Cross Laminated Solid Wood Composites…Not Your Father's Plywood.

While there is no limit to the rich materials and information around the various building and craft industries, we thought it would be great for our blog readers to meet one of our local furniture makers and wood-crafting professionals, Randy Weersing Furniture Designs, here in Eugene, Oregon.  Randy creates and fabricates from a vast array of materials, including our own States Industries ApplePly®  Randy was generous enough to provide so much content for this blog that we have designed it into 3 postings which will begin today and conclude early September. 

Enjoy Randy’s craftsman tutorial and his photos.  A link to his website and work can be found at the end of this article.

Happy and safe woodworking everyone.

Sincerely,

Michael Blakley

Marketing Director

States Industries, LLC

CROSS-LAMINATED SOLID WOOD COMPOSITES…not your father's plywood.

- By Randy Weersing

Thirty five years of designing, building, and selling fine furniture pieces has taught me an important lesson about  human nature: What we perceive as "quality" often has no basis in reality. The use of plywood in furniture construction is a prime example. I can't count the many times I've had a design rejected by a client simply because it uses plywood. When pitching a design, I've even begun referring to premium plywood products as "cross-laminated solid wood composites", or CLSWC. This somewhat tongue in cheek acronym can open the door to further education on the many merits of premium plywood and I have started by listing just a few:

*Stability - The cross laminated veneers are not subject to seasonal movement as is solid wood. This opens the door to design opportunities and building techniques  that would otherwise be impractical...even impossible.

*Environmental benefits - Do the right thing. Plywood makes better use of our precious resources as many wood producers today now source only from forests and plantations that are harvested under strict sustainability and fiber renewal standards.

*Aesthetics - Plywood edges and surfaces can boast all the beauty of solid wood.  From the rich grain patterns to the unique colors in the veneers, plywood celebrates the natural characteristics of wood.

*Strength - Premium plywood is superior in strength and stiffness to solid wood, particularly when  structural integrity is required in multiple planes. Structural members can be smaller and lighter with no risk of splitting or cracking.

One example of the amazing properties of plywood is illustrated by my recent "ZigZag" and "Ampersand chairs". ZigZag is constructed of 3 pieces of ApplePly's 1/2 inch maple faced material. It is strong, lightweight (10 lbs.) and comfortable. Material costs are about $30 per chair. This design would not be possible in solid wood. The slats would split (I tried it), and the frame would break where the grain opposes the structural loads. The "Ampersand" chairs are a similar if a bit more elaborate application of the same techniques. In this case, in addition to the above mentioned attributes, I would add flexibility to the key characteristics that make the design possible. The frame and seat parts of these seating pieces flex under the sitter's weight to conform and support with surprising comfort. Again, this might be achievable with solid wood, but at what cost? And how long would it last?

Tradition runs deep in the furniture business, and we should respect tradition. Solid wood has been the mainstay material for furniture construction for millenia, and has acquired a mystical, magical aura...as it should. I love it and use it where it works best, but I keep an open mind to the alternative opportunities afforded by new technologies.

Cross laminated solid wood composites;  now there’s a cool twist to a timeless material.

To see more of Randy Weersing's designs visit his website at www.weersingfurniturestudio.com

After you leave the plywood store, how do you store your plywood?

Written by: Michael Blakley - Director of Marketing

That’s a fundamental question we felt deserved a brief discussion, including some useful tips from our own Quality Control Engineer here at States Industries. So, we start out with the basic properties of wood in general and since it is simply a dynamic, incredible fibrous product of nature, it will behave in some of the ways you might expect: it will expand and contract depending on temperature and humidity and depending on a host of other conditions that can happen in your garage, storage shed, in the back of your pick-up truck or in your home.

As States’ Quality Engineer Blake Holton remarks: “When it comes to heat, cold, humidity and moisture, all wood reaches equilibrium in response to those conditions.”

But in the case of plywood, an engineered building material, it is specially designed to minimize some of these issues. Plywood, as it is manufactured, is a more balanced construction, with the use of inner plies, specific lay-up processes, and the use of several thin or thick panels known as substrates, all pressed together with special glue types. And it is the orientation of these inner ply “sandwiches” that will help restrain roughly 90% of typical wood movement.

This is true with construction grade plywood as it is with hardwood plywood which is used exclusively for interior and decorative application. And so it is in the case of hardwood decorative plywood that we would like to offer these storage tips:

1.  Store or stack flat, if at all possible. Lay it on some type of support surface (linear strips of wood to keep it off the floor surface).  If you must place the pieces or panels on edge, put a protective surface underneath to prevent chipping, gouging or denting part of the delicate veneer face or back.

