Have a chance to buy some BB plywood - is it worth it?

[Ray Bahr]

Listed as 12mm x 4 x 8 B/BB EXT RUSSIAN BIRCH VC CARB P2, TSCA Title VI compliant.

2 questions:

Is this Baltic Birch and
is ~$90 / sheet a good price

Thanks

Ray

[Jamie Buxton]

That description sure looks like real baltic birch, not one of the many imitators.
$90 per sheet is a fair price.

[Marc Fenneuff]

Yes that's decent. My supplier quoted me (er, "estimated me") $90+ when their next load comes in.

[Sam Force]

Local Lowes had $90 Baltic birch. Very poor quality was full of voids, some over 8 inches long. Very think face veneer, would not recommend it

[James Jayko]

Isn't all real baltic birch 5' square? There are 4x8 sheets of birch plywood (and its fine), but it's not the same 13 core stuff that is now ~$200 / 5' sheet.

[Keegan Shields]

My local supplier has 3/4" BB sheets in 5'x5' and 4'x8' sizes.

"Birch plywood" from Lowes is not BB.

[Jim Becker]

Isn't all real baltic birch 5' square? There are 4x8 sheets of birch plywood (and its fine), but it's not the same 13 core stuff that is now ~$200 / 5' sheet.
It's most common in the 5x5 size over the years here in the US, but is produced in 4x8 (metric equivalent), too.

[Michael Burnside]

I paid $165 (ea) for two 5x5 sheets of 13-ply BB last week. There were some 4x8 but at +$200 and with a little bow in them, I wasn't going to fuss around with it. Sheesh, some of my recent shop projects, like my 4-track tracksaw track holder cut on the CNC, is more expensive than the tools they're holding :eek:

[Michael Drew]

The BB I've seen where I live, is only available in 5X5 sheets. It's 13 ply. The same vendor also carries Russian Birch, which is also 13 ply and comes in 4X8 sheets. Both are very similar in quality. I usually get the 4X8 stuff, mostly due to ease of transport in the back of a pickup with a cover. The 5X5 sheets are a PITA to load and handle.... Two years ago, the Russian Birch 4X8 sheets were roughly $75. Today, they are $200. I actually bought 3 sheets of "Lonestar" Maple plywood at $120 each to build some shop furniture, because it was the least expensive sheet goods they had, other than MDF or CDX type construction plywood. Crazy....

[Cary Falk]

Around here, the 5/5 always looks like better quality than the 4x8. Faces are thicker and less defects. If it looks decent, I would definitely buy it.

[Walter Plummer]

When I was working we could get the 13 ply birch in a lot of sizes, up to 5'x12' but I believe they just called it "Russian birch".

[chris weir]

18mm Russian Baltic Birch 4' x 8' 13 ply at Russell Plywood in Wilmington, De, $165.00 per sheet, at least it was in late November of 2022494070

[Rich Konopka]

Here are the prices from my local supplier.
This place is a candy shop. Over an acre filled with everything you could possibly need.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8f9ff3809d8e697b10b7d2/t/63b5ce7d16c5473cc53c3d68/1672859261880/PeachState+Stock+Sheet+01-04-2023.pdf

[Nick Lazz]

There's a wide range of what is considered 'BB'.. Some of these prices have to be Indonesian which is a shop grade with numerous voids. Top tier and actual BB in my area...and I get contractor pricing... is @$130 for a 3/4" x 4x8 sheet (before the pandemic I paid about $85). Look at the stamp on the side of the sheet which can help determine it's origin....or ask the lumber supplier.

Rich...I may have to ship a unit from GA if that is actual BB!

[Frank Pratt]

Local Lowes had $90 Baltic birch. Very poor quality was full of voids, some over 8 inches long. Very think face veneer, would not recommend it
Thin face veneers? Then it was not Baltic birch, which has face veneers almost as thick as the interior veneers.

[Brian Tymchak]

Here are the prices from my local supplier.
This place is a candy shop. Over an acre filled with everything you could possibly need.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8f9ff3809d8e697b10b7d2/t/63b5ce7d16c5473cc53c3d68/1672859261880/PeachState+Stock+Sheet+01-04-2023.pdf

Do you know if they actually have BB in stock? I haven't checked in the last few weeks, but my favorite local supplier couldn't even order it from any of their distributors and I believe that one of those is in ATL.

[Dave Sabo]

Local Lowes had $90 Baltic birch. Very poor quality was full of voids, some over 8 inches long. Very think face veneer, would not recommend it


That’s just reg ol’ birch plywood NOT BALTIC BIRCH !

In fact , what their SKU describes is C2 grade and it’s not even 3/4” thick though it’s listed as 3/4” nominal.

[Rich Konopka]

Do you know if they actually have BB in stock? I haven't checked in the last few weeks, but my favorite local supplier couldn't even order it from any of their distributors and I believe that one of those is in ATL.

I’ve been checking often and their inventory on the website indicated they had it. Give them a ring.