Infamous Chinese Plywood at Home Depot

[Jeffrey Makiel]

There was a thread about this a few days ago. So, did it stop me from buying some?

I looked at the 3/4" birch plywood at Home Depot, and it was delaminating on the rack before my sad eyes. It was also bowed which amazes me for something that is laying flat. So I found a stack of Sandeply, whatever that is.

The Sandeply sheets were flat, and the veneer was smooth without visual defect. However, when I got home and started to cut it up, it began to bow. I also noticed that the veneer appears to be like some type of blonde mahogany. It was splintery as heck. There were also plenty of voids within the interior plys.

I'm building speaker stand carcasses from it. The exterior will be cladded with oak tambour so the plywood is not seen...thank goodness. I could not imagine using it for fine furniture or cabinets. It was a full 1/16" undersized, which wreaks havoc on my drawings too.

Needless to say, it was difficult to work with and precision was out the door... never, never again. It's just another poor product experience by me at Home Depot.

-Jeff :)

[Travis Porter]

It is sad, but true. I had been buying birch from HD, but the last I bought which wasn't cheap ($44) warped as soon as I cut it. It was not American made, but the price was for American made IMO.

I have gotten burned with the sandply as well where the thicknesses of the sheets are inconsistent. I bought three sheets awhile back and had none of them were the same thickness with the worst two being 1/16" off from each other.

[Larry Norton]

Jeff, I've bought my last sheet of HD/Lowes plywood. One of our local building supply stores will sell me the good stuff for not a whole lot more than their prices.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Unfortunately, this ply is not just at HD's. You can find it most anywhere. We went to FW to get some ply a year or so ago and the same problem existed in just about every stack there was. This place SPECIALIZES in plywood!!

[Byron Trantham]

Unfortunately, this ply is not just at HD's. You can find it most anywhere. We went to FW to get some ply a year or so ago and the same problem existed in just about every stack there was. This place SPECIALIZES in plywood!!

Kelly is right. I had the same experience at HD and went to my hardwood supplier and as soon as I cut it, it warped. I'm just not sure what we can do until enough screaming has been done to stop the importing of this junk! I called my supplier and told him of my experience and of course he said he hasn't had any complaints - so far.

[Bob Marino]

Does this poor quality apply to the 2' x4' sheets also?

Bob

[Mike Henderson]

Does this poor quality apply to the 2' x4' sheets also?

Bob
I've only bought 2x4 sheets from HD a few times and have not had any problems with it. I've only had problems with the 4x8 sheets.

Mike

[glenn bradley]

Thanks for taking the hit for the team. I've pretty much given up on the BORGs for lumber unless it's the occasional sheet of MDF or hardboard. My local lumber yard is just as close, has competitive prices and consistent quality. If only they didn't keep banker's hours . . . . what's up with that?

[JayStPeter]

I've bought $120/sheet bookmatched Cherry ply that had the same problems. It also had paper thin outer veneer that could be sanded through by rubbing it with your hand backed by some sort of softwood that dented if you even thought about setting your hammer on it. I've also gotten excellent quality birch veneer ply at HD and decent maple at Lowes. The only ply I don't have problems with is the umpteen layer BB. The rest seems to be hit or miss.
I use sandeply for all my shop cabinets and have found it to be pretty decent. I suspect handling and storage of all ply varies from store to store and causes problems. Handling it after getting it from the store is also crucial.


Things I've learned:
- Borg Ply: Don't ever take the top couple pieces. Dig down. If they only have a few sheets left, walk.
- Never lean it against a wall when you get home. Also don't lay it flat on the floor. I break my sheets down immediately upon arrival and stack the pieces on a flat surface with scraps on top and pile a few tools on for weight. If that's not possible, I try to store it with some other boards clamped to it to keep it as flat as possible.

[Mike Buelow]

Maybe i'm looking in the wrong places, but it seems that I can't find "decent shop grade" (oxymoron) plywood from other suppliers for "a few bucks more." The only sheets I can find are all about 100% more expensive, and in those cases I'll take the yield hit over the double cost.

Same complaints about BORG ply but when birch is $68/sheet at my local yard, I'll cover my face and schlep a few sheets over to the free panel cutter. Same goes for putting shims in my dado stack back at home.

One of these days I'll start a thread about where to find affordable plywood in the Twin Cities metro.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I just came back from a hardwood supplier that is about 35 minutes from my house. I specifically asked him the origin of his sheet stock. He said that all his plywood was either American or Canadian. He also stated that he once bought Asian plywood but said that he will never do that again.

