International Timber, a leading importer and distributor of bespoke, sustainable timber and panel products, recommends using flooring grade plywood to help prevent callbacks in commercial and domestic flooring projects.
Contract flooring specialists know that incorrectly specified plywood underlayment can result in swelling, peeling and lifting, even when other installation practices are correctly adhered to. Imagine installing a floor in a high-end commercial or residential setting, only to be called back to replace the underlayment as well as the floor itself when the plywood used doesn’t meet the grade.
Flooring grade plywood consists of thicker face veneers to meet the recommendations from the Contract Flooring Association (CFA). International Timber’s flooring grade plywood, for example, consists of thicker 1.2mm face veneers, compared to the 0.12mm on some commercially available plywood.
In addition, BS 8203:2017 ‘code of practice for installation of resilient floor coverings’ recommends that flooring grade plywood should have a glue bond of Class 3 Exterior. This also relates to test methods specific to plywood, in particular EN 314-2 ‘Plywood – Bonding quality – Part 2: Requirements (June 1993)’, which requires the glue to be able to stand up to a certain degree of moisture.
These certifications ensure that plywood is performing to the industry agreed standard of subfloor bases. International Timber’s Eucalyptus Grandis range includes no core gaps, no overlap, and 3-ply construction to ensure that flatness and dimensional stability is never an issue upon installation.
Craig Hewlett, Commercial Lead for Panel Products at International Timber comments: “Resilient contract flooring projects require the correct grade plywood fitted underneath. If the plywood sheets installed are not fit for purpose, meaning a lower-class glue or thinner face veneer, this can result in costly callbacks for flooring contractors, with lost time and money.
“We would always recommend that flooring specialists use flooring grade plywood for commercial and domestic projects for peace of mind. Here at International Timber, we keep a wide range of plywood in stock that meets the highest of standards depending on your requirements and specification. Our range will always guarantee sustainable and legal sourced products, providing you with both confidence and quality when purchasing.”
For more information, visit www.internationaltimber.com or email info@internationaltimber.com.
