I actually "featured" some plywood edges when I made a wood "book" for my Dungeons and Dragons game. The plywood edges simulated the pages of a book pretty well!
You weren't kidding about having an old iron just for edge banding. That thing looks like it came in a bundle deal with a commodore 64 or the Macintosh classic with the floppy drive built in.
I recently discovered bulk edge banding on Amazon. I got the 250’ roll and made a dispenser for it, which makes it easy to apply to my plywood pieces. I do a lot of edge banding and this really helped.
@@Not_TVs_Frank thanks! I got the idea from another woodworker on RU-vid. Mine is much cooler though 😬. Here’s a link in case you’re interested: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aPiCUJr4JxY.html
Small variation of these tips is solid wood edge banding cut really thin with a table-saw, apply with wood glue and (painters-)tape. Not as convenient as buying iron-on edge banding, but cheaper and can easily be applied to curved edges.
The tricky part with that is you need to get the faces very smooth and flat, which is easier said than done. A drum sander makes it easier, but they're a pricey tool to have if you don't have much use for them.
@@thomashajicek2747 Maybe I am not as particular as you, but I have found a table saw and then a random orbit sander to work okay. Slight variations in thickness is pretty hard to see unless you are going over with a caliper.
@@TitusVespas I'm talking about gaps between the edge strip and the edge of the plywood. The saw blade can leave imperfections from the blade, and the ROS can sand unevenly, which would cause there to be some gaps. If you're painting the project you can just use some kind of fill, but if you're going natural then you'll have either some small gaps, or discolored areas where fill is applied. But you're right, it may just be a little picky, especially if it's just something for your own home. With a really good saw blade and/or planer/jointer, you can get the edge reasonably flat.
My desk is made of 3/4" ply(12 years ago, not sure what grade the step got for it). He put edging on(not banding, used 1/4" strips of regular wood), less for looks, and more so we wouldn't have to worry about roughness. it's still SOLID.
thank you so much for the concise explanation! I'm looking to do my first project and i think plywood is the way to go for me but I don't like the ply edges at all! This was so helpful!
One tip I learned from Crafted Workshop for exposed plywood edges was to use wood filler on them to fill any voids and even it out before staining. It worked a treat when I built a desktop with an exposed edge.
I featured the plies on the table top of my assembly table by cutting the plywood (13/16" formwork plywood with the coating planed off) into 1 3/4" x ~50" strips and glued them together, so all the plies are visible lengthwise. The main reason for doing it this way, was because it would be too difficult to remove the insanely durable coating from sheets large enough for the finished width (~33"), and the pieces I had was reclaimed pieces from work I treated the finished tabletop with 4 coats of satin clear floor laquer, and it looks absolutely awesome! :)
@@number6396 Most everything has it's place. Iron on and adhesive banding can have a place where it is mostly for show. I would not use it to edge band shelves, or desk and table edges for the abuse they will likely encounter. Personally have not had a problem with the veneers.
Great tips thanks!! Speaking of weight, Plywood is huge relief for who knows MDF. In Brazil MDF is the king of cabinetry, for who likes to work with Plywood unfortunately the iron-on edge bands are not available down here!! The alternative would be the sheets of veneer but the process is very time consuming.
I see someone listened to the advice on his own podcast this week with the single video recommendation 😁 (I thought that was a great tip, I've started it too 😉)
I tried spackle/drywall compound on plywood edges once, and even painted the layers were still pretty visible. I may not have done a great job and need to give it another go. Edge banding is a good option, but if you've ever owned a piece of furniture with veneer you know how it can start peeling away with wear. I have a desk now that is peeling all over the top. I think the best solution is a strip of wood for the edge treatment. Being much thicker it's less likely to peel away. It's difficult to get it smooth enough for a joint free of gaps, but those would probably be easier to fill and hide with a compound or wood fill than the whole edge of the plywood.
I agree. Edge band is terrible. It chips and peels all over. I never use it. The strip of wood is more work up front, but far superior to edge band. No one is unhappy, even years later, when they have real wood edges.
