Filling voids in BB plywood

[Mike Manning]

I'm curious what you folks use these days to fill voids in Baltic Birch plywood. I'll be finishing this bookrack I'm working on with General Finishes High Performance water based topcoat. I built some drawer pullouts for my wife's vanity and I used some of the fine sawdust with Titebond III (white). I can't say I thought this was unnoticeable. This time around I bought some Minwax wood putty at the local big box store. Put it on and then read the instructions - it doesn't dry to a hard finish and it's not a very good match either.

Thanks!
Mike

[George Bokros]

I have never experienced voids in baltic birch ply.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with George that voids in true BB is pretty unusual. There is a lot of "imposter" multi-ply birch floating around out there right now, however...I bought some recently (knowingly because of cost) for a shop project and am very disappointed with just how much "air" I've found inside. For my project, I'll probably just fill with spackle. If color mattered, I might do the same, but play with a little dye to get it colored well. For solid stock that will be left natural or dyed, I never use putty, etc. I fill with real slivers of wood.

[Von Bickley]

I have never had a problem with voids in the 1/2" - 5X5 sheets of BB.

[Mike Manning]

I agree with George that voids in true BB is pretty unusual. There is a lot of "imposter" multi-ply birch floating around out there right now, however...I bought some recently (knowingly because of cost) for a shop project and am very disappointed with just how much "air" I've found inside. For my project, I'll probably just fill with spackle. If color mattered, I might do the same, but play with a little dye to get it colored well. For solid stock that will be left natural or dyed, I never use putty, etc. I fill with real slivers of wood.

"...fill with real slivers of wood". Fantastic idea Jim! Thank you!

[Mike Manning]

I have never had a problem with voids in the 1/2" - 5X5 sheets of BB.

This is what I'm using. I'm going to give the lumber distributor some grief. I mentioned to him when I bought this stuff that the last time I bought from them there were voids. He was surprised. When I said there weren't a lot he said "well, it can't be completely free of them but there shouldn't be many.". I've got half a dozen places to "fix" in a small book rack that measures 36"x30"x12" (WxHxD). One is 1/2"-1". All the others are less than 1/4". I was told this was the real BB ply.

Anyone else in Central Texas who buys from Fine Lumber have this problem with their BB?

[Steve Eure]

There is a lot of imposter BB out there, especially if bought from the box stores. A good percentage of this stuff comes from China. I was working on a kitchen project last year and bought a 4 X 8 sheet. Ripped in into three pieces. When I picked up the middle piece it started flexing like it was waving at me.
It honestly had a 18 by 36 inch void. Had someone bought it and not cut it up, they would have never known it. I took it back and the clerk at the store was a little snippy with me. She finally told me to go back and grab another off the pile. I told her no thanks, not from the same lot. Got a refund and went elsewhere.

[glenn bradley]

Another vote for impostor BB ply. I have never used the lower grades and so do not speak from experience with those. I use B/BB for show projects like school furniture and children's furniture. I use BB/BB for shop fixtures and structural components. I have never experienced voids in these grades.

BB Ply Grading Standards.JPG

[Robert Engel]

I use iron on edge banding. Cheap and looks great.

[John TenEyck]

I've found voids in the "genuine" BB plywood. Never too large, but still there on occasion, usually where there was a knot. I fill them with TimberMate Maple/Beech flavored wood filler. Works fine for me.

John

[Von Bickley]

Was this BB in a 5X5 sheet?

[John TenEyck]

Was this BB in a 5X5 sheet?

If your question was directed at me, yes, 5'x5' sheets.

John