Plywood is used for decoration and construction. If you know how to work with plywood correctly, it will help to avoid chips, cracks and the cost of buying additional materials.
When buying plywood in a supermarket, you can order a cut of the board on the spot. The cost of the service depends on the complexity of the parts and the sawing footage. If you decide to cut plywood yourself, use our recommendations.
Features of cutting plywood
Cutting plywood sheet is of three types:
- Rectilinear - sawing vertically and horizontally at right angles.
- Curvilinear - cutting according to patterns - along a curve.
- Combined - the two previous types are used.
When using these methods, consider the grain direction of the veneer.
For cutting plywood at home, it is best to use a band or circular saw. A smooth edge at the site of the cut is obtained if you follow these rules:
- First of all, they cut across the fibers, and then along. In this case, the corners do not split.
- If the cut comes with front side, use a tape or hand saw. On the inside, use a circular or contour saw.
- When sawing with a circular saw, keep the blade speed high and the plywood sheet feed slow.
- For any sawing, use a saw with short teeth - the penetration should be small.
- Guide the saw with light pressure until it kicks back slightly - this way you will reduce the possibility of creases.
- To avoid chips and creases when cutting, you can stick construction tape along the line of the future cut.
drilling
In order to get holes with smooth edges, choose a sharp drill with a front cutter. Start drilling from the front side. Fix the plywood part before drilling.
To avoid chipping and splitting reverse side, put another sheet of plywood under the part.
Joining plywood sheets
Screws and nails are used to connect plywood parts.
Before screwing, the screw holes must be drilled. To prevent the screw head from damaging upper layer veneer, for it you need to cut a recess. To avoid damage to the sheet, do not overtighten the screws. The surface of the plywood can expand when exposed to moisture and crack near a screw that is too tight. For screws with a rounded (dome) cap, nuts are used for fastening from the inside.
Finishing and assembly plywood to metal structure fasten from the side of the structural beam so that the attachment point is not visible on the front side.
To mount the panels, special screws and threaded nails are used. The length of the nail is equal to two to three thicknesses of the plywood sheet. The frequency of hammering depends on the surface: for the floor, nails are hammered every 20 cm - 30 cm along the edge of the slab, and in the middle - every 40 cm. For wall and ceiling panels clogging frequency at the edges 10 cm - 20 cm, in the middle - 20 cm - 30 cm.
Connection types
The strength of the future structure depends on the strength of the connection and fastening of the plywood sheets to each other. There are many ways of joining (tongue, butt, tongue, etc.) plywood.
For mounting internal partitions(walls, roof) use butt joint, seam, open and strips. For outdoor installation, it is better to use aluminum profiles- they will protect the sheet from deformation. If plywood is mounted on the street open way. Then you need to process the edges of the sheets.
The most solid construction it turns out if you fix plywood on a stepped profile - it, in addition to reliability, will provide additional protection from sheet deformation.
Always leave a gap between plywood sheets for expansion: 3mm - 6mm in butt joints and 2mm in other types of joints.
plywood finish
The finishing of plywood includes preparatory sanding, priming, edging and finishing.
Grind the sheet with coarse-grained sandpaper against the direction of the fibers. If you plan to paint or varnish plywood, then you should also sand it with fine-grained sandpaper in the direction of the fibers.
The edges of the plywood sheet (parts) should also be sanded. Grinding starts from the corners and moves towards the middle. If the edges are uneven after cutting, sharpen them and then grind. The ends are covered in several layers acrylic paint with special additives.
Plywood tends to expand under the influence external factors and high-quality primer will protect the veneer from cracking. For finishing plywood, it is better to combine materials from one company with each other.
Before painting and varnishing, plywood is sanded with fine-grained sandpaper, and the sheet is thoroughly cleaned of dust.
For coatings, materials for wood are used: stains, paints, varnishes. You can mount plywood after complete drying.
If you need to cut a large number of sheets of plywood, it is better to contact companies that specialize in cutting and sawing wood - there the sheets will quickly be cut with laser marking and cut into professional equipment. The cost of sawing is calculated per linear meter.
The cross-layer arrangement in the plywood structure makes sheet material more resistant to warping compared to conventional wood panels. But these layers make it difficult to work with plywood - fastening parts end-to-end.
How to glue plywood sheets together
Let's consider proven ways to connect plywood blanks with your own hands.
Right angles - the main assembly rule
Homemade mounting brackets will help to set right angles.
The use of mounting brackets for connecting plywood parts.
Do-it-yourself from pieces of chipboard several different-sized sets of these simple fixtures and use them when assembling large and small products.
Details of the mounting bracket: 1 - corner; 2 - long bar; 3 - short strap.
Saw diagonally a square blank with dimensions of 290x290 mm.
Production of mounting brackets for connecting plywood parts.
Mark the cutouts for the clamps on the corners and cut out the excess material.
Prepare the side planks and make countersunk holes in them.
Fasten the corner to the workbench by placing pads of suitable thickness under it. Tighten the screws while drilling pilot holes.
Cut a right angle at the junction of the planks so that when assembling it does not interfere with the tight fit of the parts.
Ready-made mounting bracket for joining plywood parts.
You can also make a mounting bracket with your own hands from thick plywood. Side bars are not needed here, the strength of the material is enough to fix it with clamps directly to the end of the device.
Drawing of a plywood mounting bracket.