2.  Store it in a dry area, preferably indoors, free from moisture, dirt, oily surfaces or where bugs might hang out.

3.  Try and store it in the same area you will be using the wood, just as you might store new wood flooring strips in the room it is designed to be installed in.

4.  Keep the surfaces clean, remove dust or grit carefully with a soft-bristled brush, (really soft) or smooth cloth and be careful not to rub too hard.  Always dust or soft-sweep the surface in the same direction as the grain pattern of the wood.

Do you have any storage tips that you'd like to share? Please leave a comment below! Let us know if you have any questions and always remember to use safety glasses and ear protection when cutting or machining wood.

Happy woodworking!

Substrates - Does the Core Matter?

Written by: Michael Richardson - Sales & Marketing

When selecting hardwood plywood for a project, there are many choices that we all face. What species of veneer do we want, what type of cut, what grade?… But one question that is sometimes overlooked is what substrate works best?

Almost all hardwood plywood is available in several varieties of core, but not all core types are the same. There are three common categories of substrates: Veneer Cores, Composite Cores and Hybrids or “Combination Cores.” Although each may be different from the other, they all have specific benefits that make them the perfect choice for various constructions.

Veneer Cores are comprised of an odd number of wood veneers laminated in alternating grain directions to achieve the desired panel thickness. A thin panel may consist of one core veneer, while a very thick panel might have 23 veneers. Core veneers may be softwood or hardwood and the grades of the wood can vary significantly.

Veneer core panels are light in weight, high in dimensional stability and bending strength, and hold screws better than other substrates. They are less uniform in surface flatness and thickness, and edges are generally not attractive. Veneer core panels are great choices for cabinets due to their lower weight and higher screwholding properties.

ApplePly®  by States Industries, is a type of veneer core product constructed from 1/16” Birch innerplies using a two-step lamination process. The innerplies are first assembled into a core blank and size sanded to a metered tolerance before being overlaid with selected face and back veneers. This process insures a solid, smooth, and flat product that eliminates the telegraphing of imperfections in the core. The all hardwood construction machines without tearout or burn. Because of its machinability, ApplePly® is often substituted for solid wood. ApplePly® has long been a preferred product for architects, designers, and woodworkers alike for its solid construction and attractive edge. For more information on ApplePly®, visit our website: http://www.appleply.com

Composite Cores used in hardwood plywood construction are typically made of particleboard or medium density fiberboard (MDF). Both particleboard and MDF are made from small particles of wood compressed with an adhesive to create a solid, flat panel of uniform thickness. Although similarly made, there are differences between the two.

Particleboard is perhaps the least expensive core for hardwood plywood because its particles are less refined than MDF, yet it is perfect for many applications due to its flatness and uniform thickness.

Medium Density Fiberboard is manufactured from highly refined wood particles into an extremely dense panel that in addition to being very smooth and uniform in thickness, will machine more like solid wood than either particleboard and veneer cores.

Composite cores are valued for their flat, smooth surfaces and tight tolerances, as well as their relatively low costs. They are also heavy, can spread or shrink as much as 3%, and are not as strong as veneer cores.

Combination Cores are a hybrid of veneer and composites that take advantage of the best properties of both by using veneers to build the center portion and thin MDF on the outer layer of a core, directly under the face and back veneers.

The veneer centers are light, strong, and dimensionally stable and hold screws well; the MDF surfaces provide a smooth, flat and solid support for the decorative face and back veneers.

Combination Cores are popular with case good manufacturers for their ability to support high value, very thin face and back veneers. This is especially important in geographic areas with very low humidity which can cause veneers to split or “check”. Combination Core's low weight,  strength, and ability to hold fasteners exceed that composite cores. While their flatness, smoothness and tight tolerances exceed that of veneer cores.

How important is the substrate to you when buying hardwood plywood? Do you have a preference for your specific projects?

CARB - Formaldehyde Regulation Update

Written by: Blake Holton - Quality Manager

Few things strike fear into our hearts faster than ‘government regulation’, but in January 2009 that’s precisely how many felt about the enactment of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) to reduce formaldehyde from composite wood products.

