Have I Found an Aberration?

[Mac McAtee]

I needed some Red Oak and Birch plywood for a project in the shop. Went to HD and picked it up. Bought some cut 2X4 sheets. Got home and noticed that the Red Oak was the usually 3 ply, slightly thinner than the advertised 1/4". However the Birch is a full 1/4" thick and five ply. Very different from other Birch that I have bought before.

Question is, at $8.00 for a 2X4 piece of full measure 1/4" Birch, should I go back and get some more? Other than Baltic Birch that is advertised as being full measurement, I haven't seen anything like this in years.

[Philip Berman]

I too noticed that HD had 13-ply 3/4 birch, although mixed in was the usual stuff too. I asked a worker who was loading another rack about it, and his response was that they sell whatever they get at a good price. He went on to tell me they had maple ply last year, 13-ply, true 3/4" thick, which they had on sale for $20.99 per sheet! I don't usually buy wood there, but since I'm constantly there for other stuff, I'll pay more attention to what they've got and when there's something worthwhile, grab it. BTW, the 13-ply birch they had yesterday was already cut down to 2x4 and 4x4 partial sheets - no whole sheets.

[Jim Becker]

I too noticed that HD had 13-ply 3/4 birch, although mixed in was the usual stuff too. I asked a worker who was loading another rack about it, and his response was that they sell whatever they get at a good price. He went on to tell me they had maple ply last year, 13-ply, true 3/4" thick, which they had on sale for $20.99 per sheet! I don't usually buy wood there, but since I'm constantly there for other stuff, I'll pay more attention to what they've got and when there's something worthwhile, grab it. BTW, the 13-ply birch they had yesterday was already cut down to 2x4 and 4x4 partial sheets - no whole sheets.

Just be aware that there are reasons that the bargan plywood is priced like it is. Both HD and Lowes have had birch/maple 3/4" plywood for about $28 for some time now as a special purschase. The surfaces are nice, but there are tons of voids on the interior. It's fine for projects that that kind of thing will not matter, but not a good choice for other projects. The 3/4" Columbia birch plywood for $39 is noticably better quality, even though it has an occasional void in the core. It also seems to cut cleaner than the $28 stuff, in my experience.

[Charles McKinley]

I have only been paying $20 for birch and oak ply for a 4X8 sheet. The first 2 cuts are usually free and .50 or $1. Look at what they have in full sheets. Lowes and HD same same.