Looking for baltic birch plywood

[jim gossage]

i am looking for baltic birch plywood in 1/2"x60"x60" sheets. despite a lot of googling and using woodfinder.com, i have been unable to find a dealer within an hour of augusta GA, or one who is willing to ship whole sheets for less than $150 freight! i did find a dealer about 45 miles away who carries "russian birch" for a reasonable price. is this the same as baltic birch? i would appreciate any help or advice that you can give me. thanks

[Larry Rasmussen]

The plans were very specific calling for Baltic Birch. It appears that the term Russian birch can be used interchangably. One stray thread on a woodworking site explained that as the forests in the baltics were starting to become depleted the sourcing switched to the North or generally the Russian area. Some sources suggested that the generic term Baltic Birch is now applied liberally and little of the plywood is sourced in the original regions.

The 1/2" will be a little under in width of course but less so than most plywood. On some Baltic Birch I picked up at the Seattle Rockler Store I see 9 layers and it is about 1/32 under 1/2". I looked at a few local sources for the 3/4" my speaker project called for and find you still want to pick and choose a bit depending on how it is stored. There are nice flat pieces and bowed sheets.

Probably the thing to do is call, determine how many layers there are, whether there are any voids. There should be no voids in theory although the more accurate description from the vender was that there could be a rare few.

Hope that helps,
Larry

[Kacey Zach]

I have noticed that some Menards now carry Baltic Birch plywood

[Andrew Williams]

Some lumberyards can order stuff they don't normally carry. I get my baltic birch at a local contractor lumberyard (not a hardwood place). They don't normally stock it but can get it, and sometimes have a sheet or two around. I find it's best to go in person, and talk to someone there. Sometimes when they answer the phone it's just not the same.

["Al Dixon"]

They are NOT within an hour of Augusta, but I have talked with North American Plywood Corp. http://www.northamply.com/

I was looking for Baltic Birch and the the big orange box store is not the place to go. I found these guys on the net somewhere. The prices are not too bad but like you mentioned the shipping cost is an issue, unless you need a bunch.

They sent samples of several different products they handle and they all look good. The rep also mentioned that supply was getting tight. He said that the area where the trees are cut didn't freeze long enough this winter to allow a typical harvest...

[Jim Becker]

As stated, "Baltic" and "Russian" birch are pretty much interchangable. You might also look for "ApplePly" from local suppliers. If you are not a pro, it may pay you to get to know a local cabinetmaker who has a relationship with the plywood suppliers. Jumping on one of their orders could give you access to "the good stuff" as well as save you money over retail. The cabinet shop gets to increase their buying volume a skoosh and make a little markup on your sheets if they want.

I now have an arragement with my cabinetmaker neighbor in this respect...he buys from the big local wholesaler and I'm going to need material for my home addition cabinetry projects. I refuse to spend a single penny at the 'borg anymore for inferior goods.

[Ted Miller]

I was in HD getting some screws and passing the lumber 2'x4', 3/4" cutoffs BB, 13 ply was $9.38 each and the pieces were in good shape. Grade was probably B/BB...

[Brian Rice]

I found some 22mm birch ply at Home Depot that worked for making drawer parts. Could not find the BB ply locally.Brian

[Joe Chritz]

Jim's idea is best.

If you can't do that then call any local lumberyard. I get 5'x5' 12mm Baltic Birch (grade B/BB) from a lumber yard in Clare, MI. Clare has a pop of 3173 as of the 2000 census.

Any void free quality ply can be used interchangeably with Baltic birch. Apply ply is an american version.

Joe

[Von Bickley]

Jim,

It will probably be about a 1 hour drive for you.

Roy's Wood Products
329 Thrush Ln.
Lugoff, SC 29078

Phone: 803-438-1590

They are at Exit / Mile Marker 92 on I-20 and their web-site is royswoodproducts.com ;) :) ;)

[Jim Tobias]

Try Wall Lumber at link below.


www.walllumber.com

Jim

[Al Killian]

Look in the yellow pages for plywood or costume woodmouldings. Any places that deals with coustum moldings should be able to get it for you. You culd call a few cabinet makers and ask them where they get it. I would not buy the stuff Home Depot sells. It has very thin verneer and warps alot when cut.

[jim gossage]

thanks all for your suggestions. as usual, this site "rocks" with good advice. it sounds like the russian birch may be my best bet. i found a place near columbia SC that carries it, and its on my way to my parents house in charlotte, NC. if his product is not adequate, then i may try Roy's wood products as suggested by Von. i think we may be a bit slow here in augusta - i called 5 cabinet makers as suggested by jim, but 4 of the 5 had not heard of BB, just regular birch! i'll keep trying, though - there are a few more in the book. steve wall sounds like a great resource for future hardwood shipments, but he can't ship full 60" sheets unless its part of a 100 BF order - but his prices are great. i'll update you after my lumber weekend run (i'm going to pick up 100 BF of 6/4 walnut that a cousin donated to my father)!