While I was at Home Depot the other day for the plywood, I went over to the lighting section to get more Lithonian (spelling) shoplights. I made the mistake many years ago of buying the cheap shoplights. So, I'm gradually changing out all 20 of them. However, they no longer carry the brand I wanted and instead has something that was similar and cheaper. I declined.

I also noticed that all the fixtures have been goofed with. The boxes were taped closed. I see this all too often at Home Depot often with parts missing. Needless to say, I'm sour with them.

I see the mom and pop places coming back someday.

-Jeff :)

[Bob Huddleston]

I will spend th extra buck a sheet and stay with my local, family owned yard. They are very picky about the material they sell, and back it up. Plus they employ knowledgeable people with many, many years worth of experience. I will stay local and away from the Borg stores. Sorry to hear of your problems.

[Blake Holton]

First, let me qualify my remarks by stating that I work in the forest products manufacturing field in the US, so my comments may be tainted.

When looking at plywood I check the long (8') edges of the ply for a HPVA grade stamp. This tells me that the plywood is certified by a third party (the Hardwood Plywood Veneer Association) to comply with the ANSI product standard for hardwood plywood. This standard contains several aspects of manufacturing quality that many of us are concerned with, including:

Physical dimensions
Formaldehyde emissions
Veneer quality
Core quality, etc.

[rocky brown]

i just left my local hd and lowes and couldn't find a decent sheet of plywood between them. the oak and birch that i was looking at was warped and had paper thin veneers. in both stores the stacks of birch had "made in china" stamped on it but the oak stacks had no indication of where it came from.
tomorrow i'll head over to hogan's or fine lumber. does anyone know how much i should pay for 3/4" oak or birch ply?

thanks,
rocky

[Lee DeRaud]

I've only bought 2x4 sheets from HD a few times and have not had any problems with it. I've only had problems with the 4x8 sheets.Second that: I only get the 2x4 because that's what will fit in the car...never had a problem.

[Paul Canaris]

I have noticed a hit or miss aspect to the quality of Chinese plywood’s compared to US made.

Called around today and found a local supplier who has all US made; around $52 a sheet for stain grade birch; oak ranges from $49 to $70 per sheet depending on the quality of the veneer.

I don’t want to put many hours into a project and have to deal with materials failures along the way. So I am off tomorrow to pick up several sheets for a project.

[Tom Ricochet]

For those in the central parts of the country - my local Menard's has Baltic Birch ply in 4'x8' sheets. 1/2" - about $48, 3/4" - about $65

[Clint Winterhalter]

I recently did a quick project out of the china plywood. I did the project in my garage during an August 100 degree day with 95% humid. I thought it was me, but the saw dust from this stuff stunk. My neighbor came by to see what I was working on. He crinkled his nose and asked what stunk.

I had problems with inconsistent thickness also. I went back to Depot and was able to sway the store manager to giving me half my cash back. He didn't want to but when I brought in 8 scraps that varied wildly. He reluctantly said OK..

[Fred Voorhees]

I recently did a quick project out of the china plywood. I did the project in my garage during an August 100 degree day with 95% humid. I thought it was me, but the saw dust from this stuff stunk.

I remember having this experience a time or two now that I think about it.

[Dan McGuire]

Shortly after we moved into the new house, my wife asked me to build a closet organizer for my sons room. Having short time, I went to the BORG to get the veneer ply they had on sale, about $30 per sheet, what a mistake. Being in a hurry to get it home and cut up before an engagement that I had that afternoon I only gave the sheets a cursory inspection as I was loading them on the rack, my second mistake. When I finally got to see the delamination of the sheets, the air bubbles and the overall general condition of the wood I was really kicking myself.
Well I went ahead and completed the project, painted it and stacked with junk as quick as I could, shut the door and made a mental note not purchase that garbage again.

another lesson learned, the hard way

Dan

[Jim Isabella]

OK, I give up.

What does BORG mean????????

:o

[Paul Greathouse]

OK, I give up.

What does BORG mean???????

:o
BORG - Big Old Retail Giant
It's kind of a "catch all" for the larger places like Lowes, Home Depot or other suppliers of comparable size.

[Lamar Horton]

I just read an article in "Wood and Wood Products" that talked about chinese plywood. It said there are literally thousands of plywood mills in China, most of which make the poor quality plywood we are all familiar with. However there are a few mills who have heard the cries and are producing a better product.

http://www.timberproducts.com/newsletter/ click the fall 2006 newsletter and go to page three.

I serioulsly doubt that the BORGs will ever concern themselves about which mill their plywood comes from. However this is not the case for your larger, more reputable hardwood dealers.

