No-void plywood

[brad hays]

I've got a project coming up where I need maybe about a quarter sheet of no-void plywood and there's none to be found in my area, even at the lumber specialty stores.

The species used for the plies or laminate isn't particularly important. I'm just looking for something that's about 3/4" with good continuity of material when viewed from the side.

So, I'm wondering if there's a place here on the interwebs or possibly around central Kentucky that might carry such a rarefied wood product.

Thanks ahead

[Jim Dwight]

Baltic Birch is probably your best bet. I haven't shopped for it since Covid but I assume it still can be had. It isn't totally void free but I've had good luck with the pine plywood sold at HD that is made in Chile. It has voids but less than most. A little filler could fix the occasional void.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

We have Menard's stores in MO. They carry very nice void free marine Fir. It seems to be unavailable from Home Depot although I have had it "shipped to store" at Home Depot in the past. Our regular lumber yard will bring it in upon request.

[Jamie Buxton]

True Baltic Birch plywood is nearly void-free, but it is now very rare in the US because of the Ukraine war. Marine plywood used to be void-free, and rather expensive. I think some retailers may now be selling lower-grade plywood with the higher-grade name. I'd be skeptical of big-box stores' "marine plywood".

[roger wiegand]

MDO that I've been buying has been pretty much void free; might work if you care only about the edges.

[Mel Fulks]

MDO that I've been buying has been pretty much void free; might work if you care only about the edges.

I agree with Roger. I’ve been told many times by vendors that the only absolute no void stuff is Marine Plywood. MDO is good stuff.

[andy bessette]

...need maybe about a quarter sheet of no-void plywood and there's none to be found in my area...

Try harder. Any Baltic birch or marine ply will be void-free.

[Richard Coers]

Any good lumber yard has a plywood wholesaler that delivers any kind of plywood they order. You'll have to buy a full sheet though. 2nd option is to glue on a piece of 1/8" hardwood as an edge band. EDIT; When I just saw you posted this on the AAW turning site, I realized my edge banding comment is likely way off. You may want to ask on the turning site here too.

[John Gustafson]

Do a search for Aircraft plywood. It's made to a Mil Spec and that should be the best grade out there. Price might curl your hair but if you want no voids I suspect that's where you will find it. Looking at one supplier I saw Finnish Aircraft plywood listed. Wicks lists up to 3/4 inch and apparently sells partial sheets. This was probably a 3 minute search on my part.

John G

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I looked over my plywood scraps. The A C marine Fir does have a very few small voids no larger than 1/8. Some A B Oak with a core that looks like Aspen combined with a tropical looking wood is very nearly void free. Although the edge is not good looking, it came from one of the home stores. Lumber Core or Block Core is a neat product. I have not seen any in years. Dad still has a few sheets way down at the bottom of his stacks.

[Curt Harms]

Do a search for Aircraft plywood. It's made to a Mil Spec and that should be the best grade out there. Price might curl your hair but if you want no voids I suspect that's where you will find it. Looking at one supplier I saw Finnish Aircraft plywood listed. Wicks lists up to 3/4 inch and apparently sells partial sheets. This was probably a 3 minute search on my part.

John G

Aircraft spruce and specialty has full and partial sheets of mil spec plywood and as expected it isn't cheap. Basswood 3/4" 2' X 4' 9 plies $140.00
aircraftspruce.com

I bought some 3/4" oak on one side birch on the other from Industrial Plywood in Reading PA. This was several years ago but it was very very close to if not perfect as far as no voids and it didn't cost $560/sheet.

[Ken Combs]

I looked over my plywood scraps. The A C marine Fir does have a very few small voids no larger than 1/8. Some A B Oak with a core that looks like Aspen combined with a tropical looking wood is very nearly void free. Although the edge is not good looking, it came from one of the home stores. Lumber Core or Block Core is a neat product. I have not seen any in years. Dad still has a few sheets way down at the bottom of his stacks.

I asked at my local lumber yard about lumber core. We used a lot of that in the 70s. It is still in stock at my yard, in ash and oak. Both used to be really in demand for site built cabinets. Not completely void free but really close. And cheaper that Baltic or similar.

[andy bessette]

...lumber core... Not completely void free...

Definitely not void free, and generally structurally way inferior to Baltic birch.

[Ole Anderson]

I've been pretty happy with MDO signboard, great for outdoor projects. Available at my local plywood specialty supplier. Drayton Plywood in Waterford MI.

[Mike King]

Baltic birch is not in short supply in Colorado.