Birch PLY-BB
Grade
PLY-BB = baltic/Russian birch plywood, all-birch cross-banded veneers
Void-free 1.4 mm all-birch veneer panel for CNC jigs, laser cutting, cabinets and model work — near-isotropic in-plane, but glue lines dull tools.
Values for the PLY-BB condition
Other Birch tempers and conditions
Birch is listed in 3 conditions; see the grade overview at Birch.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLY-BBThis page Baltic/Russian birch plywood, all-birch cross-banded veneers | Void-free 1.4 mm all-birch veneer panel for CNC jigs, laser cutting, cabinets and model work — near-isotropic in-plane, but glue lines dull tools. | — | 50 | — | — | 0.15 W/m·K |
Green / unseasoned | Freshly sawn wet stock for green turning, steam bending or veneer peeling — roughly half the dry strength and will shrink on drying. | — | 75 | 2 | — | 0.28 W/m·K |
Thermally modified | Heat-treated birch for cladding, saunas and damp interiors — much better dimensional stability and decay resistance, at the cost of brittleness. | — | — | 0.9 | — | 0.12 W/m·K |
What is Birch PLY-BB?
Birch PLY-BB is Birch in the PLY-BB grade — void-free 1.4 mm all-birch veneer panel for CNC jigs, laser cutting, cabinets and model work — near-isotropic in-plane, but glue lines dull tools. Birch PLY-BB has a tensile strength of 50 MPa (7.25 ksi), stronger than 64% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1.5% and the elastic modulus is 8.5 GPa (1.23 Msi). Birch PLY-BB has a density of 0.7 g/cm³ (0.0253 lb/in³), heavier than 53% of natural material grades.
Birch PLY-BB properties
Typical room-temperature values for Birch PLY-BB; 10 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Birch reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
Birch PLY-BB has a density of 0.7 g/cm³ (0.0253 lb/in³), heavier than 53% of natural material grades.
Mechanical9
Birch PLY-BB has a tensile strength of 50 MPa (7.25 ksi), stronger than 64% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1.5% and the elastic modulus is 8.5 GPa (1.23 Msi).
Thermal5
Birch PLY-BB is rated for continuous service to 80°C (176 °F). It conducts heat at 0.15 W/m·K (0.0867 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 52% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 4 µm/m·K (2.22 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
Birch PLY-BB is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 2 kV/mm (50.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10⁹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (35/100), worse than 66% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Birch PLY-BB takes about 11 MJ of energy and emits 0.45 kg of CO₂ — more than 56% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability2
Birch PLY-BB's machinability is very good (70/100, worse than 67% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Birch PLY-BB
Is Birch easy to machine?
Cuts, turns and routs cleanly with sharp carbide tooling; feed steadily and avoid dwell — the pale surface burns easily, and end grain benefits from a light climb-cut or scoring pass.
Can Birch be welded?
Not weldable; joined by PVA/urea-formaldehyde/epoxy adhesives or mechanical fasteners — birch glues exceptionally well, which is why it dominates plywood production.
Can Birch be formed, bent or molded?
Steam bends well when green or at high MC (typical bend radius ~6–10× thickness); veneer peels smoothly at 1.4 mm and cold-presses into curved laminations.
What surface finishes work on Birch?
Sands to a fine surface but blotches with penetrating stains — use a washcoat/conditioner or spray tone; takes clear lacquer, waterborne PU and paint very well. No natural decay resistance: seal or preservative-treat for any damp service.
Birch chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| celluloseoven-dry basis | 40 – 45 | 42 |
| hemicellulose (mainly glucuronoxylan)high xylan content typical of birch | 28 – 35 | 32 |
| ligninsyringyl-rich hardwood lignin | 18 – 22 | 20 |
| extractivesbetulin in bark, low in wood | 1.5 – 4 | 2.5 |
| ash | 0.2 – 0.6 | 0.35 |
Birch PLY-BB — frequently asked
What is Birch PLY-BB used for?
Birch PLY-BB is typically used for furniture, turned parts, interior joinery, toys and veneer core. In short: best-gluing plywood veneer; tough, low-cost pale hardwood; stable interior joinery stock.
What is the tensile strength of Birch PLY-BB?
Birch PLY-BB has a typical tensile strength of 50 MPa (7.25 ksi) — stronger than 64% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is Birch PLY-BB easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (70/100, worse than 67% of natural material grades). Cuts, turns and routs cleanly with sharp carbide tooling; feed steadily and avoid dwell — the pale surface burns easily, and end grain benefits from a light climb-cut or scoring pass.
Can Birch PLY-BB be welded?
Not weldable; joined by PVA/urea-formaldehyde/epoxy adhesives or mechanical fasteners — birch glues exceptionally well, which is why it dominates plywood production.
What surface finishes work on Birch PLY-BB?
Sands to a fine surface but blotches with penetrating stains — use a washcoat/conditioner or spray tone; takes clear lacquer, waterborne PU and paint very well. No natural decay resistance: seal or preservative-treat for any damp service.
Can Birch PLY-BB be formed, bent or molded?
Steam bends well when green or at high MC (typical bend radius ~6–10× thickness); veneer peels smoothly at 1.4 mm and cold-presses into curved laminations.
What is the maximum service temperature of Birch PLY-BB?
Birch PLY-BB is rated for continuous use to about 80°C (176 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material, FPL-GTR-190 — USDA Forest Products Laboratory (2021)
- EN 13556 — Round and sawn timber: nomenclature of timbers used in Europe (code BETU) — CEN (2003)
- EN 350 — Durability of wood and wood-based products — CEN (2016)
- CES EduPack / ICE v3 embodied energy and carbon data for sawn hardwood — Granta / University of Bath (2019)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.