The most commonly used building material is plywood. It has versatile characteristics and is made from thin layers or piles of wood. They are glued together to make it more durable. It serves as an excellent foundation for building. The exterior plywood has many advantages and so it is popular. The different types of plywood are softwood that is made from cedar, pine, or fir. It is commonly used for construction purposes as well as in industries. The thickness, of course, varies and is used accordingly in different projects. If the plywood is thin then it is used for the roofs. The thicker plywood is used for subflooring. The hardwood is another type that is valued more due to its strength and the hard surface. It is also resistant to wear and tear. The tropical plywood is a mixture of low cost variety of wood. The quality, density, and the strength is said to be higher than the softwood. The exterior plywood can be used to decorate your home and the flexibility of the wood helps to specifically design curved pieces. On the other hand, plywood is more dominantly used in marine for the construction of docks and boats.
# Features of exterior plywood
- The use of exterior plywood is generally for clean and stains free surfaces. They are for example used in walls and ceilings. This type of plywood is more versatile and used in both indoors, as well as outdoors.
- The ply used outdoors definitely has the waterproof glue and is mostly used in between the layers. This substance hardens and forms a crystalline that is resistant to moisture.
- This is the reason that exterior plywood is used in the internal applications most often, especially in humid and high moisture areas. The greatest example is the storage area and the refrigerator region. The subfloor is also, where plywood is used. The quality of plywood is to resist the moisture that may penetrate beneath the floor surface. The water spilled is also well tackled by this type of wood that is used in the subfloor.
- The greatest advantage with exterior plywood is that it is a perfect choice, especially to hold against the extreme weather conditions. You can give a coat of paint if by any means it is exposed to the sunlight and water. The plywood can be formulated with a colored stain that helps to protect the surface. It is good for all the open areas like ceilings, balconies, and other areas that are exposed.
# Specialty about exterior plywood
The application of exterior plywood completely depends upon the manufacturing process. There are many differences between interior and exterior but the visible one is that the exterior plywood can be used for both exteriors and interiors, altogether. On the other hand, the interior plywood can only be used indoors and not outdoors.
- It is considered the highest kind of wood that is differentiated from others due to the application of the glue. This is almost like that used in wooden ships. Even though it can hold in extreme weather conditions, paint can be used for protection.
- The exterior plywood has special marks that help to identify it properly. The quality of this plywood is marked with letters of alphabets.
- Exterior plywood is not restricted to outside but also interiors. It is many times used on countertops around sinks and cabinets.
- Usually, majority of this plywood is made from fir. Therefore, it has the added characteristic of availability and affordability. It has certain defects but that does not create any type of restrictions. It can be used for floors and exterior sheathing.