Four ways to fasten plywood parts
Various methods of joining plywood parts at a right angle differ in the complexity of manufacturing and in the reliability of the resulting joint.
Just end to end
Plywood sheets are easiest to fasten end-to-end with glue and screws. The strength of such a connection is sufficient for many furniture blocks, especially if the structure is reinforced with facade strapping or pressed against neighboring modules.
Fastening plywood parts end-to-end.
Groove according to the width of the part
Reliable and easy to manufacture, the connecting unit firmly fixes the parts thanks to three glued planes. Plywood products, fastened with high-quality fitted grooves, serve for decades.
Fastening plywood parts in a groove along the width.
For the manufacture of a groove recess is used a circular saw or milling machine on wood. In the corners, such a connection should be strengthened wooden frame or self-tapping screws.
Tongue and groove
A strong butt joint consisting of a groove in a vertical panel and a tongue in a horizontal plywood sheet. Ideal for corners, and maximum strength is achieved by placing the comb on the bottom of the shelf.
Fastening plywood parts "comb and groove".
Forming a ridge and cutting a groove is best done with a manual milling cutter.
Two grooves and a rail
The connection of plywood parts with a rail inserted into the grooves will best solution for fastening sheets of non-standard and uneven thickness.
Fastening plywood parts according to the “two grooves and a rail” scheme.
To ensure that the workpieces are firmly fastened, glue both grooves with glue.
How to drill pilot holes for screws
Learn how to prevent plywood from cracking by making proper holes for fasteners. Traditional screws with a tapered shank require drilling a mounting recess for the smooth part and a guide channel for the threaded part, plus you still need to bury the head. Perform these operations in one pass with a combination drill with a tapered tip and an adjustable countersink.
Drilling pattern for traditional screws.
Advice. Screw brass screws into the threads made in the pilot hole with a steel screw of the same size.
Modern screws have a straight shank and a thinner top than the thread, so they don't need a mounting recess. It is convenient to drill pilot holes with the same combined equipment, but with conventional drill selected for each screw caliber.
The scheme of drilling holes for modern screws.
Self-tapping screws with a drilling tip and countersinking ribs on the head, which make it possible to do without pre-drilling in soft wood, often split when twisted along plywood layers. Don't risk and waste time replacing a cracked workpiece - make holes even for screws with a drill bit at least half deep and especially near the edges and ends.
Advice. Calculate the tightening force by selecting the appropriate screwdriver mode. It is better to leave the hat a little sticking out above the surface and tighten it with a screwdriver.
It is not necessary to determine the size of the pilot hole with an accuracy of fractions of a millimeter - this can be done “by eye”.
The diameter is suitable if the attached drill covers the body of the screw and not the thread.
When making grooves for the caps near the edge of the plywood sheet, stick masking tape on the drilling site so as not to destroy the top veneer.
When drilling pilot holes, fix the parts, preventing the movement of the workpieces and, as a result, the breakage of the drill.
Any fastening of plywood parts will be accurate and reliable only if the workpieces are precisely fitted. Make strictly perpendicular cuts of blanks. Always start by making a groove, and then adjust the comb under it.
We work with plywood correctly
Home Instructions Repair and interior decoration Using tools Working with plywood the right way
We work with plywood correctly
Plywood can be processed in a variety of ways, both with standard hand and power woodworking tools. However, it should be noted that the adhesive in the plywood board causes rapid wear. cutting tools therefore it is recommended to use carbide tools. Plywood can also be cut with modern systems cutting laser beams And hydraulic systems at a pressure of 3500 bar.
Sawing
Best result sawing is obtained by using a tape or circular saw. To get a clean cut, sawing must be done correctly. First, sawing is done across the direction of the fibers of the front side, then along. This method avoids splitting corners. On the best, front side of plywood, sawing is done manually or band saw, on the reverse side - disk or contour. When sawing with a circular saw, a high speed and a low feed rate are recommended. The penetration limit of the saw blade teeth should be small.
drilling
Holes with smooth edges are obtained if the drill is sharp enough and equipped with a front cutter. Drilling should start from the front side. Splitting on the back of the board can be avoided by using a backing sheet.
Use of nails
For wall, ceiling and floor panels, threaded nails or special screws are best suited, preferably with a hidden or depressed head. For hidden nailing, ordinary wire nails are also suitable. Acid-resistant nails are recommended for nailing exterior cladding panels as they provide the best rust protection on the surface of the panel.
The length of the nails should be 2.5-3 panel thicknesses. Suitable spacing between nails for wall and ceiling panels is 10-20 cm along the edges, 20-30 cm in the middle, depending on the load and type of nails. In floor panels, the spacing should be 20-30 cm along the edges and 40-50 cm in the middle. Due to the structure of the plywood board being strips of cross-grain veneer, nails can be driven close to the edge. A suitable distance to the edge of the panel is 12-15 mm.
In load-bearing structures, important role for their integrity plays the strength and fixation of nails. Nails must be hammered in in the correct order, they must be long, with large hats. You can use screws. As noted above, the fixation of the structure can also be improved by using adhesive at the joints.
Screw connections
In many applications, plywood panels are fastened with screws. In finishing, in the manufacture of cabinet furniture, exhibition stands and shipbuilding, screws are preferred. Auxiliary holes can be pre-drilled, with the hole in the panel matching the diameter of the screw and the smaller hole in the frame; the diameter of the latter will be half of the previous one. The screw head must not penetrate into the face veneer. If domed nails are used, washers must be used. When attaching sheathing plywood to metal structural components, special screws can be used to fasten the plywood board from the back without damaging the front side.
