"Cleaner" Plywood

[Rich Enders]

Columbia Forest Products has a "cleaner" plywood called Pure Bond. It is listed as formaldehyde free. Columbia's website listed Home Depot as the retail source, but when I went to my local store the only product in stock was the one shown in the attached photo. Has anyone had any experience with using either product? The Depot stocks this one in 1/2", and 3/4" in both oak faced, and birch faced.


315882

[John TenEyck]

I've never seen the one in your photo, but I've used a couple dozen sheets of various Columbia Purebond from HD over the past 3 or 4 years. Never had any issues with it. IIRC, 3/4" really is 3/4", too.

John

[Rich Enders]

Thanks John. 3/4 is really 3/4! Really!

[Judson Green]

I think I've seen pure bond at my local HD. Next time I'm there I'll check.

[Martin Wasner]

I can't say whether it's the same exact stuff, (there's a zillion options on plywood that the distributor can order), but I bought a unit of ¾" birch from Columbia a while back, I ended up sending 12 sheets back, and I should've returned the whole unit. I wasn't happy with the core, it didn't take a screw well. The A face wasn't great, the B face looked terrible most of the time. It also turned into a potato chip quickly once it was out of the rack. Also this unit was very thin.

I use a white two faced birch from Roseburg most of the time, and I've regretted every time I've tried something else.

[Charles Wiggins]

I don't use a lot of plywood but I've used Purebond once previously. I was fairly pleased for the price. It has a better, more consistent look and a much more consistent thickness than the other stuff I've bought from Home Depot. It's not Baltic Birch for sure, and on par with the better stuff from the hardwood store, but it's close.

I picked up some Purebond 1/2" birch over the weekend in Hendersonville, NC HD, but I have not had a chance to cut it yet. The HD in Spartanburg, SC usually has a better stock and bigger selection of thicknesses, but I was in Hendersonville anyway. It's a bit easier to find around here because the Columbia plant is right up the road in Old Fort, NC, but with 18 stores in Scottsdale I am sure at least one will have some in stock. Make some calls.

Addendum:
I checked the HD website and it shows that HD #457 at 9170 E Indian Bend Rd has Purebond in 3/4", 1/2", and 1/4" Oak ply in stock.
#420 at 9890 N 90th Street Scottsdale, AZ 85258 has all that plus 1/4" Birch ply.

[Howard Acheson]

My local Home Depot carries the Columbia Purebond, at least most of the time. Once they had to order it for me. I used it for some built-ins in my kids bedroom. Worked well.

When I still had my shop, Columbia was my primary sheet goods supplier.

[Rich Enders]

Thanks Charlie. You have done all the work for me. I'm in a "rural" part of Scottsdale and our local HD is about half the size of the ones in the city, and only stocks the basics. 18 stores! Really!

I am trying to decide between plywood and hardwood slats for the mattress platform in a crib. If it will be plywood, the PureBond appeals to the mom to be.

[Leo Graywacz]

Haven't been to impressed with Columbia products lately. Latest problem is a nice curve on the 8' side. One side has a 1/8" convex the other is concave.

Columbia's response is it's straight enough.

[Matt Day]

I've used PureBond from HD (3/4" polar faced, project was paint grade) and it was decent. That's a compliment given it was from the BORG. There were some voids but not too bad, and it didn't potato chip like most big box ply.