[Robert Malone]

Jim, I also buy from Roy's Wood Products. 1-800-727-1590
Their BB is 60'X60" @~28 bucks.
If you go, see Doug Eastman, he will have all the time you need. Bob

[Von Bickley]

Jim, I also buy from Roy's Wood Products. 1-800-727-1590
Their BB is 60'X60" @~28 bucks.
If you go, see Doug Eastman, he will have all the time you need. Bob

You may be able to do a short tour. Very interesting. They build "A LOT" of cabinet doors there. ;)

[Robert Malone]

You may be able to do a short tour. Very interesting. They build "A LOT" of cabinet doors there. ;)

That's right Von.
Oh while you're there, ask for their cut-offs.
I got walnut, bass and others 2 weeks ago.

[Mitchell Garnett]

On some Baltic Birch I picked up at the Seattle Rockler Store I see 9 layers and it is about 1/32 under 1/2". I looked at a few local sources for the 3/4" my speaker project called for and find you still want to pick and choose a bit depending on how it is stored.

Larry,

For what it is worth, I've had good luck with Midway Plywood in Lynwood - but I'll admit I use them mostly because they are more convenient to where I live (near Woodinville) than some of the other local suppliers.

Mitchell

[Noah Levy]

Not sure how much you need, but in my area (NJ), I just call a couple of the local cabinet shops and they either sell it out of their shop stock or order some with their next delivery from the whosaler. They tack on 20% but since they buy in volume, I end up getting it for less than the local hardwood dealer.

[Don S. Hill]

About a year ago I went to my local big orange. There, right on the end of the first lumber row, was a pallet load of birch plywood, only this was not the usual cabinet grade stuff they usually carry. There before me was top-shelf 13-ply shop grade baltic! And for some odd reason they had it at 29 bucks a sheet. (The assistant manager said it was because it wasn't the right grade they normall carry and they wanted to get rid of it quickly. I bought two sheets and took it home where I promptly cut it a couple of times toi make sure the quality was there. When I saw it was pretty much perfect I went back with the intention of buying the entire pallet. When I got there apparently someone had come in who knew exacxtly what it was and bought the entire lot! Grr! Missed it by about 3 minutes I was told. Oh well. I dod make some very nice jigs with the two sheets I had and can't complaint too much.

[Erik Christensen]

I know it is not 'real' BB ply but my SoCal hardwood store sells american made 'BB like' product in 4x8 sheets. It is a high ply count zero void product that I have used a ton of in both 3/4" for cabinet cases and 1/2" for drawer bottoms. I must have used 40-50 sheets in the last 2 years and never had a problem with quality. They also sell real 5x5 BB, but it does not fit in my truck bed that has a camper shell, so I gave the 4x8 stuff a try - it has worked well for me and is slightly less expensive to boot. Depending on your application you might find it an acceptable substitute if it is more easily acquired locally.

[Robert LaPlaca]

thanks all for your suggestions. as usual, this site "rocks" with good advice. it sounds like the russian birch may be my best bet. i found a place near columbia SC that carries it, and its on my way to my parents house in charlotte, NC. if his product is not adequate, then i may try Roy's wood products as suggested by Von. i think we may be a bit slow here in augusta - i called 5 cabinet makers as suggested by jim, but 4 of the 5 had not heard of BB, just regular birch! i'll keep trying, though - there are a few more in the book. steve wall sounds like a great resource for future hardwood shipments, but he can't ship full 60" sheets unless its part of a 100 BF order - but his prices are great. i'll update you after my lumber weekend run (i'm going to pick up 100 BF of 6/4 walnut that a cousin donated to my father)!

I can tell you since you are going to be in Charlotte, the Wurth Group sells Baltic Birch plywood, they are near the airport. Wouldn't surprise me if there isn't a location closer to you, as they quite a large sheet goods dealer..

[Joe Angrisani]

....so I gave the 4x8 stuff a try - it has worked well for me and is slightly less expensive to boot.....

Be sure to check local prices. Here in Colorado, 4x8 sheets are almost twice the price (per square foot) that the 5x5 sheets are. Don't know if it's true, but I've been told the difference is higher shipping costs in the 4x8 size.

[Jim Neeley]

Joe,

It may be true but it sure conflicts with what I've been told.