Underfloor panels for cargo containers and trailers are usually attached to the metal chassis with self-tapping threaded screws. For example, 27 mm thick plywood boards can be fastened with M6x40 mm screws. The screw first penetrates the plywood board and then cuts a thread in the metal. This method is fast enough.
Thin plywood panels for transport engineering are also easily fastened to a metal structure using the aforementioned self-tapping screws. Plywood boards are easily fastened with bolts. Bolt hole should be 2mm larger diameter the bolt itself. There should be washers and nuts under the bolt heads to protect the panel surface. To avoid damaging the wood under the bolt, do not overtighten the bolt. Where plywood is used outdoors, an overtightened bolt may press into the surface of the board, causing it to swell with moisture. This will cause cracks in the plywood surface around the bolt.
Locks, hinges, shelves, etc.
3 ways to connect plywood parts
can be easily and securely attached to the plywood surface from either side or edge. The most durable is fastening with clamping fixtures. If it is necessary to place screws at the edges of the panels, the holes for them must be pre-drilled.
Installation
Plywood can be attached to the structure with glue, nails, staples, screws, rivets or bolts. When choosing a mounting method, it is important to take into account the operating conditions, the required strength and appearance. Before installation, the plywood board must be prepared in terms of end-use conditions, precautions must be taken to prevent possible expansion or contraction of the board due to exposure to moisture or temperature changes. A clearance at the joints of 2 mm is considered necessary. An elastic filler can be used, for example, between the edge of the panel and the steel frame of the structure. In heated constructions, the plywood board must be adequately ventilated.
Connection types
Joints and joints are important components of plywood structures. There are many types of joining plywood boards: tongue and groove, and others. When performed correctly, they provide structural integrity for walls, floors, and supporting members. The ends of a plywood board are usually the most sensitive part, so Special attention should be given to the processing of joints, especially if the plywood is intended for outdoor use.
In walls and ceilings, butt joints, open, tongue-and-groove, seam and strip joints are recommended. In outdoor applications, various connections stripes provide the best protection from external influence. Vertical and horizontal profiles made of aluminum effectively protect the edges of the plywood board. Their resistance to rust makes them a suitable material for facades. However, if for architectural reasons an open joint is preferred in an outdoor application, the edges must be properly finished. Approximately 2 mm/m must be saved for panel expansion. In butt joints, this distance should be 3-6 mm. Tongue and groove joints are commonly used for floors and panels that go under roofs. It effectively prevents panel lifting and damage. roofing materials, capable of withstanding greater loads than a conventional butt joint. The panel is fastened with hidden nailing.
The best load-bearing capacity is achieved by using a stepped profile or similar special profile with flanges supporting the edges of adjacent panels. Such profiles are used, for example, in the construction of the floors of cargo containers or trailers.
Gluing
Unfaced plywood is usually glued with any wood glue. The choice of adhesive depends on the method of operation, the moisture content of the end-use process and the strength required. Common types of glue: PVA, phenol, epoxy resin, polyurethane, etc. PVA glue is suitable for indoor use. This adhesive is colorless and has good bonding strength. Phenol and epoxy adhesive have high bonding strength, able to withstand adverse environmental conditions. When bonding plywood to metal, an epoxy-type adhesive is recommended. Contact adhesives are commonly used for bonding large surfaces and for faced plywood intended for indoor use.
Not recommended for sticking laminated plywood. Film-coated plywood is not capable of long-term bonding. If film-coated plywood is attached with glue, the glued surface must first be cleaned to a layer of wood, for example, using sanding paper. It is desirable that the glue was epoxy. The surface to be bonded must be dry and clean.
The adhesive must be applied evenly to both surfaces to be bonded with a roller or brush. The desired pressure force is achieved with clamps, screws or nails. A suitable spacing between nails is 1 nail per 40 cm2. Any excess adhesive should be removed before it cures. Always read the adhesive manufacturer's instructions carefully.
Grinding
The surface of the plywood is usually sanded with relatively coarse abrasive paper (#80-100) perpendicular to the grain of the wood. If exceptionally smooth processing is required, for example for high-quality varnishing, sanding with fine-grained paper in the longitudinal direction of the wood grain is recommended.
Surface finish
The sanded, even surface of plywood is an excellent basis for subsequent finishing. Plywood can be laminated, laminated, painted, impregnated with special paint or mortar, etc. When choosing a paint or primer, it is important to consider the cracking tendency of the veneer. The surface can also be covered with laminate or fine wood veneer. It is possible to use a thin film. Plywood can also be covered with wallpaper. If plywood boards were stored under conditions high humidity before finishing, they must be dried to a normal moisture content. The surface should be thoroughly cleaned of dust resulting from previous processing. This procedure must be repeated before each stage of finishing. Depending on the required quality, 1-2 coats are applied.
Edge processing
To level the edges of the slab after sawing, they can be slightly trimmed. The best result is achieved if you cut in the direction from the corners to the middle, thereby avoiding splitting at the corners. Panel edges can also be sanded. The ends are painted 2-3 times with acrylic paint with special additives.
