood more expensive. However, it’s not as costly compared to solid wood. 

Despite the lower price tag, MDF and particle board have their advantages over plywood. Plywood is better for providing rigidity for structures, like sheathing, and for building cabinets with a smooth surface. 

But particle board/MDF has its benefits. It is easier to paint, and cut edges can simply be sanded to achieve a nice finish, unlike plywood which requires lamination. 

3. Can Splinter When Screwed Into

Another plywood disadvantage is that the wood can splinter and split when screwed into. Drilling screws into plywood is an essential part of cabinet building and many other plywood-based construction projects. 

Splintering can be avoided by drilling a pilot hole first and drilling slowly. However, it’s better to use screws vs nails when working with plywood. Screws are generally better fasteners than nails. 

Additionally, because plywood is made from multiple thin layers, nails can cause the layers to split, which removes the compression needed to keep the nail in place. 

4. Cut Edges Need Finishing

When cutting plywood, the veneer layers become exposed around the edges. This leaves edges susceptible to water damage, which can cause plywood to warp, especially in high humidity areas like kitchens and bathroom. 

Even marine plywood, which is more waterproof than commercial grade plywood, needs to be sealed around the edges to prevent water damage. 

Cut edges also appear rough and harsh to the touch without re-finishing. The only exception to this is Baltic Birth plywood, which is more expensive, but produces a cleaner finish.

Other types of wood can simply be sanded before painting, staining, or sealing, but plywood requires more effort to achieve a clean edge finish. To finish plywood nicely, apply edge banding, which is a thin strip of adhesive veneer that smooths the edges and matches the exterior color.