Features and varieties of Finnish plywood

The construction and renovation of housing requires the use of quality materials, the most popular of which is Finnish plywood. This material has high performance and is easy to install. Since it is presented on the market in several types, you need to know which one is best suited for performing certain works.

Finnish plywood is a modern building material made of several veneer layers glued together with a resinous substance. The material is covered with a laminated film on top. To increase the strength in the production of plywood, a special technology is used that provides an alternation of transverse and longitudinal placement of wood fibers. The outer layer of the material is made of hardwood, while the core can be made of softwood.

The process of creating glued plywood sheets takes place under high pressure using a special press. The material undergoes a high-temperature drying procedure, which completely eliminates the accumulation of moisture in it and increases the quality level. Finnish plywood is produced in sheets with a thickness of 6 to 40 mm, the density of which can be 650 kg per 1 m3. The outer part of the material can be either embossed or smooth.

The main advantages of this material are:

• good moisture resistance;
• increased strength and hardness;
• environmental friendliness;
• resistance to temperature extremes (withstands the range from -40 to + 50 ° С);
• the presence of dielectric properties;
• ease of processing.

Today Finnish plywood is produced in two types, each of which has its own performance characteristics. The first type is FBS plywood, it is produced with a special impregnation based on alcohols. This is the highest quality and most expensive brand, which is known for its resistance to fire and moisture, as well as high durability. This plywood is divided into the following subtypes.

• FSB 1... This is a material of low strength, since in the process of its production the veneer is not impregnated, but lubricated with resin. Despite this production technology, plywood is moisture resistant.
• FSB 1-A... When producing plywood of this subtype, the veneer is impregnated with low quality resin, which makes it possible to obtain a cheap material. Such plywood is not resistant to external factors and is not recommended for cladding industrial premises.

The second type is FBV plywood, which is produced using water-soluble resins. In this case, the panels are impregnated only from the outside, inside they are coated with bakelite mortar. This type of material can only be used for interior decoration and construction of partitions. Depending on the quality of impregnation, FBV plywood is subdivided into the following subtypes.

• FBV-1. It is a water-resistant plywood of average quality; when it is released, the inner and outer layers only pass through lubrication, do not get impregnated.
• FBV-A. This material is made from birch veneer, the layers of which are also not impregnated, but coated with a water-soluble resin. It can be used in the mechanical engineering industry and for the assembly of internal structures.
• FBV 1-A. It is the cheapest type of material.This is not a moisture resistant plywood, since during its manufacture the transverse layers are not smeared or impregnated with resin.

In addition, a distinction is made between materials with a sanded and non-sanded surface. For interior decoration, a special type is used - film faced plywood, its colors may be different.

Finnish plywood is produced in sheets, the standard dimensions of which are 2500 * 1250 and 2440 * 1220 mm. The thickness of the sheet varies from 5 to 21 mm, while the material with a thickness of 18 mm is in special demand.

Some manufacturers also produce custom-made plywood up to 1525 mm wide, up to 3660 mm long, and their thickness can be up to 30 mm. It is worth noting that the price of this material directly depends on the thickness of its sheets.

Finnish plywood is widely used due to its reliability, high quality and good performance characteristics. It is most commonly used in the following areas.

• Mechanical engineering... Serves for the manufacture of bodies of buses, trucks. The material is also used for interior decoration of trolley buses, trailers and trains (laid on floors and sheathed walls).
• Construction... For the collection of formwork, when the project provides for the production of a monolithic foundation. Since plywood has a high density, it can withstand the high pressure of concrete. Due to its durability, the material can be reused.
• Shipbuilding... This material is characterized by high resistance to moisture, therefore it is often used for finishing the sides of yachts and various ships. At the same time, the entire hull of ships can be sheathed with Finnish plywood. Aviation plywood is also found; it is used for interior cladding in aircraft.
• Interior decoration of premises. The material is great for creating fitting rooms, walls, shelving. In the house, partitions can be built from it. Finnish plywood structures are often found in nightclubs, restaurants and bars.
• Furniture manufacture. Due to its high strength, the material can be used to make any piece of furniture, from chairs to wardrobes.

In the next video, you will find a comparison of Russian, Chinese and Finnish plywood for formwork.