Plywood Buying Guide: Types, Grades, Thicknesses & Uses

Buying plywood for a trade job means matching the right type, grade and thickness to the work. This guide walks through the main plywood types we supply at All Sheets, what each is best used for, and how to choose a thickness — so you order the right board the first time.

The main types of plywood

Hardwood plywood

A general-purpose structural board with hardwood veneers throughout, popular for flooring, hoarding, packaging and general site work. Our Hardwood Throughout Chinese Class 2 plywood runs from 3.6mm up to 25mm in 8x4, 10x4 and 10x5 sheets.

Birch plywood

A premium, fine-faced board with consistent layers and a clean finish — ideal for furniture, cabinetry, CNC work and visible joinery. See the Birch Plywood BB/CP range.

Shuttering & structural softwood plywood

Built for formwork, shuttering and load-bearing applications. Our Shuttering Plywood and branded Arauco structural softwood plywood (CE2+ / FSC) are the go-to for concrete formwork and structural decking.

Marine plywood

A durable, water-resistant board (EN314-2 Class 3) for damp or exterior environments, boat-building and wet-area joinery. Browse Marine Plywood.

Specialist plywood

For specific jobs we also stock Flame Retardant Ply (Class O) for fire-rated work and Phenolic Film Faced plywood for repeat-use formwork and hard-wearing surfaces.

Understanding plywood grades

Plywood is graded by the quality of its face and back veneers (e.g. BB/CP on birch, C+/C on shuttering ply). The first letter describes the better face, the second the back. Higher grades give a cleaner, more knot-free surface for visible work; lower grades are fine where the board will be hidden or painted. "Structural" boards are manufactured and certified to carry load; "non-structural" boards are for general, non-load-bearing use.

Choosing a thickness

As a rough guide: 3.6–5.5mm for panelling, backing and lining; 9–12mm for general sheeting and light flooring; 15–18mm for flooring, shuttering and load-bearing work; 21–25mm for heavy-duty structural use. Always check span and load requirements for structural jobs.

Sheet sizes

The standard sheet is 8x4 (1220 x 2440mm). We also supply larger 10x4 (1220 x 3050mm) and 10x5 (1525 x 3050mm) boards on many hardwood lines for fewer joints on bigger jobs.

Buying plywood by the pallet

All Sheets supplies plywood at trade prices by the pallet, delivered across London and the South East — no trade account application needed. Browse the full Plywood range or contact us for a quote.