Primer
Wood is a natural material that expands and contracts depending on the complex effects of temperature and humidity. environment(despite the transverse layers of veneer inside the board). On inside face veneer, cracks are observed that expand and contract under the influence of moisture changes. For these reasons, a preliminary primer is necessary for subsequent painting. Elastic paints are used, and the correct combination of paints is important.
Painting paper base completely prevents the formation of cracks in the paint layer due to humidity In conditions of high humidity and outdoor use, plywood boards must also be painted on the reverse side. Under such conditions, end-face finishing is important and must be carried out especially carefully and several times. Plywood intended for outdoor use must be painted with special paints.
Painting
The application of paint gives the plywood a natural texture pattern. The surface of the slab can also be completely painted, without revealing the grain of the wood. The paint is applied with a brush or spray. Colored plywood is acceptable for both indoor and outdoor exterior finish. But before the final painting, the surface must be treated with a special solution to prevent the formation of blue and fungus, since the biological stability of transparent paints is limited due to the minimum content of the binder.
Varnishing
birch plywood with lacquered surface pleasing to the eye and easy to keep clean. Before varnishing, the surface of the panel must be sanded with fine-grained sandpaper. Dust generated during sanding must be carefully removed and the surface covered with diluted varnish.
How to connect plywood?
What are the methods of joining plywood?
Wow question! This, dear friend, is not a complicated matter on the one hand, but on the other hand, depending on where this connection is established! If there are no special loads, then you can simply put the ends on glue and fix the sheets with screws with screws.
How to work with plywood
If the connection is where there will be loads, then there are a lot of options and they are very different plywood, like solid wood, are connected almost the same:
a) connections by ties, work in compression - with dowels and blocks; b) connections by bonds, work on bending - dowels-bolts, nails, screws, pins; c) connections by ties, work in tension - with bolts, screws, clamps; d) connections by shear bonds - adhesive seams. 
Here are some types of connections most common in the construction of a house, as well as in the construction of motor plywood boats.
Plywood gluing technologies
The main technologies for gluing plywood are shown in the picture below:
These are not the only methods, you can come up with your own, but the figure shows the main ones, in addition to which you can also do this:
And you can make some "keys" with cloves:
and more detailed diagram:
From the above, I think everyone can choose the method that is most suitable for a particular situation.
In general, it all depends on what goals you are pursuing.
Plywood gluing algorithm
The planes that are planned to be glued must first be carefully treated with sandpaper or emery, so we will remove all irregularities for better gluing. Then you need to remove dust from the surface and, to ensure maximum adhesion, degrease it.
After this little preparatory phase you can apply glue on both planes (it is better to use special glue, and glues are very different, and dilute it according to the instructions). After application, the glue must be allowed to stand for some time, and then connect the two parts, pressing tightly against each other. It would be better to fix the pieces with clamps.
The drying process, as a rule, will take about a day, but it is often recommended that after removing the clamps, do not subject the plywood to any pressure for about a day.
The cross-layering of the plywood structure makes the sheet material more resistant to buckling than conventional wood panels. But these layers make it difficult to work with plywood - fastening parts end-to-end. Let's consider proven ways to connect plywood blanks with your own hands.
Right angles - the main assembly rule
Homemade mounting brackets will help to set right angles.
Make with your own hands from pieces of chipboard several sets of these simple devices of different sizes and use them when assembling large and small products.
Saw diagonally a square blank with dimensions of 290x290 mm.
Mark the cutouts for the clamps on the corners and cut out the excess material.
Prepare the side planks and make countersunk holes in them.
Fasten the corner to the workbench by placing pads of suitable thickness under it. Tighten the screws while drilling pilot holes.
Cut a right angle at the junction of the planks so that when assembling it does not interfere with the tight fit of the parts.
You can also make a mounting bracket with your own hands from thick plywood. Side bars are not needed here, the strength of the material is enough to fix it with clamps directly to the end of the device.
Four ways to fasten plywood parts
Various methods of joining plywood parts at a right angle differ in the complexity of manufacturing and in the reliability of the resulting joint.
Just end to end
Plywood sheets are easiest to fasten end-to-end with glue and screws. The strength of such a connection is sufficient for many furniture blocks, especially if the structure is reinforced with facade strapping or pressed against neighboring modules.
Groove according to the width of the part
Reliable and easy to manufacture, the connecting unit firmly fixes the parts thanks to three glued planes. Plywood products, fastened with high-quality fitted grooves, serve for decades.
To make a groove recess, a circular saw or wood milling machine is used. In the corners, such a connection should be reinforced with a wooden frame or self-tapping screws.
Tongue and groove
A strong butt joint consisting of a groove in a vertical panel and a tongue in a horizontal plywood sheet. Ideal for corners, and maximum strength is achieved by placing the comb on the bottom of the shelf.
Forming a ridge and cutting a groove is best done with a manual milling cutter.
Two grooves and a rail
The connection of plywood parts with a rail inserted into the grooves will be the best solution for fastening sheets of non-standard and uneven thickness.
To ensure that the workpieces are firmly fastened, glue both grooves with glue.
How to drill pilot holes for screws
Learn how to prevent plywood from cracking by making proper holes for fasteners. Traditional screws with a tapered shank require drilling a mounting recess for the smooth part and a guide channel for the threaded part, plus you still need to bury the head. Perform these operations in one pass with a combination drill with a tapered tip and an adjustable countersink.
