Anybody know where to get this 9 ply baltic birch (picture)?

[brad hays]

I'm trying to find this 9 ply, what I believe to be 3/4" baltic birch plywood but I'm not sure where it's sold. I usually go to Lowe's since it's closer but HD is here as well. The 1/2" bb plywood from Lowe's is 7 layers, the same thickness as in the picture. Their 3/4" bb is 7 layers as well, just thicker layers. I don't need a lot. Cost might suck some but I could see paying for shipping 2 1/4 sheets of this kind of bb if I had to.

Would the bb plywood HD carries be any different? Is this higher ply plywood referred to by a particular name?

Thanks.

480504

[Andrew More]

I'd check Rockler, or any local sawyers you might have.

[William Lessenberry]

There's a Woodcraft store in Lexington. They should carry it or know where to get it.
BillL

[John Pendery]

Hardwood Specialties off Old Frankfort Pike near the New Circle Rd intersection will be your best bet. That is where I’ve always purchased Baltic birch here in Lexington. Might be a long shot now though with the whole Russian invasion in Ukraine. Good luck

[Jim Becker]

Actual BB plywood has quickly become nearly impossible to source and when a supplier does have it, it's uber-expensive because it's pretty much out of production right now. Box stores likely are carrying multi-ply sources from other places and the quality and configuration is going to vary.

[Greg Funk]

Our local hardwood supplier calls it Euro Birch and the last 4x8 sheet of 12mm I bought has 9 layers like the picture. Not sure about 18mm or 3/4" sheets. I believe it's still available just more expensive than last year.

[roger wiegand]

Real BB has pretty much vanished around here. What there is is very pricey. We can hope that NA manufacturers can fill the void, I think it will be a while before we start importing a lot from Russia again.

I've bought several different multi-ply sort-of lookalikes from the box stores, it works well to start fires in the pizza oven is about the best I can say for it. Appleply is a very good NA product, but was wicked expensive even before the war.

[Greg Funk]

Lots of inventory here, price for a 12mm 4x8 sheet has gone from $80 to $130 CAD in the last couple of years.

[Frank Pratt]

480504

That most definitely is not Baltic birch. 18mm (3/4") BB has 13 layers with the face veneers being almost as thick as the inner veneers.

[Warren Lake]

I think there were several baltic states that made Baltic birch maybe four or five, Russia only one supplier of them. 3/4" was 15 plys and dropped to 13 at some point along the way.

[Frank Pratt]

I think there were several baltic states that made Baltic birch maybe four or five, Russia only one supplier of them. 3/4" was 15 plys and dropped to 13 at some point along the way.

That must have been many years ago. It's been 13 layers for as long as I've known the product.

[Warren Lake]

I dont know when and most likely different suppliers made it different. The outside layers were not as thick as the core layers on that. Ive bought that ply whatever name they called it from 81 or so. I think once I saw or had some that was not odd number so was made wrong. I might have some offcuts.

[Scott Bernstein]

I will second the motion that the OP's picture does not show brand-name Baltic Birch plywood. I purchased 30 5x5 pieces of 3/4" baltic birch and 15 pieces of 1/2" just before COVID when I was starting my kitchen renovation. I bought plenty of extra since I was having it delivered anyway and figured I'd have it for other projects down the road. Anyways, my baltic birch has 13 layers for the 3/4" and 9 for the 1/2". All the veneers/layers are the same thickness to my eye. The OP might by showing some variation of generic birch plywood, but it is definitely not brand-name Baltic Birch or even some other equivalent like Appleply.

Scott

[John K Jordan]

I’ve bought baltic birch ply from a local commercial shop that caters to cabinet makers. The last was a few years ago so I’m not up to date on the availability. Might look for such a shop in your area or ask a cabinetmaker.

[mike calabrese]

you might try here
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/wp/plywood.html
https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=aircraft+grade+plywood+suppliers&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[brad hays]

Thanks so much everybody for all the replies and info. I've got a lot better understanding of what baltic birch should look like now. Before reading this post, earlier today I found a local supplier called Flagg and got some 11 ply 5/8". Paid ~$120 including a dang $13 charge for a cut up the middle. They had 3/4" but their batch had 2 dark layers next to each other and that won't work for my project. Turns out I don't think this 5/8" I have is gonna work either. After getting it home I'm seeing it has more inclusions in the layers than I thought. Expensive lesson.

And John Pendry how'd I miss we're in the same area? Yes I'm heading over to Hardwood Supplies in the morning to see what they have. Glad to hear a recommendation for them.

[Warren Lake]

On the left measures .7285 -.7300. Its been out in the rain for some amount. Likely a spacer when lifting the car.

One on the right from the shop old offcut is .7220. Both are 15 PLy.

Outside plys are thinner more so on the left. Likely from a wide belt

480639

[roger wiegand]

FWIW, real BB (and any ex-US sourced plywood) will be at least nominally metric in measurement. 12--15--18 mm. True BB seems to be pretty consistently close, but actual sizes of material from US and other ex-US suppliers is, of course, all over the place.

[Bill Dufour]

I posted this about a year ago. (see pictures) Do not buy from this maker. Not sure if is birch or what kind of hardwood. In one sheet ply count goes from two to 18. I think it is supposed to be 7 or 9 ply.
It was used as decking for a pallet. I hope it was rejected from sale.
Bill D

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?295446-Crazy-mistake-at-the-plywood-factory-with-photos

[brad hays]

Hey Mike, sorry I missed you back there but big thanks for those links. Can't wait to go through their catalog and see what kind of high grade stuff they carry.

And Warren, really nice to see there's such a thing as 15 ply. First I'm seeing this. Any suggestion where to find plywood like this?

[Warren Lake]

Brad had different suppliers past and not sure which one. Had some offcuts and remember counting layers a few years ago. Have some other thicknesses as well. I think I purchased plys from three different suppliers.

[Greg Funk]

And Warren, really nice to see there's such a thing as 15 ply. First I'm seeing this. Any suggestion where to find plywood like this?Columbia Europly is 15 ply. https://www.columbiaforestproducts.com/product/europly-plus/

[Richard Coers]

I saw your post on the professional site, Woodweb. I didn't know you were a professional woodworker Brad. That plywood looks like what I used decades ago and all core layers were luan. Can't remember the name now.

[brad hays]

I'm sure I owe an apology somewhere for being on Woodweb because I'm not a professional at all. Working toward that direction though. I try not to ask dumb questions on there.

I had written to the originator of that piece and didn't think I was getting a return but he eventually got back and the ply is 20mm European Beech and the hardwood is 10mm mahogany.

Over the last week or so I've been to all the local distributors and haven't seen anything like Warren's picture there. All the 3/4" (Baltic?) Birch I've seen around here is either 11 or 13 ply. That 15 ply is really pretty stuff. I'd pay to ship maybe 1/4 sheet if I knew where to get it.