Unbalanced Plywood

natelox · #1 Posted: **Mar 30, 2007, 1:32 AM**

I need to know where unbalanced plywood would be used in a building. I cannot find any information on it, anywhere. Not at canply.org, apawood.org, cwc.ca, Architectural Graphic Standards or a specification library.

What is unbalanced plywood? Normal plywood is assembled by adhering thin veneers of wood together with grains perpendicular to each other. If I say that a grain in one direction = x, and a grain perpendicular to that is y, for standard 5 ply plywood you would get: xyxyx. Unbalanced plywood looks like this: xyxyyx (6 ply).

The only possible explanation I can think of is that it would be easier to bend. Any and all assistance appreciated.

Young Gun · #2 Posted: **Mar 30, 2007, 8:24 PM**

I'll ask my coworker, his wife is an architecural engineer

Young Gun · #3 Posted: **Apr 2, 2007, 8:24 PM**

She was unsure why you would use unbalanced except perhaps on a curved surface. as the plywood is drying out supposedly it will take on a natural curve.

natelox · #4 Posted: **Apr 3, 2007, 1:06 AM**

Thank you for your help! From some other reasearch I've been doing it would appear that the curved application is the best one. Although I would imagine the 5 layer, 6 ply plywood to be a little thick to accomplish that.