I've used all of these plus one more. Miter and dado all the edges. When you dado the edge make it so only one ply is exposed it will make it look like a solid edge. Oh and you can also make your own vernier strips by running strips on the edge on the table saw. Your working with ply wood you will always have long strips of about an inch or less keep them and put them to work each strip can net you two venear strips
@@SteveRamsey I'm quite surprised to see that you're a DK fan. But you're the right age and from California, so on second thought it's not that surprising. California Über Alles!
Great video lots of good advice I am a weekend woodworker whenever I have tried to use edge banding the iron-on kind on plywood and then try to put stain on it the edge banding always turns out a lighter shade in color than the plywood. When you put wood stain on any type of wood the further the stain penetrates into the wood the darker it will look on the surface. Age banding is very thin and has glue on the back the glue stops the penetration of the wood stain this is what makes the color of the stain on the edge banding look lighter in color. Have you experienced this.
I haven't experienced that. Since the surface of plywood itself is just a veneer, it should act the same as the edge banding. But there are so many kinds of plywood, it doesn't surprise me that this can happen. Also, the edge banding might be a different type of wood.
Plywood warping how to deal with that ...also does a better grade of plywood warp less ? Sorry if this in the wrong place ..do you have a general advise section...:}
hello new o your channel.....hv question about a stool video from 6 yrs ago this july..foot stool....maybe i missed something..you said you cut 2 x 4 down handle easier..did you mean 4 equal cuts of that piece...ty luv channel
Baltic birch ply is great, BUT BB comes in grades, and the lower grades will have as many edge voids as ordinary (yech!) plywood. Don't be surprised if your vendor has no idea about BB quality ratings (you can google the topic to learn more). Be as picky with BB as any other piece of tree. Filling / spackling the edges: well, it helps but if you used exposed edge plywood, expect the laminations to show. It's a choice, and not a bad one. I'd always chamfer or ease the edges, including with edge banding. Those edges can cut.
That's not my experience. Every sheet of birch ply I ever bought is voidless, and only the face veneer changes in quality. Its only when you get to C/C boards that voids are permitted but I've never actually seen that grade on sale anywhere in my life, only BB/CP face grades and better. You're right that those lower grades theoretically exist, I've just never seen them in thirty years of buying birch plywood to make furniture.
Have you seen the price of plywood lately, it's freakin outrageous?! One example for you, I was in HD today and 7/16" OSB plywood was $52!! Definitely had to do a double take to make sure I was looking at the proper price tag, and by God I DEFINITELY was!! So if I was you, don't take any job where it's gonna need a substantial amount of plywood!💯
I’m building a storage bench seat with plywood top. What is the most rugged means? It is a banquette at a dinner table so will have lots of use. I am painting it so the wood appearance is not as important.
Edge banding is great but it's quite pricey unless you buy 50m of it in one go. If you have good stuff e.g. birch ply, liquid beeswax really makes the edges pop and gives a nice effect.
Two words... T-Molding. (or is that one word?) Anyway, I used it on my 80's style stand-up arcade machine build and my electronics workbench. Works great and gives a sorta retro appearance.
What about roundimg over the edges either through a round over bit or sanding? I feel like it would look pretty cool but from what can find on the internet most people say it's either not possible because of tear out or it just doesn't look good. But I'm not convinced, because I can't actually find any examples with pictures showing the results. I will be experimenting with this soon, but I wonder what opinions you have?
I cut plywood with my very basic came-with-the-saw blade. Works fine for me. There are blades labeled as "plywood" blades but I personally doubt it makes that big of a difference. One thing that does make a difference, especially on splintery oak plywood? Painters tape on your cut-lines. It prevents a ton of tear-out, especially when cutting against the grain of the veneers.
I have multiple furniture projects I'd like to build at the makerspace down the road from me, and I absolutely plan on featuring the edges of the plywood. :D Do you have any recommendations on how to make those plys visually pop? I'm considering a water-based polyurethane finish on my dad's recommendation, because I want surfaces that are sealed against liquid damage or food stains.
Wear gloves when handling it. ;) The reclaimed scrap pieces of formwork plywood I bring home from work has crazy sharp edges at times (because of the durable coating), so I always wear gloves when handling them.
