VJS stocks some of the largest and diverse range of plywoods in Victoria. Whatever your plywood needs, whether it’s building a dog kennel, lining the ceiling of a million dollar house or creating some beautiful one off furniture pieces, we will have a ply to suit.
We stock everything from Acoustic, Bendy, Film-Faced, Formply, Hoop Pine, Interior & Exterior, Marine, Ply Flooring, Premium Birch, Oriented Strand Board – OSB, and RV / Caravan Plywood.
Plywood offers a wide range of applications, making it essential to choose the most cost-effective option for your project. Below is a guide to the different plywood grades to help you make an informed decision. If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us, and we’ll be happy to provide guidance.
Face Grading
- A Face A Back
- A Face B Back
- A Face C Back
- B Face B Back
- B Face C Back
- C Face D Back
- D Face D Back
Plywood is a highly versatile engineered wood product, created by bonding layers of wood veneers together with the grain of each layer at right angles. This cross-laminated structure enhances strength, reduces warping, and makes plywood suitable for a wide range of applications in construction, design, and manufacturing.
Whether you’re a retail customer, interior designer, or trade professional, understanding plywood grades, glue types, and classifications is essential for choosing the right product.
Plywood Veneer Grades
Plywood face and back veneers are graded according to their visual appearance and natural defects. These grades affect how the plywood looks and performs in different applications:
A Grade – Smooth, uniform, and free from knots and splits. This is the highest quality veneer, ideal for clear finishes, decorative paneling, furniture, and visible cabinetry.
- A Grade – Smooth, uniform, and free from knots and splits. This is the highest quality veneer, ideal for clear finishes, decorative paneling, furniture, and visible cabinetry.
- B Grade – Clean surface with minor imperfections. Suitable for painting and general-purpose interior applications where appearance matters, but a perfect finish isn’t essential.
- C Grade – Shows more natural features such as knots, splits, and discoloration. Used in structural applications or areas that will be covered (e.g., underflooring or bracing).
- D Grade – Typically used for structural and non-appearance applications. Allows large knots and open defects, not suitable where finish or appearance is important.
Timber veneer is from a natural and renewable resource competing with non-renewable commodities like steel, aluminium and plastics.
Plywood Glue Bond Types
The glue used to bond the veneer layers determines how plywood handles moisture and weather exposure:
A Grade – Smooth, uniform, and free from knots and splits. This is the highest quality veneer, ideal for clear finishes, decorative paneling, furniture, and visible cabinetry.
Type A (Exterior/Marine Grade)
- Bond Type: Phenol-formaldehyde
- Durability: High resistance to heat, cold, and moisture
- Applications: Exterior cladding, marine use, structural panels exposed to the elements
Type B (Exterior/Moderate Exposure)
- Bond Type: Melamine-fortified urea-formaldehyde
- Durability: Medium resistance to moisture
- Applications: Formwork, non-marine outdoor use
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