Advice.Screw brass screws into the threads made in the pilot hole with a steel screw of the same size.
Modern screws have a straight shank and a thinner top than the thread, so they don't need a mounting recess. It is convenient to drill pilot holes with the same combined equipment, but with a conventional drill, selected for each screw caliber.
Self-tapping screws with a drilling tip and countersinking ribs on the head, which make it possible to do without pre-drilling in soft wood, often split when twisted along plywood layers. Don't risk and waste time replacing a cracked workpiece - make holes even for screws with a drill bit at least half deep and especially near the edges and ends.
Advice. Calculate the tightening force by selecting the appropriate screwdriver mode. It is better to leave the hat a little sticking out above the surface and tighten it with a screwdriver.
It is not necessary to determine the size of the pilot hole with an accuracy of fractions of a millimeter - this can be done “by eye”.
The diameter is suitable if the attached drill covers the body of the screw and not the thread.
When making grooves for the caps near the edge of the plywood sheet, stick masking tape on the drilling site so as not to destroy the top veneer.
When drilling pilot holes, fix the parts, preventing the movement of the workpieces and, as a result, the breakage of the drill.
Any fastening of plywood parts will be accurate and reliable only if the workpieces are precisely fitted. Make strictly perpendicular cuts of blanks. Always start by making a groove, and then adjust the comb under it.
The characteristic features of the cross-laminated veneer structure make plywood a more economical material that is less prone to buckling than conventional wood panels, especially when scaling up. But because of these layers, butt joints of parts are not very strong. Here are three ways to increase the strength of plywood structures.
1. Wide groove or tongue
Strong, reliable and easy to manufacture connections. A wide groove (across the fibers) or a tongue (along the fibers) tightly covers the counterpart and fixes it, having three bonding surfaces. As a rule, the groove is made half the thickness of the plywood. Cabinet furniture made using well-fitted tongues and grooves will last for decades. You can choose grooves and tongues on sawing machine or with a cutter. We prefer the slotted blade saw because it makes it easier to make multiple identical pieces and the job is faster. After choosing the right combination of outer discs, chippers and spacers to match the thickness of the plywood, install the slot disc on the spindle of your saw. Make a few test passes on the scraps to achieve the desired tightness of the connection - the part should be inserted into the groove or tongue and removed with little effort, but not fall out when the assembly is turned over. Add or reduce the number of shim washers as needed.
Assemble a stack of slot disc from outer discs, chippers, and spacers next to a piece of plywood. Exact thickness matching can be found with a finger.
By adjusting the thickness of the grooving disk, you can cut all the grooves and tongues for parts of the same thickness. Using the longitudinal (parallel) stop, you will be sure that all the grooves on the same type of parts will match exactly.
When selecting grooves and tongues, it is safe to use the longitudinal (parallel) and transverse (angular) stops at the same time, since in these cases the cut will not be through.
IN corner connections such a selection becomes false. Since one of the bonding surfaces is lost in this case, it is better to reinforce the seam joints with additional means, such as screws or a solid wood facade frame covering the edges of the plywood.
Make a simple guide from the scraps - a T-shaped T-square and use it for milling grooves. Align the notch in the side stop of the T-square with the marks on the part to make the notch exactly where you want it.
To keep the comb length uniform, use a rebate cutter. Replacing the bearing allows you to change the width of the fold (and the length of the ridge). The density of the connection is regulated by the depth of milling.
For maximum strength, position the comb on the underside of the part to be inserted. This connection broke when a heavy object was placed on the shelf.
2. Groove and tongue
Such a connection consists of a narrow groove and a ridge formed by a fold on the inserted part. It is excellent for corner applications as it has more bonding surfaces, greater strength and stiffness than a simple seam joint.
For the manufacture of such a connection, processing of both parts is required. First select the slots with a slotting disc or router with a straight or helical cutter. Then form those on the second fly a comb that fits snugly into the groove of the first. Make a few trial connections on the scraps to achieve the required assembly density.
3. Rail connection
This connection method avoids problems associated with non-standard or uneven plywood thickness. Since you define all the elements of the connection yourself, the thickness of the plywood does not matter. To ensure that both grooves match perfectly in width, make them with a router with the same straight or helical cutter. Make a simple router fixture from scraps, shown in figure, which should correspond to the thickness of your plywood parts (the dimensions of the fixture can be changed, but its side stops should tightly cover the plywood without preventing smooth movement). It is also possible to cut grooves quickly and easily on a saw machine using a slotting disc, but making a neat groove in the edge of a plywood piece is not easy, especially if the piece is long, as it has to be placed on the edge and becomes unstable. Therefore, we prefer the milling cutter. For maximum strength, the grooves in both pieces should be approximately one third the width of the plywood and the depth half the thickness. After choosing the grooves, cut the hardwood lath so that it fits snugly into both grooves, sawing it in width and length. Lubricate the bottom and walls of both grooves with glue to make the connection strong.
Such a device allows you to accurately mill grooves in the center of the edges of 19 mm plywood. Then a precisely fitted rail is glued into the grooves.
The procedure for gluing plywood on your own is as follows:
- Processing of joints and the bordering surface of the material in order to degrease and remove dust and dirt residues.
- If you want to glue laminated sheets, then the next step is to sand the material in order to get rid of the slippery laminated surface over the entire joint area. Or make it rougher.
- Before gluing, take care of the quality drying of the sheets.
