What Kind Of Carpentry Material Is This?

[chen08 0]

I saw this type of wood in one of the custom made wardrobe.

Looks like plywood in a sense I can see 3 layer of wood glue into 1 piece. 2 layer in the outside is lighter (brown) in color. 1 layer in the inside is darker (brown) in color.

Definitely not compressed wood.

Initially I thought is solid-core plywood (3-full layer of wood glued together) but the feel is not as strong as others that I had seen before. And I can hear hollow sounds when knocking around.

What kind of wood is this? Is it better than compressed wood or MDF that we normally see in furniture shop?

Please help.

Thanks.

Sorry the title should be: solid core...not solod core....typo

[gladyslim 0]

What is the thickness of the plywood?

Maybe its BBCC ply - 木心板 or the 'zha ban' 扎板method for door, i.e 3mm spvc ply for interior, 3mm thk plywood with high pressure laminate or 3mm thk polyester as external finishing with timber frame inside - 红木框。

Ready made furniture commonly seen in those HDB shoplet is using the 'zha ban' method to save cost. It is normally hollow and shakely.

Edited August 29, 2008 by gladyslim

[Nipponho 0]

Hi Gladysim,

Looks to me you are quite knowledgeable in woody things. Perhaps u can give me some advice.

U know all those cabinets under table of offices, usually 3 levels? It was usually selling at $200+ at ikea. I bought 2 at $60 each, from second hand shop. Condition not bad, except the metal handles paint came off, which can be easily repainted. The top is very sturdy and well laminated. I think some companies either collapsed or downsized.

Both were very heavy, I was fortunate to be able to hail a cab willing to drive me back. But bec it was too heavy, & I don’t have trolley, I dragged them a little. When I got them home, I realize that the laminate at the bottom part came off exposing the woods.

Base on my experience using cheapo furnitures, once the laminates came off, or over time, the woody grains will start to disintegrate and the grains will start to come off. Sometimes, when I am in a hurry to mop floor, I might accidentally splash too much water and this will speed up its disintegration.

Is there any kind of industrial glue that I can paint it over to glue up all the grains so that the wood grains does not disintegrate so fast? Better still, is there any industrial paint that can provide some water proofing?

A lot of times, I saw cheap furntiures, like those at Carrfour, but I dare not buy, bec I am afraid of disintegration. If there is such a glue, I can buy cheapo furntiures and paint over.

My old house bedroom door is also like this. After a few year, it started to expand and become PONG PONG.

[gladyslim 0]

Hi Nipponho

I think your pedestal - 3 tiers drawers of those knock down type is MDF bd. Once, if there is slight peeling, this compressed saw-dust board starts to expand becos of absorption of moistures.

My open shelves cabinet bought from whive is also having this problem. As its only on the top panel, my solution is to replace it or dig off the 'ping pong' part.

Post the picture of your bedroom's door. If it is plywood with normal expansion, u just need to nail it and seal the gap with putty and then re-paint it.

[chen08 0]

What is the thickness of the plywood?

Maybe its BBCC ply - 木心板 or the 'zha ban' 扎板method for door, i.e 3mm spvc ply for interior, 3mm thk plywood with high pressure laminate or 3mm thk polyester as external finishing with timber frame inside - 红木框。

Ready made furniture commonly seen in those HDB shoplet is using the 'zha ban' method to save cost. It is normally hollow and shakely.

Hi Gladyslim,

Thanks a lot for your explaination.

The cabinet is actually a build-in wardrobe. This material that I had described is not on the cabinet door. I actually see this on the cabinel shelves when I take them down to see. The door is actually more hollow than the whole wardrobe structure.

FYI, this wardrobe have been there for 10 years. I am wondering if the wardrobe can still last for another 15 years without the whole structure falling apart? (poor cosmetic condition after 15 years is ok with me).

Pls advise

[Nipponho 0]

Hi Gladysim,

For my pedestral, means no remedies? The grains will drop, i can sweep away, no problem, but it will continue and continue to drop, and finally the whole structure becomes unstable. Means the life of it will be shortened drastically. Or is it possible to find something to paste back the exposed area? It is not slight peeling. The part where it contacts and is parallel to ground, meaning the base, has no laminate at all, the wood is exposed. I think the base cannot last if there is no laminate.

So disappointing, i thought i got a good bargain, now the life is shortened bec of my dragging, hehe.

As for door, i have shifted house, so it is OK. Since u say can use putty on door, can i also putty the pedestral or any wood furniture that is Pong Pong?

[gladyslim 0]

Hi Gladyslim,

Thanks a lot for your explaination.

The cabinet is actually a build-in wardrobe. This material that I had described is not on the cabinet door. I actually see this on the cabinel shelves when I take them down to see. The door is actually more hollow than the whole wardrobe structure.

FYI, this wardrobe have been there for 10 years. I am wondering if the wardrobe can still last for another 15 years without the whole structure falling apart? (poor cosmetic condition after 15 years is ok with me).

Pls advise

I think yours is plywood. Should be very lasting unless the laminate pop up. Just use contact cement glue to stick it together. Ensure both plywood and laminates surfaces are free from dirt. Pm me if u need to do that in future.

[gladyslim 0]

Hi Gladysim,

For my pedestral, means no remedies? The grains will drop, i can sweep away, no problem, but it will continue and continue to drop, and finally the whole structure becomes unstable. Means the life of it will be shortened drastically. Or is it possible to find something to paste back the exposed area? It is not slight peeling. The part where it contacts and is parallel to ground, meaning the base, has no laminate at all, the wood is exposed. I think the base cannot last if there is no laminate.

So disappointing, i thought i got a good bargain, now the life is shortened bec of my dragging, hehe.

As for door, i have shifted house, so it is OK. Since u say can use putty on door, can i also putty the pedestral or any wood furniture that is Pong Pong?

The grains is saw-dust particles, compressed and lamianted. Once if there is any scratch off of the laminate, it will eventually give way even though u did not wet it becos it absorbs moisture to expand.

Wait to see others have any suggestion for u.

In the meantime, tape the expose part and maybe add those nylon stud to the bottom of the cabinet so it

won't tear further each time u move it.

[Nipponho 0]

Thanks glasysim

[merly 0]

I think yours is plywood. Should be very lasting unless the laminate pop up. Just use contact cement glue to stick it together. Ensure both plywood and laminates surfaces are free from dirt. Pm me if u need to do that in future.

Hi Gladyslim,

Thanks for your advice!