My rules are:
Never buy chinese plywood from the BORGs!
Ask for "premium core" from reputable hardwood suppliers.
Only use it where it cannot be seen.

[Jim Becker]

BORG - Big Old Retail Giant
It's kind of a "catch all" for the larger places like Lowes, Home Depot or other suppliers of comparable size.
It's actually what I'll call a "dual use" word...it also refers to a society in the Star Trek Next Generation series where every member is part of a collective consciousness and has no ability of independent thought...appropriate when you put all the "Big Old Retail Giants" togther, don't you think?

[Larry James]

...I just read an article in "Wood and Wood Products" that talked about chinese plywood. It said there are literally thousands of plywood mills in China, most of which make the poor quality plywood we are all familiar with. However there are a few mills who have heard the cries and are producing a better product.

http://www.timberproducts.com/newsletter/ click the fall 2006 newsletter and go to page three...

Thanks for sharing the link. Considering the huge amount of plywood from China, one has to wonder what is happening to the forests in Asia.

Larry

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Have you seen the new Chinese Cedar pickets for fences at your friendly neighborhood HD's?

[Bob Huddleston]

I meant it as the Star Trek reference. And most of the people that watch those gawd awful remodeling shows and think, with just a little bit of cheap OSB and some drywall screws, I can make a new sofa! Those are the Borg as well. But I did like the Big Ole' Retail Giants :)

:p

[Homer Faucett]

I have 8 sheets purchased for my kitchen cabinets. Some have been glued up into the carcasses, some cut up for putting together and sitting in my unheated barn/shop, and most are still in the big sheets sitting on edge on the concrete. They are all 13 ply "Made in China" birch or maple ply from HD.

No delamination, no more voids than what I have seen in the expensive stuff, and no warping. the face veneers have been okay, but a little on the thin side. Again, not much worse than the more expensive stuff from Canada.

For me, at $25 per sheet, I'm more than happy. Maybe I just got lucky, but I knew I would take them back and get a refund if they failed.

[John Shuk]

My neighbor owns a huge business renting out display cases for shows in NYC and Las Vegas. He recently told me about some cases they built with chinese plywood that was very good. I'm sure he didn't buy at HD though!
I try to avoid HD for wood not so much because of the quality but I think the rough handling is a huge problem. I find it pretty tough to find an object there that is unscathed regardless of what I'm buying.

[Jim Isabella]

I thought it had to do with the "Resistance Is Futile" part of the Star Trek meaning!

But I like the "Big Old Retail Giant" too............

I have to say that I am just finishing up some cabinets using oak faced Chinese plywood from HD, and I really did not have any problems with it. I did have to go through about 15 sheets to get 5 that I was happy with. But I find that to be the norm with both Lowes and HD on just about everything.

[Mike Buelow]

I have 8 sheets purchased for my kitchen cabinets. Some have been glued up into the carcasses, some cut up for putting together and sitting in my unheated barn/shop, and most are still in the big sheets sitting on edge on the concrete. They are all 13 ply "Made in China" birch or maple ply from HD.

No delamination, no more voids than what I have seen in the expensive stuff, and no warping. the face veneers have been okay, but a little on the thin side. Again, not much worse than the more expensive stuff from Canada.

For me, at $25 per sheet, I'm more than happy. Maybe I just got lucky, but I knew I would take them back and get a refund if they failed.

My point exactly. 25-30 bucks, take the yield hit if your picks turn out to be off a bit, use the free panel cutter if you don't have a pickup or a decent back.

[Jake Helmboldt]

For those in the central parts of the country - my local Menard's has Baltic Birch ply in 4'x8' sheets. 1/2" - about $48, 3/4" - about $65

It has been my understanding that true Baltic Birch does not come in 4x8 sheets, but rather 5x5. Is this true, or have there been changes in the market? How does one tell if it is real "baltic birch"?

JH

[Kelly C. Hanna]

We can get it in 5x5, 2x4 & 2x8 sizes at Austin Hardwoods. First, you won't see it in any home center or small yard. I find it mostly at hardwood suppliers in Dallas. It has no voids anywhere [at least it's not supposed to] and it's very light in color.

[Paul Canaris]

Seems like the quality of plywood is going downhill in general. After reading this string I decided to forgoe the HD stuff and go to Austin and pick up some made in north american plywood paint grade birch (painted cabinets for garage). The third of five sheets fell apart as it came off the first rip cut through my panel saw. :eek:

Seems it had delaminated right down the center ply for about two thirds of it's length. :mad: Hope the remaining two are allright.:(

I can say this however, it is a lot flatter than the Chinese stuff I have seen at HD.:D