- Apply glue to the adhesive surface with a roller for greater uniformity of the product.
- Apply special clamps to ensure a fixed and tight fit of the parts to be glued.
How to glue plywood sheets together
Attention! When gluing large parts, additional connection with self-tapping screws and / or nails is necessary.
- Remove excess adhesive with a rag or knife.
- After the adhesive has completely dried, remove the clamps.
Ready to get down to business? Then cook the following materials and tools:
- Nails and/or screws;
- Sander with appropriate attachment or sanding paper;
- clamps;
- Hammer;
- Rags;
- Glue;
- roller.
What glue to use?
To correctly answer this question, first decide how large pieces of plywood you want to connect and how to use after gluing.
For gluing construction (rough) plywood, which does not have a front layer, any adhesive composition. The main thing when connecting is to clean and degrease the glued surfaces of the sheets as efficiently as possible.
When gluing large sheets to each other, after applying the adhesive, the workpieces are pressed with temporary clamps.
If, when gluing plywood, it is important not to disturb the texture and color of the material, but to ensure a reliable connection, we recommend using PVA if the blanks will be used indoors in the future. If we are talking about outdoor use, then epoxy or phenol would be ideal.
To ensure a strong and reliable connection of workpieces, it is important not only to choose the right glue, but also to use it correctly. Because violation of the technical regulations is fraught with "non-operation" of all the qualities of the adhesive composition.
- Easy to use, suitable for household use;
- Provides reliable fastening;
- Resistant to moisture;
- Inert to the effects of fungus and mold;
- Non-violating color and composition.
Which glue is better: based on liquid glass or polyurethane?
The universal composition of the adhesive, which is based on liquid glass, guarantees high moisture resistance of the adhesive joint, as well as inertness to sudden temperature changes. Such a composition is ideal for gluing plywood to the floor, fiberboard or chipboard, as well as tile or glass.
Polyurethane-based glue is moisture resistant, does not collapse under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, provides excellent sound insulation, and dries quickly. Two-component polyurethane adhesive suitable for bonding laminated or varnished surfaces.
Choose glue by brand of plywood
Here it is important to proceed from the category of joint strength that must be obtained, as well as air humidity during the further operation of the structure.
If the product after gluing will be in a well-dry and ventilated area, then synthetic glue, PVA or protein-based glue is perfect.
For plywood products that are going to be used both inside and outside, use synthetic glue.
Moisture-resistant plywood is better connected by compounds based on carbamide resin.
How to glue plywood
How to glue plywood
Most modern floor coverings laid on the floor, not directly on the concrete. One of the most popular types of underlay is plywood. It attracts with ease of installation and affordable price Also, one should not forget the important fact that This - natural material . Its popularity is evidenced by the fact that manufacturers have begun producing a moisture-resistant look for use in bathrooms. Also, the polished variety on one side is gaining popularity, which facilitates installation under the final floor covering.
It is not enough to choose the right substrate, the main thing is to choose good glue for bonding plywood to concrete. It depends on him how firmly the sheets will hold on the floor, how quickly everything will dry out and it will be possible to move from preliminary work to the final one.
Types of glue
Huge range on shelves construction stores can be divided into several main types:
- on water based;
- polyurethane;
- epoxy.
These types of glue for plywood on a concrete floor differ in price , composition, consumption and drying time.
PVA glue for plywood
Water-based, it is also called water-dispersion (the most popular in this series is PVA) has a number of undeniable advantages: safe, non-toxic, affordable, suitable for moisture-resistant plywood, it can even be applied to a wet screed.
But besides the advantages, it also has its disadvantages:
- dries for a long time (with large volumes up to 7 days);
- only suitable for internal works in heated rooms (there is an option marked D with frost-resistant additives, but its price is much higher);
- fastening the base to the flooring is not very strong, therefore, until completely dry, the sheets must be screwed with self-tapping screws;
- when using this type of adhesive, the floor must be sufficiently even, the difference cannot be more than 2 mm.
Polyurethane adhesive gives off high strength, toughness and ductility. It can be both two-component and one-piece.
Two-component adhesive for plywood on concrete floors with high viscosity (applied with a comb trowel). This is both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the one hand, it seizes literally in half an hour, and on the other hand, it cannot be prepared in a large portion “in reserve”, as it dries quickly and becomes unusable.
The one-piece version dries much longer, so it does not freeze during installation. Complete drying takes 36 - 48 hours, and the strength of the resulting layer is superior to concrete, and withstands drops up to +55 ° C.
Mounting plywood on glue
The disadvantages include:
- high toxicity, but harmful substances stand out only during styling, after hardening it becomes safe;
- too fast solidification of two-component mixtures, which creates inconvenience in the process.
Epoxy adhesive for plywood on concrete floor , also consists of two components that must be mixed before installation. Complete drying occurs after 4-5 days, but walking on plywood flooring possible within a day.
Read on topic: how to properly lay plywood on a concrete floor.
When laying, harmful substances are also released into the air (due to the alcohol base, the smell is rich and sharp), so you need to work in accordance with safety precautions. Goggles, gloves and a respirator must be present, regardless of what glue you glued the plywood to the concrete floor with.
But there are a few general rules:
- Concrete must first be cleaned of debris and other contaminants (if necessary, vacuum or wet clean).
