Plywood BIRCH-BB
Grade
ASTM D2718 / PS 1-19 · JIS JAS Plywood Standard · GB GB/T 9846
Pick when stiffness, screw holding, clean machined edges and a fine face veneer are needed (CNC jigs, furniture, cases).
Values for the BIRCH-BB condition
Other Plywood tempers and conditions
Plywood is listed in 4 conditions; see the grade overview at Plywood.
- POPLAR-UF
- SW-STRUCT
- MARINE-WBP
- BIRCH-BB
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
commercial poplar plywood, urea-formaldehyde glue (GB/T 9846, E0/E1) | Lowest-cost interior furniture and packaging panel; avoid where humidity or load is significant. | — | 20 | — | — | — |
SW-STRUCTDefault structural softwood plywood (pine/fir, exterior glue, CDX / EN 636-2) | Default choice for sheathing, subfloor and general structural panels where rated strength and exterior-glue durability matter. | — | 30 | — | — | 0.11 W/m·K |
marine plywood, phenolic (WBP) glue, void-free core (BS 1088 / EN 636-3) | Use for boats, wet exteriors and humid-cycling service where a fully boil-proof glue line and void-free core are required. | — | 38 | — | — | — |
BIRCH-BBThis page Baltic birch hardwood plywood, all-birch core (BB/BB, EN 636) | Pick when stiffness, screw holding, clean machined edges and a fine face veneer are needed (CNC jigs, furniture, cases). | — | 45 | — | — | 0.14 W/m·K |
What is Plywood BIRCH-BB?
Plywood BIRCH-BB is Plywood in the BIRCH-BB grade — pick when stiffness, screw holding, clean machined edges and a fine face veneer are needed (CNC jigs, furniture, cases). Plywood BIRCH-BB has a tensile strength of 45 MPa (6.53 ksi), stronger than 64% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 11 GPa (1.6 Msi). Plywood BIRCH-BB has a density of 0.68 g/cm³ (0.0246 lb/in³), lighter than 51% of natural material grades. SW-STRUCT is the default condition FabDigit quotes; BIRCH-BB is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Tough — resists crack growth — 0.8 MPa·√m (0.728 ksi·√in), better than 81% of natural material grades
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 65°C (149 °F), worse than 88% of natural material grades
- High embodied carbon — 0.9 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 79% of natural material grades
Plywood BIRCH-BB properties
Typical room-temperature values for Plywood BIRCH-BB; 11 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Plywood reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
Plywood BIRCH-BB has a density of 0.68 g/cm³ (0.0246 lb/in³), lighter than 51% of natural material grades.
Mechanical9
Plywood BIRCH-BB has a tensile strength of 45 MPa (6.53 ksi), stronger than 64% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 11 GPa (1.6 Msi).
Thermal5
Plywood BIRCH-BB is rated for continuous service to 65°C (149 °F). It conducts heat at 0.14 W/m·K (0.0809 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 51% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 6.5 µm/m·K (3.61 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
Plywood BIRCH-BB is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 3 kV/mm (76.2 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10⁹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (40/100), worse than 57% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Plywood BIRCH-BB takes about 13 MJ of energy and emits 0.9 kg of CO₂ — more than 74% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability2
Plywood BIRCH-BB's machinability is very good (80/100, worse than 52% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Plywood BIRCH-BB
Is Plywood easy to machine?
Cuts and routes easily with carbide tooling; score or use down-cut bits to stop face-veneer tear-out, and expect glue lines and any phenolic film to dull edges fast.
Can Plywood be welded?
Not weldable — panels are joined by PVA/PU/epoxy adhesive, nails, screws, dowels or metal connectors.
Can Plywood be formed, bent or molded?
Cold-bends to modest radii (thinner or bending-grade ply); tight curves need laminated bending over a form with adhesive or steam-assisted veneer layup.
What surface finishes work on Plywood?
Sand 120–180 grit, seal end grain and cut edges (edge banding, epoxy or paint) to block moisture ingress; accepts stain, lacquer, HPL/melamine overlay or phenolic film.
Plywood 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 |
|---|---|---|
| adhesive resin (UF / MUF / PF)PF (phenolic) for exterior/marine, UF for interior | 4 – 12 | 7 |
| moistureequilibrium MC at 20 °C / 65 % RH | 6 – 14 | 10 |
| wax / hardener / filler additives | 0.2 – 2 | 1 |
| wood veneer (cellulose/hemicellulose/ligpoplar, birch, pine, eucalyptus, okoume etc. | ≥ 85 (balance) | — |
Plywood BIRCH-BB — frequently asked
What is Plywood BIRCH-BB used for?
Plywood BIRCH-BB is typically used for sheathing/subfloor, furniture panels, concrete forming, marine plywood boats and cabinetry. In short: balanced two-way strength; large stable panel sizes; easy-machining wood panel.
What is the tensile strength of Plywood BIRCH-BB?
Plywood BIRCH-BB has a typical tensile strength of 45 MPa (6.53 ksi) — stronger than 64% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is Plywood BIRCH-BB easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (80/100, worse than 52% of natural material grades). Cuts and routes easily with carbide tooling; score or use down-cut bits to stop face-veneer tear-out, and expect glue lines and any phenolic film to dull edges fast.
Can Plywood BIRCH-BB be welded?
Not weldable — panels are joined by PVA/PU/epoxy adhesive, nails, screws, dowels or metal connectors.
What surface finishes work on Plywood BIRCH-BB?
Sand 120–180 grit, seal end grain and cut edges (edge banding, epoxy or paint) to block moisture ingress; accepts stain, lacquer, HPL/melamine overlay or phenolic film.
Can Plywood BIRCH-BB be formed, bent or molded?
Cold-bends to modest radii (thinner or bending-grade ply); tight curves need laminated bending over a form with adhesive or steam-assisted veneer layup.
What is the maximum service temperature of Plywood BIRCH-BB?
Plywood BIRCH-BB is rated for continuous use to about 65°C (149 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- ASTM D2718 Standard Test Methods for Structural Panels in Planar Shear (Rolling Shear) — ASTM International (2018)
- PS 1-19 Structural Plywood — U.S. Department of Commerce / APA (2019)
- EN 636 Plywood — Specifications — CEN (2015)
- Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material (FPL-GTR-282), Ch. 11 Wood-Based Composites — USDA Forest Products Laboratory (2021)
- Panel Design Specification — APA – The Engineered Wood Association (2012)
- Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE) v3.0 — timber & panel products — Circular Ecology (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.