I designed a CNC enclosure, I was going to make it out of plywood mostly using pocket hole joinery almost exclusively. But, given how hard to find and expensive plywood is, I’m thinking of using melamine instead. Any reason that would be a bad idea?
A case that surrounds the cnc? Melamine is okay but its heavy AF. Screws and fasteners can strip out easily because the core material isnt held together very well. Its also challenging to get a good cut on the melamine surfaces, I find it chips easily, so even with edge banding it can look bad. Id try using 1/4" or 1/2" plywood if possible. Structurally I'd rather use MDF over melamine.
@@A6Legit thanks. I don’t really care about looks, it’s just a piece of garage shop furniture to keep any dust that escapes the dust boot and to keep the noise from floating to the rooms above. I would be doing plywood if I could, but nobody around really has any, and what little is around is almost 100 a sheet. Melamine is only 30, and since I’m probably going to need about 5 sheets, affordability is a priority. My other main concern was structural stability. I’m thinking if I really go nuts with the pocket hole screws (like every 4-6 inches) I should have enough redundancy to keep everything strong. What do you think?
@@davidalan6701 $100 a sheet, jesus. Near me decent plywood per sheet is 3/4" - $60 , 1/2" - $47, 1/4" - $33. Melamine 3/4" is $31. MDF 3/4" is $36.5, 1/2" is $31, ive only seen 1/4" in 2x4 sheets for $4.60. Just off my preference I would use MDF over melamine even if its a little more money. If your main goal is just to contain dust it doesnt need to support weight right? Id say use as thin as you can. You could build a frame out of 2x4 or 2x2's and cover it with 1/4" or other thin material. Im making something similar to keep dust from my miter saw contained. I made the frame out of .75" thick pine boards cut into strips. I am using plywood underlayment as the walls, I would highly recommend it for shrouds/containment. I have used it as sides and backs of shelving just to make basic dimensional lumber (2x4, 2x2 construction) furniture a little nicer. Its basically 1/5" or something like 9/32". A sheet is $14 and if you get a good selection the veneers can actually look pretty nice. Theres another product called utility panel that is $13 a sheet, 1/8" thick. Id just brad nail it to the frame.
@@A6Legit yeah, where I’m at, the pickings are slim. Those prices aren’t too far from what I’m seeing, there’s just so little available in full sheets. It does need to be strong enough to support the CNC and whatever material is getting cut, so I’d say it should be able to support about 150Lbs more than the box itself. Essential it’s a cabinet on legs but I designed it to make the support structural pieces out of sheet material so I wouldn’t have to use 2x4s. I was hoping to avoid 2x4s because right now it’s all bottom of the barrel and impossible to find anything straight. But I hadn’t thought of dimensional boards for at least the legs. That might work. Thanks.
@@davidalan6701 If you use 3/4" melamine all around that thing is going to be like 500lbs+ lol. Its about 90lbs per sheet. Sucks about slim pickings. I still need a jointer, but I got a planer because trying to deal with warped lumber is a nightmare. If I were you I would build a table with 2x4 legs and 3/4" sheet surface. I recommend a frame for the surface sheet so it doesnt sag under weight/time. You could also possibly add a storage shelf below it. Then use 2x2 frame and 1/4" ply/mdf, or that underlayment material as a cover that sits on top of your CNC "table". You can secure it if necessary. I hope lumber price and availability comes down soon, for all of us 🙏
Baltic Birch…..oh how I long for the days when you wouldn’t get bent over every time you bought a sheet. 285 dollar a sheet as I’m writing this out in Chicago.
Edge band Stinks. It chips, peels off over time and cups in moist areas. Don't let ANYONE convince you otherwise. It's terrible. It's hard to fix/replace because often you can't get to it, and if you can, the color is different. I use baltic birch with exposed edges. If you don't want that look apply real wood edge strips. It's more work up front, but you won't be sorry later.
I wonder if there's a defect to the brand you're using or something. I've literally made dozens of projects with edge banding over the past decade and never experienced any issues with it. 🤷♂️
The birch I'm seeing now is full of voids and not true birch the price went up the quality went down now they're lowering the price alittle ,I ask the store employees to reduce the price.. usually get a 10% discount.