- Before work, it is desirable to prime it - this will reduce the consumption of raw materials and improve adhesion to the surface. For these purposes, both the primer (regular or water-repellent, for damp rooms) and the glue itself are suitable. It must be diluted and applied in a thin layer on the prepared surface.
- Although only PVA and its water-based analogues require additional fastening, when working with the rest, for better adhesion, it is also advisable to press the sheets to the floor with something (put under pressure) until completely dry.
- Sheets are best sawn into 0.5x0.5 squares, so they will fit better without creating cavities in uneven areas. Lay such squares in a checkerboard pattern, or simply with an offset.
- Leave between sheets technological gap 2 - 5 mm.
- Depending on the condition of the surface (cracks, irregularities, contamination) and the selected type of glue, the consumption will be 0.5 - 1.5 kilograms per square meter.
Laying plywood on a concrete floor
On the PVA label, they often write “consumption from 0.25 kilograms per square meter”, but do not get hopeful. With this type of glue, it is necessary to cover not only the concrete base, but also apply it to the sheet. Therefore, when calculating the consumption, the numbers indicated on the label should be multiplied by two..
Price
Glue for plywood on a concrete floor can be bought at any hardware store.
The most affordable option will be water-based.
What glue is best for plywood
PVA will cost somewhere between 60-100 rubles per kilogram, depending on the region and the volume of purchase. Polyurethane and epoxy are approximately the same in price, but cost an order of magnitude more expensive than those that are water-based. Here, the price per kilogram will be from 200 to 600 rubles, depending on the manufacturer and region.
When working, it should be remembered that an incorrectly selected adhesive for plywood on a concrete floor can significantly complicate the installation process and significantly worsen the result.
Detailed information in this video.
It is very important that the floor in the apartment is warm and comfortable. Therefore, its installation begins with the laying of plywood, which will play the role of a base and will be able to ensure its stability and strength. This material, consisting of several layers of veneer made from wood coniferous trees, predisposed to various types of fastening. It can be mounted with screws, nails or bolts. But if you choose glue for this purpose, then the work will be much simpler and the result will be of high quality.
General issues
To the question of whether plywood can be glued, today there is a definite positive answer. Since developed different kinds glue, choosing the right one, you can glue plywood to any base. It will firmly connect with concrete, wood, as well as plastic and even metal. Bonding is a fairly easy manipulation that anyone with no prior skills can handle. Such a floor will be resistant to moisture and will not undergo aging. Also, this technology can be used in the arrangement of underfloor heating.
Dispersion adhesive
There are several types of different adhesives on the market today. In order to figure out which one is suitable in a particular case, you need to consider their characteristics.
When deciding which plywood adhesive to use, you can opt for an environmentally friendly, odorless and fumes-free dispersion adhesive. People call it PVA glue. It consists of a white suspension containing crushed polyvinyl acetate particles and water.
It qualitatively connects plywood with the base. But, despite all the above advantages, it also has a number of disadvantages. These include:
- mandatory additional fastening with dowels and self-tapping screws;
- curing for at least 1 week.
Before use, it is diluted with water or a special primer is added to it. For gluing 1 sq. m of plywood need a little more than one kilogram.
To the question of whether it can be used in children's institutions, offices, apartments - the answer is definitely positive.
alcohol glue
If you need to do the work quickly, then one-component glue is used for laying, which is also called alcohol. It is based on artificial resins and solvents, so it has a strong pungent odor that requires the use of a respirator during work and long-term ventilation of the room. Before applying it concrete screed must be primed. Additional bracing required. But at the same time, this glue has a number of advantages:
- under normal conditions, it dries out after three days;
- due to its consistency, it fills the cracks and does not leave voids, thereby compacting the rough base;
- does not crack during operation, due to its high elasticity in the frozen form.
Has a higher cost square meter than dispersion. You need about one and a half kilograms.
Two-component adhesive
Laying plywood on a two-component adhesive will be quick and hassle-free. Having a higher cost than analogues, it has a number of advantages, including:
- plywood does not need to be additionally fixed with self-tapping screws;
- the glue hardens in just two days;
- has the highest strength.
This adhesive for plywood flooring is sold as two separate components - a resin and a special hardener, which must be mixed in the correct proportions and immediately before use. It is recommended to work with the material using personal protective equipment.
Glue laying plywood technology
To provide proper styling and fixing the material on the screed from the solution, it is necessary to glue it. This ensures the coupling of two various surfaces, which guarantees good quality laying the preparatory floor layer (this process is shown in the video).
Installation should be carried out in the following sequence:
- to a pre-prepared flat surface adhesive is applied, about 2 mm.
- Next, the wood adhesive material cut into squares, pre-numbered, is laid, each in its place.
What is the best way to glue plywood?
To eliminate air, you need to pass the roller over the squares, pressing them.
- We carry out the final fixing by placing self-tapping screws around the perimeter of each tile, which should be much longer than the thickness of the sheet (see photo).
After surface treatment grinder we glue the tiles on plywood, having previously cleaned it of debris, primed it, smeared it with adhesive and prepared the tiles directly for laying. We glue the parquet in the same way.
Wallpaper is one of the most common wall covering materials. They are attractive, stylish, and sticking them does not cause any particular difficulties. Wallpaper can be glued even when the general repair is completely finished, without fear that Decoration Materials floor or ceiling will be damaged. The canvases are demanding on the base, they can only be glued to a previously leveled surface, since their small thickness will make any wall defects perfectly visible. One option for leveling is plywood. Such material is characterized by rigidity, strength, stability, its surface is as smooth as possible. Is it possible to stick wallpaper on plywood? Yes, this option is sometimes used, although plywood requires preparatory work to make the wall as attractive as possible.
