Blonde Wood Vs. Birch Plywood

Plywood Definition

• According to Home Depot, plywood is stronger than hardwood and less expensive. Plywood is available in four grades: A-grade, B-grade, C-grade and D-grade. A-grade is the top grade because the pieces have no knots or other defects. The manufacturer uses wood filler on any damaged spots, which gives each piece a smooth finish. B-grade has more defects, and the manufacturer might not repair all the defects. More defects and flaws appear in the lower gradesm and with D-grade plywood, the manufacturer leaves the flaws unrepaired.

Blonde Wood Definition

• Blonde wood has a lighter color, ranging from a yellowish shade to a pale white color. The wood has a fine grain that manufacturers darken with a deeper wood stain. When used for building materials, the manufacturer might use a darker wood stain on all areas of the wood, which changes the original color. Blond wood is typically birch. Depending on the age and the condition of the piece, the wood might appear off-white or slightly yellow from dirt and dust on the surface.

Plywood vs. Hardwood

• Birch plywood is essentially plywood made to look like natural birch wood. Blonde wood is pure birch wood or another type of light-colored wood. Heywood-Wakefield, a famous manufacturer of mid-century modern home furniture, used pure birch wood in its designs, which collectors call blonde wood. Plywood is strong enough for use in construction projects, including subflooring and roofing. Designers typically use blonde wood for furniture and home decorations.

Telling the Difference

• If a piece has a natural wood grain and looks like real wood, it is either hardwood plywood or pure blonde wood. Hardwood plywood contains a thin and flexible piece of real hardwood over the plywood base. Birch hardwood makes the piece resemble real blonde wood. Wood veneer often shows some damage, including warping or cracking, which indicates that it is not pure wood. If the piece shows no damage, look at the wood from different angles. As wood veneer covers the hardwood, you should see at least two layers. The top layer should have a different color or texture from the bottom of the piece.