Another reason to not buy HD ply

[Craig D Peltier]

I bought two sheets of this instead of using melamine for some lower boxes.
As you can see it seperated very bad. Its agathis ply. I wanted to save a few dollars , I only saved $10 it wasnt worth it.I could of bought from my supplier shop maple. The veneer is like paper in this stuff as well.
Another thing about agathis is it has a simile to agriculture and my fiance says whats that smell? I said its that plywood, it reminds me of a farm. Maybe they drag the lumber through cowfields first.

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[Craig Summers]

Craig,

I bought a sheet of 3/4 oak from one of the Borgs last year to rebild a broken bathroom cabinet side.

After cutting length/width and staining, overnight the 32 inch wide piece cupped 1 1/2" in the middle

Ended up replacing the cabinet

You will never see me buy Borg hardwood plywood.

Side note ... i might be having a tool gloat coming soon (not including the Mike Gabbay table saw i bought last month) ... but still working this deal.

[Dave Burris]

I had the same thing happen to me on 3/4" birch ply from HD. The first rip down the middle and had the same split. Needless to say I took it back and received a refund. I know the store manager and he told me they were having that problem with a few shipments and changes were taking place to make sure it won't happen again. Not sure if I am willing to try again myself.

[Joe Chritz]

I can happen to any sheet goods but is less likely with better grade wood.

I recently had a sheet of maple 3/4" HVPA rated plywood delaminate badly.

I like the "curl" it looks like a skate board ramp.

Joe

[Tom Veatch]

There's a locally owned lumber yard/hardware store less than a mile from home. Last batch of 3/4 oak veneer core ply came from them. A world of difference between the quality of that compared to the last I got from the orange borg, but the cost differential was negligible.

You can actually see the thickness on the face ply on the sheets from the local place. The last stuff from the borg had face plies that were more like tissue paper than veneer. I'm done buying "good" plywood from the borg.

[Ben Cadotte]

I have had good luck with the borg ply in the last couple months. But I have only gone through 6 sheets and only for shop projects. Really don't care if the face ply wears through. Just wanted a decent multi core ply. So far no signs at all of seperation. Would I buy it for kitchen cabinets? Nope don't think so. Looking at the way its made I don't like the way the layers are layed out in the ply. I can see where issues would occur if it were not glued propperly. For shop projects I think its worth the money. But not sure the savings is worth the risk for "good" uses. I do agree the face ply's do seem to be slim.

[Dennis Peacock]

When buying plywood and you want a better quality plywood with a thicker veneer face? Go to your local lumber yard (not a borg) and specify "domestic" plywood...otherwise it will be foreign made ply.

I learned my lesson the hard way.....

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Im not sure what I think of ply from HD....I have overall had decent luck, although I've used it mostly for 'rough' work....but I had a piece of 'good' ply from them in my basement left over from something last year, and I noticed that the 'good' face has some splits and started to ever so slightly peel. not sure if it was from humidity, having one end on the concrete floor, or just a bad piece. I'll have to be careful...
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[Paul Fitzgerald]

That looks just like the "Cabinet Grade Birch Plywood" I bought at HD. Mine didn't decide to de-laminate until I had used more than half of it. Maybe it was humidity related... dunno. Well, good thing I didn't use it for anything that needed to stay together.

Paul

[Craig D Peltier]

Theres no humidity in my shop. Its been there for maybe 7 days. Temp between 50-70. Some sperations went down probaly 18 inches and failed the entire width of piece that was ripped.
If I had a pickup truck I would of brought the whole thing back. Time is money and I needed to keep going. I just put some glue in three pieces and clamped her up.
I will mention to them when in there next time and I wont be buying any ply from them anytime soon. Even birch.

[jim sauterer]

bought a sheet of 3/4 oak it split just like yours and yes it does smell.no more for me.

[Dave Burris]

Down here in "no man's land" humidy is a vicious rumor. That sheet of ply that split on me was simple a piece of junk.

[Matthew Voss]

Amazingly, the HD here carries domestic birch, maple, oak, and cherry ply, all 3/4". They even have pre-primed birch and pre-cut 1/2" birch drawer sides.

[Dave Burris]

Sounds to me your HD store has a manager that enjoys woodworking. Must be nice ...

[Peter Quinn]

I don't see the problem? Those pics look better than most of the stuff my local Borg supplies. Hardest thing at mine is trying to get one of the monkeys riding around on forklifts to bring a fresh lift in out of the rain when the shelf is empty! Yes, I have seen them store the cabinet grade (using that term loosely) hardwood plywood out of doors.

Here in CT humidity and rain are much more than just a rumor but somehow Borg ply is the only stuff that de-laminates and behaves like reaction wood when cut. I've stopped using it for anything. I'd rather build my shop cabs out of CDX from my local builders supply, at least I know that's not going to fall apart. Come to think of it I have built shop cabs out of T1-11 that came out more square than those made with borg ply. Perhaps they should specify on the shelf tag "For radius work only"?