3/4" Baltic Birch defect, how to minimize

Use a cabinet or card scraper to scrape it at about a 45 degree
angle to the grain in the panel, both ways. This will knock off
the high spots.

The flatness of the outer ply is perfect. No high spots. I am wondering if the waviness is on an internal ply that may be showing through a non-100% opaque outer ply.

more likely they’re machine marks. Rollers under pressure can compress the fibers so they take stain differently.

I think Charlie is correct about the machine marks flattening the grain. With so little to work with on veneered ply, one has to wonder it it would be advisable to raise the grain with water and re-sand the finish. A dangerous prospect for sure.

The only thing I could think of, for the future, would be to use a wood pre-conditioner before staining, however that does not help here. Sorry.

-- HorizontalMike -- "Woodpeckers understand..."

Was this genuine Baltic Birch ply that comes in 5’x5’ sheets? If you cut from 4’x8’ panels, then that wasn’t BB and there would be more defects.

MrRon,

It was 5×5 sheet BB/CP claimed by the lumber yard. No patches on either side of the sheet.