I've been told that the 5'x5' pieces traditionally and generally still come from the baltic regions while the 4'x8' sheets generally come from third-world countries (specifically China) that make 4x8 sheets because they already have the presses for making this wood. Continuing what I've been told, true Baltic Birch harvesting is highly regulated to avoid damage to the environment (harvesting period dependant upon frozen ground, etc.) so its availability is seasonally affected. Other countries have capitalized on periods of shortage by entering the market except using their existing equipment and manufacturing the products to their local standards of quality.

Doesn't seem to align however you may well be correct; my info is second-hand from my lumber supplier [who specializes in serving the local custom cabinet shops so has a vested interest in 5'x5' BB plywood].

[johnny means]

+1 on talking to a local cabinet maker. Personally, I would be more than happy to play middle man for a couple of extra bucks. Hell, I would sell it at cost for a lunch or two. Your local shop is also going to have easy access to dozens of different "professional" grade sheet goods. 1" ultra light mdf? No problem. 1/2" veneer core sycamore? Be here in three days. Smiley face printed laminate? What size you need? 12x5 sheets? Just be sure to bring a friend, I'm not moving it.

[Sam Murdoch]

I haven't bought any for a while but I have used and liked Apple Ply http://www.appleply.com/ as an excellent, no compromise alternative to Batlic/Russian birch. 4X8 sheets too!

More info of this made in America product from the website -

259131 ApplePly is constructed from 1/16" Birch innerplies using a two-step lamination process, and no added urea-formaldehyde adhesive. Innerplies are first assembled into a core blank and size sanded to a metered tolerance before being overlaid with selected face and back veneers. This process insures a solid, smooth and flat product and eliminates telegraphing of imperfections in the core. The all hardwood construction machines beautifully without tearout or burn. Because of its machinability, ApplePly is often substituted for solid wood.

Typically supplied with a Maple face veneer, ApplePly is also available with virtually any specie and grade of commercial veneer. Factory applied ultraviolet cured finishes are also an option. ApplePly is California Air Resources Board certified, no added urea-formaldehyde and available as Forest Stewardship Council certified.

ApplePly is a registered trademark of States Industries LLC, a manufacturer of commercial hardwood plywood based in Eugene, Oregon. States has been supplying wood panel products throughout North America since 1966...

[Eddie Darby]

Another term I have run across for Baltic Birch Plywood, or Russian; is Finnish.
All these plys come from the same part of the world, and have many layers, with next to no knots, and if they have knots, then they partch them out.
Woodcraft have 1/2" Baltic Plywood, but not as big as 60" x60".

HomeDepot has "12mm, (1/2"" in Category), 4ft x 8ft, Sandeply Hardwood Plywood" (http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100017950?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051&N=5yc1vZbu0m&R=100017950#.UV-TWKBXo4c) Just don't know if they have any stores in the Atlanta area??? :eek::rolleyes::cool:

[Jim Finn]

I recently got some plywood from Lowes that when cut has no voids in it. They had 1/2" and 3/4". The 3/4" cost me $46 per 4'x8' sheet. Nice looking grain and color. Looks like apple wood.

[Michael Dunn]

I haven't bought any for a while but I have used and liked Apple Ply http://www.appleply.com/ as an excellent, no compromise alternative to Batlic/Russian birch. 4X8 sheets too!

More info of this made in America product from the website -

<img src="http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=259131"/> ApplePly is constructed from 1/16" Birch innerplies using a two-step lamination process, and no added urea-formaldehyde adhesive. Innerplies are first assembled into a core blank and size sanded to a metered tolerance before being overlaid with selected face and back veneers. This process insures a solid, smooth and flat product and eliminates telegraphing of imperfections in the core. The all hardwood construction machines beautifully without tearout or burn. Because of its machinability, ApplePly is often substituted for solid wood.

Typically supplied with a Maple face veneer, ApplePly is also available with virtually any specie and grade of commercial veneer. Factory applied ultraviolet cured finishes are also an option. ApplePly is California Air Resources Board certified, no added urea-formaldehyde and available as Forest Stewardship Council certified.

ApplePly is a registered trademark of States Industries LLC, a manufacturer of commercial hardwood plywood based in Eugene, Oregon. States has been supplying wood panel products throughout North America since 1966...

That ApplePly looks amazing!!! I'll have to see if my local supplier has any.

[Mark Churay]

Seems like finding BB plywood in the south is very difficult. The only birch plywood I can get in Baton Rouge is either made in China, or 7 ply made in the U.S. I found some 13 ply made in China at HD also. Most pretty poorly made. I rank BB plywood with the mythical tempered 2 sided 1/4" hardboard. I have tried to find 1/4" hardboard in an area from I55 north St Louis MO to Pittsburgh, PA. I'm convinced that the folks at Woodsmith/Shopnotes buy the entire U.S. supply to build all the jigs and projects. Mark