How to Bend Finish Grade Plywood for Furniture

Plywood consists of multiple layers, or plies, of pressed wood that cling to each other and form a solid sheet. Although the surface of plywood is rough and not finished, it performs well as a base material for other woods, such as in furniture construction. One benefit of plywood is that is bends when exposed to moisture and pressure. This allows furniture builders to create intricate designs on the pieces instead of simply using straight boards.

Tape measure
Safety glasses
Circular saw
Bath towels
Hot water
Table clamps
Fans

Instructions

- 1
  Lay a piece of finish-grade plywood on a work table and use a pencil and a tape measure to mark any area where it requires cutting. Don safety glasses and cut the plywood into the final sizes using a circular saw.
- 2
  Wet bath towels with hot water until you've saturated them. Lay the towels over the surface of the plywood pieces overlapping the towels so that no plywood remains exposed to air. Allow the towels to sit in place for one to two hours.
- 3
  Remove the towels and set them aside. Turn the plywood pieces on their side and bend them into the appropriate curve or as far as possible without breaking or cracking them.
- 4
  Secure the bend in place using table clamps secured to the table and to the plywood, maintaining the desired curve. Position the clamps around the edges of the table as needed to achieve the proper curve. This typically means the clamps are on different sides of the table edge.
- 5
  Recover the plywood pieces with the towels, applying more hot water to them before doing so.
- 6
  Leave the towels in place for up to two or three days adjusting the clamps and bending the plywood further as needed until achieving the proper curve.
- 7
  Remove the towels when the bend is complete. Plug in fans and direct the air flow over the surface of the plywood to speed the drying process.

How to Figure Batts Insulation Coverage

Which Is the Best Vinyl Fascia Material?

Building Materials & Supplies