If you are thinking of some interior designing at your new home or want to remodel your furniture, there are various types of options available for plywood. In this regard, we can talk about Luan plywood which is an interior non-structural PEFC plywood product. It is made from a mixed hardwood species. Moreover, people also call this plywood a Philippine mahogany.
As per the sources, you can easily stain and paint this plywood but you should expose it to wet or damp conditions. In other words, it is a premium-quality material that you can use for furniture making and which can last for a long time. So in today’s article, we shall discuss some of the significant aspects of Luan plywood. Stay tuned to us to know all the details. Let’s take a look!
From Where Did Luan Plywood Originate?
As we said earlier, Luan plywood is the most common type of plywood in the United States. Well, people call this wood by various names like Philippine mahogany, meranti plywood, or the alternative spelling luan. The variation in the names is because Luan wood comes from trees of the Shorea genus, of which there are 196 species.
It is a compressed wood product consisting of multiple layers. People initially utilized this wood in shipbuilding, but it has since expanded to other industries. So, as per your project needs, you can buy Luan plywood raw or pre-finished. It comes in different thicknesses–all at different price points.
Luan plywood originated from Southeast Asia and was manufactured in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan in the 1960s and 70s. The countries that people considered the luan manufacturing capitals of the world were Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Needless to say, Luan plywood continues to be a popular wood with many different applications. Let us now look into why Luan plywood is so popular.
What Makes Luan Plywood So Popular?
Well, you might wonder why this particular type of plywood is so popular these days. Well, it offers a few benefits for both manufacturers and consumers. As per the sources, the trees in the Shorea genus are very tall and straight which means that very little waste is generated during harvesting and peeling.
Moreover, it also offers a consistent density and color during the manufacturing process. This makes it more appealing to consumers. At the same time, this plywood offers tough flexibility when it is made into thin sheets for underlayment.
At the same time, this plywood is dense and stiff and has a high bending strength. However, it has a low hardness score. This signifies it is an easy material to work on and is easy to install for both professionals and DIYers. Moreover, it also is already quite smooth and looks great when stained. Therefore, it is ideal as a finishing wood for certain projects. Also, due to its incredible ability to bend without breaking, it is an ideal wood for humid areas where expansion and contraction occur.
Where Is Luan Plywood Commonly Used?
As you know, Luan plywood is strong but lightweight. So most commonly you can use it for interior doors, ceilings, and walls as well as furniture backing and drawer bottoms. At the same time, it also represents one of the most popular underlayment materials used under vinyl flooring.
The large sheets are pretty easy to move without being too heavy or snapping when bent. This is because they can be cut with a sharp utility knife. So you can easily cut these sheets as per your required size. In addition, you can use this plywood for exterior projects including boat building. Now let us look into the details of how you can take care of the furniture made of this plywood.
How Can You Care For Luan Plywood?
Just as with any other type of wooden product, proper care needs to be taken when you are working with this material. It should always be stored inside to protect it from the elements. According to the experts, you should keep this plywood away from heat sources and should always use UV inhibitors to prevent degradation by sunlight.
Also, you should keep it away from water as the plywood is not waterproof. However, it is resistant to moisture and rust.
Ending Note
So, as we conclude, we can say that Luan plywood is presently in great demand for various purposes. It is mainly because of its easy availability and the different uses that we talked about in this article. You can take a glance at the above article to know all the significant aspects of this plywood.
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