While building a home or renovating one, Plywood is the choice of material for architects and interior designers. Owing to its durability, long-lasting strength, and aesthetic look, it adorns the interiors and exteriors of the house. However, all plywood is not made the same way, and even the best outdoor plywood is exposed to dampness. But, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is also affected by moisture.

Not every plywood is made in the same way or has similar characteristics. It’s critical to look at the types of outdoor plywood if you want to choose the correct one for your project, especially if you need to place them outside.

There are various exterior plywood ranges to choose from. Be it a deck or furniture for the porch, you won’t be able to finish looking at the options! The structural grade of plywood here is crucial, but so are its other major properties as well as its look and feel, depending on how you intend to utilize it.

Before we talk about the finest types of plywood for exteriors, let’s first talk about.

How Can Plywood Be Used For Home Exteriors?

Exterior plywood is chemically treated,and hence, is a lot different from the regular plywood.They are strengthened by gluing their layers with waterproof glue.

Exterior plywood is weather and water-resistant, making it suitable for both outdoor, and indoor spaces, subject to moisture and humidity. Because of the moisture-resistant quality, it can be used for decks and walkways, sheds, and other outdoor constructions. The outdoor plywood can also be used to make furniture like a bench or planters to enhance the look of a porch or a garden.

However, plywood does not give the space a raw or rustic look of wood because of apparent knots or other flaws. But, the plywood has a cleaner finish and thus is preferable for projects where the aesthetics are important.

Now the real question is: With so many plywood options to choose from, how does one choose the right types of plywood for exterior usage ?

What’s the deal with marine grade plywood being so pricey, and what is the buzz around it?

Well, marine grade plywood is regarded as the best outdoor plywood, and is extensively used for construction. There are other construction materials that can be used for building exterior structures like oriented strand board (OSB) or ACX, but marine grade plywood outshines them all.

Let’s talk about it a little more:

The Best Type of Plywood For Exteriors

When you think of using plywood on the exterior of a building, you want to ensure that it maintains its quality, strength, and look for years to come. Marine grade plywood, the best outdoor plywood, checks all the boxes and stands true to your expectations. Here is all you should know about this exterior plywood.

Marine Grade Plywood

The highest grade of plywood is marine plywood. It is usually constructed of Western Larch or Douglas Fir wood and placed with the best permanent WBP (phenolic) glue. It is noteworthy that the veneers used in marine plywood are of the highest quality, and are free of any flaws except for sound pin knots.

To ensure that the plywood has better strength, each core layer of long-grain is made up of only one piece of core veneer. The edge joints are considered okay, but the end joints should not be present. There should be no cavities or holes on the inner layers of marine grade plywood to make it denser and more durable.

It is designed for usage in boat construction, and other marine products. Because there are no cavities, its strength is uniform throughout the wood, and  is less prone to cracking when shaped into a curve.

Marine plywood is also ideal for outside structures and patio furniture along with garden and outdoor furniture such as benches, tables, as well as porches, decks, planters, etc. Moreover, if the structure is placed in a humid area or near water, marine plywood is recommended as it can endure the conditions better as compared to ordinary plywood.

Other types of outdoor plywood include

1. Overlay plywood – Similar to ACX or CDX, but with a cleaner finish that is aesthetic, and resistant to wear and tear.

      2. T1-11 9 (lap joint) – Often used as a siding material.

      3. Pressure-treated plywood – Normal plywood with chemicals to increase its resistance to moisture and mold.

      4. Oriented strand board (OSB) – works well in places that are only partially exposed to the weather.

Let Sylvan Ply Help You Choose Right.

In conclusion, the types of plywood for exterior usage are significantly more expensive than normal plywood due to their strength, longevity, and looks. 

They have a distinct thickness and weight, which will affect durability and usage. Fortunately, there is a whole range of exterior plywood to choose from for your outdoor building needs, but selecting the perfect one requires expertise.

Get in touch with the experts at Sylvan Ply who can analyze both your budget and  needs to assist you in choosing the best outdoor plywood for your project.

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