Wall layout before wallpapering.
When finishing walls with plywood, it must be remembered that wood is subject to temperature and humidity expansion. Therefore, it is necessary to choose only moisture-resistant plates; during installation, provide special gaps. You can take any wallpaper for plywood, but their texture will affect the quality of the wall preparation. The best option are non-woven wallpapers that perfectly mask irregularities and joints. But with thin paper wallpaper you have to tinker a bit, the plywood wall should get the perfect look. Only then can work begin. Attention should also be paid to glue, which should be designed specifically to work with wooden surfaces. Before gluing, a primer is applied to the surface.
Necessary tools for pasting walls with wallpaper.
To quickly and efficiently glue wallpaper on plywood, you need to prepare materials such as:
- waterproof primer;
- putty (alkyd enamel for rough and non-waterproof plywood);
- brushes and rollers;
- metal spatula;
- sickle tape, metal perforated corners;
- wallpaper glue;
- wallpaper;
- metal ruler;
- simple pencil;
- knife with interchangeable blades.
Preparation for gluing
The scheme for gluing wallpaper on plywood sheathing is simple, but it must first be prepared. This is due to the fact that the coating has its own characteristics. It can cause the wallpaper to lag, warp, and bubble.
For wall cladding, it is best to take waterproof plywood, the so-called bakelite or American plywood is perfect.
The scheme of pasting the walls with wallpaper.
Such sheets are less susceptible to temperature changes than others.
In no case is plywood of low grade, which has visible defects, delamination of the end part, is allowed. All these disadvantages will quickly appear after wallpapering, the coating will have to be removed.
Sequence of work
Before gluing wallpaper, you need to properly prepare the surface of the walls:
- During the fastening of the sheets, the screws should be literally recessed into the tree so that the caps in no case protrude above the surface. After that, all fasteners are treated with special anti-corrosion compounds, otherwise rust spots will quickly appear on the surface of the canvas.
- Plywood after laying is necessarily covered with a primer layer. The composition must contain special additives against mold. This is especially important for vinyl wallpapers.
- The joints between the individual plates must be sealed with putty, otherwise they will be visible through the canvases, especially paper ones. The same applies to any defects, including microcracks, knots, nail marks.
- After the putty dries, it is necessary to sand the surface, cover with a primer again.
The scheme of the order of wallpapering.
It is best to use non-woven wallpaper for a plywood wall. They are great at camouflage. various defects because the canvas is quite thick.
How is plywood prepared? Plywood after sheathing the wall has seams between individual plates and fasteners. All such joints and fasteners must be sealed, otherwise they will be clearly visible. If rough plywood was used for work, then the walls are first sanded, and then cleaned of dust. Then they are covered with a moisture-resistant primer, all joints and fasteners are puttied.
When the mixture dries, it is necessary to sand the surface again so that it becomes perfectly flat and smooth. If non-moisture-resistant plywood was used for wall cladding, it is recommended to paint the wall with a special alkyd enamel; water cannot be used. If waterproof plywood was used for work, then after all the mixtures have dried, the walls must be treated with an ordinary vacuum cleaner, which will collect all the dust so that it does not interfere with the adhesion of the glue.
Pasting process
Wallpaper sticker rules.
Do not forget about puttying, for this you need to use waterproof putty and sickle tape. Plywood is attached to the wall with self-tapping screws, so only galvanized fasteners should be used, the caps of which are additionally processed. If this is not done, then over time, rusty spots will appear on the surface, which will appear through the wallpaper canvas, and it will not be possible to remove them.
Putty is applied to the joints and fasteners, then carefully leveled with a spatula. After that, a sickle must be applied to the still wet mixture, for external and internal corners it is necessary to use special perforated metal corners. Then the surface is again covered with a thin layer of putty, which must dry.
After that, you can start gluing the wallpaper. First you need to lay out the material on the floor, protected plastic wrap. Then dilute the wallpaper paste with water in full accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. The gluing process depends on what kind of wallpaper on plywood was purchased. If non-woven fabrics are used, then the glue is applied only to the wall, for others - only to the canvas. This must be taken into account, otherwise the wallpaper may become covered with bubbles, swell, warp. There is nothing complicated here, manufacturers indicate the conditions for wallpapering, you just need to pay attention to them.
It is necessary to start gluing wallpaper on plywood, stepping back a little from the far corner. It will be glued separately, here not a whole canvas is used, but a small part of it. The same applies to places above window and doorways.
How to glue plywood together: rules and methods of adhesive bonding
All of them are glued last along with niches, complex details. After the wallpaper on the plywood is completely glued, you need to leave the walls to dry. To do this, it is necessary to ensure the absence of drafts in the room. The amount of time for the glue to dry depends on what kind of wallpaper paste was used.
In order to glue wallpaper on plywood, it is necessary to properly prepare the surface, hide all the joints between the cladding plates, and fastener places. This allows the wall to be made as suitable as possible for gluing. Wallpaper will look neat and attractive. The gluing process itself is not complicated, it consists in applying glue to the surface of the wall or canvas, after which the wallpaper is carefully glued.
