In 1500 BC Egyptian craftsmen used thin strips of dark ebony to decorate the outside of a cedar wood casket found in King Tutankhamun's tomb.
The Greeks and Romans later used this technique to produce decorative objects such as fine furniture. In the 1600's this method of decorating furniture became known as veneering and the thin strips were called veneers.
Plywood is now made using three or more thin layers of wood veneer, glued together with an adhesive. Each layer, or 'ply', has the grain running at right angles to it's neighbour, in order to reduce shrinkage and improve strength.
One of the great advantages of plywood, particularly birch plywood is that it can be pressed into simple or complex curve shapes and so is an extremely versatile material.
For example, the De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito flown so successfully in World War II was built from compound sandwich panels using Canadian birch plywood.
However, plywood is also used extensively in wood box making! Among the most common uses for thin gauge birch plywood is the manufacture of round boxes such as large round hamper boxes and shaker boxes.
It's also used as the base layer of wooden boxes to provide greater overall strength and rigidity and as the top layer of larger wood boxes where solid wood would tend to warp!
Plywood has a smooth even grain pattern that's ideal for the application of clear lacquers and beautiful, natural wood and colour stain finishes that undoubtedly add a touch of elegance and class to the finished product.
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