We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations.
Before I hung out a shingle to become part of the world of reproduction furniture making, a large portion of my work was producing bookcases and built-in units for new home construction. As you might imagine, most of the focus when building products such as these is centered on costs and not so much on staying true to period design and building with hardwoods.
As a result, veneered plywood played a much larger part in my day-to-day work. Plywood allowed for quick panel assembly, a consistent appearance (be it flat-cut or rotary-cut) and it helped me hit short deadlines. The cost to build was less thanks to less expensive material cost and reduced labor.
When I shifted from clients who were home builders to clients who were interested in quality reproduction furniture, my affair with plywood diminished. In fact it all but disappeared. These folks were paying good money for a piece of furniture expected to last for generations. No plywood allowed.
Recently, I built a new bed for my wife and I (to see the process, click here) and I once again turned to plywood. I had flat panels in the piece; and to me, this is where plywood shines. I shortened my construction time quite a bit and kept my cash outlay smaller. I didn’t set out to build a monument. I wasn’t looking for a bed that would be around in the year 2259.
This got me wondering about the amount of plywood woodworkers use today. Are we focused on building monuments where no plywood is allowed? (OK, I know there are those out there who lay-up their own plywood , you North Bennett Street School guys know who I’m talking about.) Or are we looking to shorten our construction time to produce a viable piece of furniture and as a result, building more with plywood or other sheet goods.
After a discussion about this with Editor Christopher Schwarz, he put together a quick survey. Take a minute to answer the two questions, then look at the accumulated results. I’m interested, as I’m betting you are, to see how many of us use plywood.
Also, I wonder if plywood use is growing, is it a result of economic times, scarcity of quality hardwoods or simply a move toward reduced costs and quicker results? Leave a comment to let us know what you think.
