It's a very interesting question. There a mainly three types of grades in plywood.
1. Marine ply
2. Commercial ply
3. MR (mositure resistant ply)
Wthin these three grades there are sub-grades based on your application and requirements.
Nowadays, in wood market people sell fake products. They put stickers and prints of Marine ply on a commercial ply and sell you. So it is very important to have knowledge of grade of ply used.
Firstly, purchase the plywood with tax invoice. It is ok to pay tax but it's an assurance that you are getting the correct product. Make sure that the the name of the company, code number and sub grade and sub-grade details of plywood are mentioned in the invoice. Plywood comes with certain warranty, make sure to cross check the warranty with the company. You can also check the batch number by calling the plywood company. One significant difference that you will find is that Marine ply is always 1mm thicker than commercial ply. Otherwise there is no way to really differentiate the plywoods.
Feel the ply's surface – smooth is good. Check for even thickness; any bumps are a red flag. Examine the edges – they should be uniform. Plywood with more layers is usually sturdier. Knots and gaps? Not cool. Lastly, give it a knock; a solid sound signals quality. Trust your gut!
deSigneR - Architects and Interior Designers
Supriya Aggarwal
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