Birch plywood is one of the best board materials thanks to its combination of many qualities. Beautiful texture, high water-resistance, a wide variety of sizes and types and thickness, all together these qualities help plywood come out on top. And the most important quality of all – accessibility. We present you 5 ways of using birch plywood; in construction, interior design, children’s toys, boats, and airplanes.

Construction

Birch plywood is heavily used in construction as a helping material – it can be used for beams in cottages and thin partitions, and concrete is usually poured into a plywood form. Birch plywood is often used as the lower layer under laminated floors as it is more stable and does not deform, unlike coniferous plywood.

Interior

At current times modern interior designers use plywood materials in the Loft style interior and Scandinavian minimalism – a big evolution in our relationship with plywood in design since the 20th century. Birch plywood is ideal for wood paneling on walls, ceilings and as surface of built-in closets. The natural wood images on the surface of plywood pairs perfectly with minimalistic furniture in light colors as well as with the harsher texture of an exposed brick. For finishing of bathrooms, it is best to choose the Birch Plywood Exterior, which has a higher water-resistance.

Furniture

As we have already mentioned birch plywood is often used as furniture facade in many interior styles. Plywood remains the most popular material used for office furniture. But that is not to say plywood is limited to offices only; it is just as widely used in furniture with bend elements. Plywood was used in the legendary stool created by Alvar Aalto and reproduced by IKEA in millions.

Toys

Hipsters’ favourite toy remains to be the skateboard. In 1973 the first skateboard was produced and from then onwards the industry has been growing with the introduction of the longboard and Penny board. However, the most traditionally material used in skateboard production is plywood. Plywood is also widely used in the production of children’s runbikes, and the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam produced ecological bicycles with reproductions of Van Gogh’s paintings.

Plywood is also used in the production of military inspired toys; tanks, planes and ships, from the simplest to the more detailed models. Birch plywood comes in various thickness sizes starting from 2mm, which allows for the production of the tiniest details.

Boats and Airplanes

Now to the most interesting use of plywood. Following the treatment of birch plywood with Bakelit, its water-resistance increases to 100%. As such plywood becomes a highly reliable and durable material that is ideal for both oared and motorized boats. Boats from such plywood can usually be rented at any outdoor activity center and lake resorts.

A different story is that of plywood used in the production of aircrafts. In the USSR plywood was primarily used for the production of the body of quiet night bomber planes; small planes with plywood bodies are still used nowadays for fertilizing agricultural fields. Some fire-resilient plywood was even used in the production of bigger Candid planes. Currently, fire-resilient plywood is gaining popularity in Europe in connection to the increasing safety standards in construction and organization of multi-purpose rooms and buildings, including schools, cinemas, swimming pools, and children’s institutions.

So far, we’ve covered the 5 ways of using birch plywood; from boats and planes to modern furniture and interiors. Now we will focus on how birch plywood can be used in domestic decoration and interior design. Ideas ranging from flooring to “hunting trophies” are coming your way below!

Ceiling

Plywood ceiling is a perfect option for older spaces. If stretch-on ceilings do not fit with your interior, plywood ceiling comes in as the perfect alternative. It can be easily installed without the need for any extra finishing. Plywood sheets are highly durably and will not deform under wet or moist conditions, especially if you choose highly water-resistant plywood.

It is especially suitable for those in need of a sustainable and ecological material. The plywood does exceptionally well in interior design if paired with an exposed brick wall or Scandinavian minimalist design based on the Loft style.

The only possible downside to plywood ceiling is that it also lowers the height of the room by approximately 5 cm. And if the plywood has an extra added geometric design the effect on height might be even bigger.

Floor

Birch plywood is also the perfect material for flooring – a durable and sustainable alternative to laminated floors. On top of that, plywood can be used to build a platform bed, allowing it to fit seamlessly into the interior design of any room.

However, we do not recommend using plywood for both ceiling and floors as it creates an illusion of the room being smaller than in reality and does not create a comfortable atmosphere. Floor panels can be made from large sheets of plywood or even squared parts, using the wooden surface to create a specific image. Although, when choosing the type and design it is also important to consider the tilt of the floor, the bigger the changes the more need for smaller details. But on the bright side plywood can be installed directly on top of concrete. For a clear finish on a plywood floor usually higher-grade sheets are used at the surface level with a sanded surface side. These need to be made ready in advanced and lacquered upon installation.

Walls

The main advantages of a plywood-finish walls are the same as with ceilings and floors; easy installation, lower cost, and ecological sustainability. A great way to increase available space and storage in a room is installing open plywood shelves, which will be uniform in style and color with the plywood wall panels.
Furthermore, this material allows for additional creativity in interior design. Burning out patterns in plywood allows for the creation of different zones in the same room based on the design in the wood itself; divide the kitchen from the dining area, separate the sleeping area from the rest of the room, or even make the living room stand out in a studio apartment. The ability to deform and bend plywood sheets allows for the creation of walls and panels in different forms compared to the classic wall paneling, without affecting the eco loft style of the interior.

Detailing

Animal heads, letters, key holders – creative ways to use plywood that even kids get taught how to do in schools. Or if you don’t want to get your hands dirty you can just head to the handicraft’s markets, have a look at ETSY and Aliexpress and pick an unusual decorative object made entirely from plywood. We find animal heads made out of a plywood carcass especially fascinating. These creations range from elephants to horses. It adds a little bit of a natural feel to the interior without harming a single animal. Plywood letters can be used to create any type of a sign; from the basic “Harry + Mary = Love” to a person’s life motto. This type of decoration can be acquired in topographical shops, which produces laser cut letters from plywood. Letters can be left plain or painted with a color on top. Some workshops even let you install lights into the letters, which is a great alternative to a bedside lamp or modern, boho-style wall art. The most classical way of using plywood in interior is in little key-holding houses and bookshelves. This type of decoration will look best in rooms designed based on the Provincial style with soft furniture and pattern cloths.