If you are planning to build something out of plywood, there are many different types to choose from. Two popular types to consider include sande plywood and birch plywood. Yes, both are plywood, but both also have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Today, we want to help you figure out whether it is sande or birch plywood that you need for your next construction project.
Sande vs. Birch Plywood: What Are the Differences?
Sande and birch plywood are in fact quite different, and there are quite a few differences worth talking about.
1. Different Types of Wood
The main difference between sande and birch plywood is of course the type of wood used to make them. Birch plywood, as the name implies, is made out of birch, which is a type of hardwood. Birch plywood is often used for furniture and flooring, particularly for high-end items.
Sande on the other hand is not actually a type of wood, but rather a designation for this plywood. Sande plywood is usually made out of heartwood and sapwood.
Sapwood is the outer layer of a tree, whereas heartwood is the core of the tree trunk. Sande plywood can come from both hardwood and softwood trees, although hardwood is usually used. For the most part, you can expect sande plywood to be made out of mahogany.
2. Moisture Resistance
Perhaps the biggest difference between these two types of plywood is that sande plywood is designated as being a type of marine plywood, whereas birch plywood is not.
Sande plywood, both due to the type of wood used to make it, as well as the adhesives used during the bonding process, is 100% waterproof. This type of plywood can not only withstand constant exposure to the elements but may even be submerged in water without absorbing moisture or degrading.
We then have birch plywood, which although it can handle some exposure to the elements, is certainly not the best. Due to its limited water resistance, it is not recommended that birch plywood be used outdoors, at least not without treating it with a waterproof coating. Generally speaking, birch plywood is not regarded as being very moisture-resistant.
3. Durability
The next difference between these two materials that you need to consider is that sande plywood is a bit more durable than birch plywood. Now, this is not to say that birch plywood is not durable, as it is a high-end type of plywood, and solid birch on its own is durable. After all, it is a type of hardwood.
That said, due to the construction of sande plywood, because it is made with special waterproof adhesives, it is more durable and long-lasting than birch plywood. In terms of overall impact resistance, sande plywood can undoubtedly take more of a beating than birch plywood.
4. Appearance
In terms of appearance, many people do prefer using birch, although it is of course a matter of preference. Birch plywood tends to be a bit lighter in color than sande plywood. At the same time, sande plywood also has a bit of a coarser texture than birch. Most people would say that birch plywood is, therefore, more aesthetically appealing.
5. Ease of Painting
What does need to be said here is that if you plan on painting or staining plywood, and you need a really beautiful-looking finish, then birch plywood is usually considered better.
Because birch plywood is relatively light in color, and because it has a relatively light texture, it takes on paint very well. Birch plywood looks very uniform and smooth when painted. Moreover, with birch, even if you just stain it, you won’t see as much of a coarse wood texture as with sande plywood.
6. Cost
The simple fact is that while birch plywood is not cheap, sande plywood is even more expensive. Sande plywood is a very high-quality type of plywood designed to be marine grade. It is, therefore, also made with high-quality adhesives. For this reason, you can expect to spend up to 50% more on sande plywood than on birch plywood.
When to Use Sande Plywood?
If you are planning on building something that is going to be outdoors, then sande plywood is definitely the better option. Sande plywood is just much more resistant to the elements than birch plywood. This makes it ideal for applications that involve a lot of moisture. After all, this is marine plywood, which means that it can even be submerged in water without fear of going bad. So, if you are building seaside structures or even boats, or it just rains a lot where you live, then sande plywood is ideal.
When to Use Birch Plywood?
If you are planning on making some very nice furniture, cabinets, shelves, or decorative pieces, then birch plywood is the better option of the two. No, it doesn’t handle moisture too well, so you don’t want to use it for outdoor purposes, but it works just fine for indoor applications. Moreover, due to its nice appearance and how easy it is to paint, it makes for the perfect material to use when constructing high-end indoor furniture and fixtures.
Alternatives to Sande and Birch Plywood
There are of course many different types of plywood out there. Let’s take a look at a few alternatives to the two discussed today, and what they are good for:
- If you need good exterior plywood that is cost-effective yet moisture-resistant, CDX plywood makes for a good choice.
- If you need something strong and don’t care how it looks, structural plywood may be a good bet.
- If you are looking for all-around good plywood that looks nice, is dense and strong, and water resistant too, then tropical plywood is a good option.
Summary
You should now know exactly when to use sande plywood and when to use birch plywood. Both are great in their own ways, but you do need to choose the right one for the application at hand.