Does Lowes have a version of "PureBond" plywood?

[Keith Upton]

I know that the PureBond plywood at Home Depot is pretty good stuff, but I prefer to shop at Lowes for multiple reasons, so I'm wondering if Lowes has their own version of good plywood like PureBond?

[Matt Day]

It’s all junk to be honest. If you want to make your life easier, buy from a real plywood dealer. I’ve tried to make the stuff work but it is such a pain to deal with the potato chipping, voids, etc.

[Roger Marty]

PureBond is pretty crappy. Lots of gaps. And my last sheet of PureBond Maple had a wave of super thin maple which ultimately ruined my project since I sanded through it.

The only decent plywood I've gotten from Home Depot is the Arauco Pine Plywood. That stuff is consistently good with no gaps.

I'll never get PureBond again from Home Depot.

[Bruce Wrenn]

You have to remember that buying plywood is like buying oats. If you want nice fresh, clean oats, then they are going to cost you. If you don't mind if they have already been through the horse, then they are cheaper. Lowes sells Roseburg brand plywood. HD sells Columbia Forest Products brands. Both sell C-3 grade. I find that often I have to buy extra just to get the yield I need. My hardwood supplier also sells Columbia Forest products for almost twice what I pay at HD. Very little difference in the quality. At HD, I will ask them to get a unit down so I can sift through it. I ALWAYS restack it. Once had a guy tell me I was too picky. Reminded him that when I paid my bill, they expected my check to be 100% good, and I expected the same for my plywood.

[Adam Wissman]

I really find HD plywood of better quality than Lowe's, alot of my shop cabinets, shop jigs, and are made with cheaper birch plywood or MDF sourced at HD as I cant justify the ROI for better plywood that will get beat up in the shop. If im building furniture then ill get my plywood at the cabinet supplier as the quality is better every day of the week. The blondewood plywood at Lowe's is hands down the worst plywood I've ever worked with, it warps like mad, trust me once you cut it will go every direction like crazy, lots of voids almost as many as a sheathing grade ply, Overall waste of 50 bucks and a few hours time

[Jim Becker]

The best thing I ever did relative to buying sheet goods was to get setup with Industrial Plywood out of Reading PA. Prices are fair and they stick to "domestic"/high quality products. The single time I got a "wavy" sheet, the cheerfully replaced it the next delivery day to my area. Try to find a similar firm in your geography and give them your business. You'll have more choices and get better product. Yes, it might not be at rock-bottom import prices like at the 'borg, but...

[glenn bradley]

Unfortunately, we all love to hate the BORGs so much that you didn't really get an answer to your question. I will offer that it is geographical, at least to the quality of the product condition on the shelves. My Lowe's sheet goods are superior to my Home Depot sheet goods. Each are equidistant and like you, I prefer my Lowe's for most things BORG.

Honestly though, my woodworking material is never bought at the BORG; I have a lumber yard nearby. There are a lot of lumber yards in Colorado. If you share where you are a little more specifically, someone may be able to steer you to a yard or two. Even the "shop grade" ply at my local yard is superior to anything I can find at Lowe's.

[Rich Engelhardt]

If I'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure the brand name of Lowe's plywood is - - Pringles....or maybe it's Lays......either way, Lowes does stock a wonderful assortment of parabolic plywood...

[johnny means]

What aspect of PureBond are you looking for? My assumption is that you're looking for a formaldehyde free product. I don't have an answer, just thought I'd try to get clarity on the question.

[Keith Upton]

Unfortunately, we all love to hate the BORGs so much that you didn't really get an answer to your question. I will offer that it is geographical, at least to the quality of the product condition on the shelves. My Lowe's sheet goods are superior to my Home Depot sheet goods. Each are equidistant and like you, I prefer my Lowe's for most things BORG.

Honestly though, my woodworking material is never bought at the BORG; I have a lumber yard nearby. There are a lot of lumber yards in Colorado. If you share where you are a little more specifically, someone may be able to steer you to a yard or two. Even the "shop grade" ply at my local yard is superior to anything I can find at Lowe's.


The best thing I ever did relative to buying sheet goods was to get setup with Industrial Plywood out of Reading PA. Prices are fair and they stick to "domestic"/high quality products. The single time I got a "wavy" sheet, the cheerfully replaced it the next delivery day to my area. Try to find a similar firm in your geography and give them your business. You'll have more choices and get better product. Yes, it might not be at rock-bottom import prices like at the 'borg, but...

I'm in Peyton (the Colorado Springs area). A google search does shows two yards relativity close to me. One is a Builders FirstSource and the other (that I have not seen on Google before) is a JW Hardwoods. JW appears to cater towards woodworking. I'll have to check them out. There is also another woodworking lumber store in the Springs, CO Lumber Specialties. While they do have some nice sheet goods, they were over $100 for a 3/4 4x8 (I think it was white oak). I don't mind paying a little bit more for better quality, but that is too expensive for my shop benches and tables.

As I'm just staring out in this hobby and my current goals are just to make some things we need around the place, I don't foresee buying large quantities of wood. Not sure if someplace like Builders FirstSource would work with my much. Heck, I'm not even sure what I'm looking for in sheet goods besides clean surface layers and no visible voids along the edges.


What aspect of PureBond are you looking for? My assumption is that you're looking for a formaldehyde free product. I don't have an answer, just thought I'd try to get clarity on the question.

The formaldehyde free aspect is nice, but it is not a must have for me. In my limited amount of experience, I've just found it to be a little better quality of plywood. I do like that it is made in the USA as well.

[Matt Day]

Ask them for Baltic Birch ply, that should be cheaper than a hardwood veneered ply. By Baltic birch I mean non-Asian, not just birch ply.

[John TenEyck]

For shop cabinets I find the poplar plywood at HD to be very good. SandePly (sp) is also of good quality at HD, at least in my area. FWIW, both are better than nearly anything in maple or birch from my local full service lumber yard where it's almost all Chinese junk. Lowes maple used to be good; lately it's been junk, however. All you can do is check out what each offers in your area and go from there. Another option not mentioned before is a local cabinet shop. You may be able to buy sheet goods from them if you ask nice. It increases their volume so you are helping them a little, too.

John

[Peter Christensen]

I've used ApplePly (https://www.appleply.com) a few times and like it. If it sold in your area you should give it a try. Alder core with a maple face veneer.

[Jared Sankovich]

For shop cabinets I find the poplar plywood at HD to be very good. SandePly (sp) is also of good quality at HD, at least in my area. FWIW, both are better than nearly anything in maple or birch from my local full service lumber yard where it's almost all Chinese junk. Lowes maple used to be good; lately it's been junk, however.

John
I would agree with this. I've had really good luck with purebond and sandeply from HD. Even the cheap radiata pine has been relatively well behaved in shop fixtures.

Lowes import birch has been awful for me as well.