The ATCM created the world’s most stringent formaldehyde emissions regulation for particle board, medium density fiberboard and hardwood plywood. The ‘technology forcing’ emissions limits for formaldehyde set the industry looking for alternatives to long used urea-formaldehyde adhesives. Many settled on ultra-low emitting formaldehyde adhesives, and others explored no-added formaldehyde alternatives. States did both.

The CARB ATCM was implemented in stages. The first round of regulation for manufacturers (like States) occurred in January 2009 when the Phase 1 emissions levels (0.08 parts per million) for veneer core products were implemented.  Veneer core products saw another emissions reduction when the Phase 2 limit (0.05 ppm) was enacted in January 2010. Each of these stages had sell through provisions for manufacturers, distributors and retailers. You can view the sell through provisions at the CARB website http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/outreach/regguidance0711.pdf

Looking forward to 2012 we will see an additional implementation of the CARB regulation. In July 2012 Phase 2 emissions limits will be required for composite core hardwood plywood panels. Manufacturers will have until September 30, 2012 to sell any remaining inventory. Distributors will have until November 30, 2012 to sell their remaining inventory of Phase 1 composite core hardwood plywood panels.

Although the ATCM can seem daunting, compliance is easier than many think. Purchasing hardwood plywood panels that are clearly marked as compliant with the regulation, maintaining records showing purchases comply with the regulation and making sure you have familiarized yourself with the pertinent sections of the regulation are key. You can view the entire regulation: http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2007/compwood07/compwood07.htm at the CARB website.

Looking ahead, it appears that additional regulation championed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create federal legislation limiting formaldehyde emissions of composite wood products will be implemented in the near future. Likely the law will be very similar to California’s regulation. Also, as formaldehyde gains more attention at the consumer level, look for increased demand for panels bonded with no-added-formaldehyde adhesives.

How have the CARB regulations on formaldehyde affected you? For those of you outside the State of California, have you seen demand for CARB compliant wood products?

Color Trends are Changing

Written by: Michael Richardson - Sales & Marketing

Over the past couple of years, dark finishes and stains have been a popular trend in the hardwood plywood world, but in 2012 there is light at the end of the panel.

Les Lawrence, Paint Lab Manager and Color Specialist at States Industries, says there’s been a steady transition from heavier-dark tones to redder tones with lighter accents. “In 2010, there was a high demand for darker finishes - mocha's, espresso's, etc… But towards the end of last year and now in 2012, we’ve seen more demand for brown and red variations of these dark stains.” Lawrence adds, “The color change allows for more of the natural wood characteristics to show, giving the panels a more traditional, natural appearance.

The Kitchen Cabinet Industry, the largest consumer of hardwood plywood in the US, is beginning to validate this trend. As the economy recovers and new kitchens are being built, homeowners are demanding styles and colors that stand the test of time. Certain contemporary styles and those that are easily dated are beginning to give way to more traditional, timeless looks.

“The extreme dark and light colored cabinets really limit what you can do design-wise in a kitchen,“ says Kimberly Thomason, interior designer in New York City. “By bringing a lighter color out in the darker stains, the entire kitchen becomes more versatile with respect to design.”

But it’s not just the colors that are transitioning. Degrees of gloss in the finishes are decreasing to satin levels and below.

“Lighting has become a major part of kitchen design. The way light reflects off of the cabinets can really influence how the entire kitchen looks and feels. Too much gloss and it takes away from the overall appearance of the cabinets.”

Are you seeing these trends in your markets? Let us know what you’re noticing.

Welcome to our Blog

Written by: Michael Richardson - Sales & Marketing

When States Industries was founded in 1966, words such as “blog”, “Twitter”, and “Facebook” didn’t exist. In fact the founders of Facebook and Twitter weren’t even born. We must admit a lot has changed since the early days. Phone calls have turned into texts, faxes into e-mails, and basic websites into information giants. But what remains the same is our collective need for relevant, timely information to keep all of us in the know in this ever changing world.

Today, many factors have forever altered the landscape of the wood products industry. Staying on top of all that is happening can be more taxing than adapting to the changes themselves. In an effort to keep all of us well-informed, we have developed this interactive blog where today’s topics; ranging from trends and styles to environmental and governmental regulations, can be discussed together.

Our States Industries team of experts will share thoughts and contribute insights on relevant industry topics on a regular basis. We welcome you to visit often, post comments, and ask questions about the issues that matter to you the most.

We’re excited that you’ll be here to join us as we prepare for the next 46 years and beyond. Leave a comment below and let’s get the discussion started.