# Columbia Forest Products Purebond Plywood at HD



## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

My local Home Depots stock birch plywood that is the Columbia Forest Products Purebond line. The labeling implies that it is made in the USA and is graded C-3. I've used the 1/4" and 1/2" plywood, with decent results so far. 

The top veneer looked good with a clear finish but is thin, so I exercise caution when sending
The back veneer is definitely not a show face. 
The 1/4" is very undersized (under 5mm?) and warped (to be expected). 
The 1/2" stayed remarkably flat and has proven to be a good buy.

I am curious if others have any experiences/opinions on the CFP Purebond plywood that Home Depot stocks. I'm going to be getting started on some painted cabinets and will be in need of some 3/4" plywood. Currently I'm leaning towards the CFP plywood from HD, but am wondering if I should go with alternatives from hardwood dealers. I have had zero problems with de-lamination or voids and am hard pressed to find a reason to go with the shop/paint grade plywood I can source from hardwood dealers are more expensive.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

I just bought a 2×4 piece of 3/4" Birch last night. I couldn't find any of the 1/2" that wasn't warped. I believe it was 11 ply construction, no voids. Good quality stuff. At ~$50 for a full sheet, it's a good price as well. As you said, the top and bottom veneers are super thin.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I use a fair amount of Purebond, but have no idea if it's the same stuff at HD. Even so, I've nothing but good things about the stuff HD sells, other than the observation about the thin veneers. The stuff I use is shop grade from a hardwood supplier and is a 5 ply, though it's clearly marked "Purebond" on the edge.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

The Purebond I can get from HD, I believe is 5 ply + the 2 face veneers.


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## WDHLT15 (Aug 15, 2011)

I have had good luck with it. The Lowes plywood is junk.


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## Caleone (Mar 19, 2014)

I definitely have an opinion, and it isn't good. You can see my review of the product on HD's website if you look at the maple project panel. I also touch on my concerns with the product much more briefly in my project description here on LJ's. If it is in stock in the store, and you are not wanting it to be furniture grade, it is probably ok (I've used the birch for shop items without issue). If you need to order it, the shipping costs were outrageous in the 'estimated shipping' portion of the online transaction, but the ACTUAL shipping costs totalled 69.7% of the purchase price of my order. As jmartel noted above, $50 for a full sheet isn't bad. Maple ply in 3/4" is about $23 for a quarter sheet online, so $92 for the equivalent of a full sheet is ok, compared to $97 for a full sheet at the lumberyard 12 miles away, or $118 for furniture grade at the specialty yard 28 miles from me. But when I compared the $92 PLUS SHIPPING, suddenly the long drives for the higher quality make sense, especially when edge, corner, and veneer damage-and the accompanying product waste were factored in. I won't buy it again.


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## Sunstealer73 (Sep 2, 2012)

I'm using about 8 sheets of the 3/4 birch for a closet remodel. I've been impressed with it. I just wish the two sides were closer in color. I'm having to stain the lighter side on some pieces where you can see both sides.


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## emart (Mar 16, 2011)

I used the soy-based plywood from home depot and it works well. the sheets are very flat with little warping to them and it smells like cheap pastries when you cut them since there's no formaldehyde in it. The veneers are very thin however so I would apply a better veneer on top.


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## Caleone (Mar 19, 2014)

Paxorion, I wanted to check back in with you on this. While I am still bent out of shape over the shipping cost, product quality, and arrival condition of my special-order CFP Maple veneer panels, someone from CFP read my Home Depot review and got in touch with me. We both agreed that between the mammoth shipping charge extracted by HD, the minimal packing on the part of CFP, and the woeful (and pretty typical) handling of the product by UPS, there was way more than enough wrong to go around on my purchase. But while HD would give me no traction and UPS doesn't even have a customer service number, CFP was willing to have a conversation with me and offer considerations for my product waste and how it impacted my project.

Also, I had thought that the core plys were composite material and so was very concerned about the holding strength of the product. I am used to ply with fir core, which has a very strong directional grain, and can often show as voids and chipping when cut. The CFP product cut so well and so cleanly, I automatically assumed it was a composite product or products forming the cores. On the advice of the fellow from CFP, I cut a piece of scrap material apart and could then see that the cores are not MDF-type material, but thicker veneer sheets of poplar, as he told me they were. This explains the super sharp dadoes and rabbets I was able to cut, because poplar machines very well. Naturally, because of the close grain of the poplar, I feel much much better about the long term holding strength of the ply panels.

So I have to say, while I still won't special order the product as it is just not as cost effective with shipping included when compared to furniture grade material purchased some miles away, I feel a lot better about the whole thing, and I am pretty impressed with Columbia Forest Products as a company. During our phone call I also noticed that you can purchase the Birch product from HD online AND pick up in store, and the online price is substantially lower than the store price, at least here where I live. You should look into that.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

Caleone - Thanks for the update.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

This thread brings up a question. Some users of this plywood say it is good, others say it is warped. I wonder if the location has anything to do with whether a plywood sheet lies flat or not. Here in the deep south, high humidity appears to have a negative effect on the flatness. I wonder if plywood located in drier areas of the country is flatter. This can also apply to all wood products. I have seen sheets of plywood here that are bowed more than 6", making it completely useless.


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## emart (Mar 16, 2011)

it lays pretty flat in Seattle. A city well known for lumber warping if you breathe too hard.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Columbia Wood Products plywood uses what is called "Euro birch". It is not as good as Baltic birch. It is found in Eastern European forests.


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## UpstateNYdude (Dec 20, 2012)

I've been going to Curtis Lumber (local place up here sells hardwoods at one outlet) for my ply to many voids and layers peel back whenever I was buying the BORG stuff but I may have to go grab a piece from HD and see if this is fixed now. I have to build a gaming table for my brother soon and will need a full sheet for the size he wants.


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