Birch Underlayment

[Rockytime]

I buy this cheap stuff at Home Depot because it IS inexpensive compared to BB at Woodcraft. It scrolls very nicely and when I compare the surface to BB they look the same. HOWEVER, when I apply 50/50 BLO one side is very light while the other is a reddish color. I have no problem with that except that before cutting I do not know which side will be light and which side reddish as both sides are the same before applying the BLO. I'm not complaining just making an observation.  The photos do not reflect the colors exactly but will give you an idea. I'll keep using it. The darker one is much more red that it appears here.

Edited June 2, 2019 by Rockytime
Add text.

[kmmcrafts]

I get that sometimes with the BB ply too.. I sorta think it's more to do with the part of the tree the wood was from.. ie Sap wood or heart wood.. or maybe it's worded the outer most part of the tree or the inner part.. whatever the case.. I don't think it's something to do really so much with one side or the other or if there is a front and back side.. .. I may be wrong about that.. I'm just sayin that.. my BB ply is this way sometimes.. 

 

BTW... Nice cutting!

Edited June 2, 2019 by kmmcrafts

[edward]

I like the  darker one, I also buy the BBPly, cuts with no problem!

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I do not believe that is birch underlayment. Too expensive. They use to sell Luan underlayment. Not sure what that stuff is. It could be Sande wood.

Edited June 3, 2019 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[Rockytime]

John you are correct. It is 3/16" Sande Interior underlayment. A 4X8 sheet sell for just over $24.Don't know where I saw birch. I just went out and checked a label.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

22 minutes ago, Rockytime said:

John you are correct. It is 3/16" Sande Interior underlayment. A 4X8 sheet sell for just over $24.Don't know where I saw birch. I just went out and checked a label.

Most of that stuff is cheap Chinese wood. 

[lawson56]

I have the same problem at times ,I buy from my local sawmill,1/4 luan and that has happened to me more than a few times.

[Kepy]

If you apply a little BLO to the large sheet, then label which side it is, you could then tell whenever you wanted to cut something.

 

[Rockytime]

3 hours ago, Kepy said:

If you apply a little BLO to the large sheet, then label which side it is, you could then tell whenever you wanted to cut something.

 

Good idea!

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Years ago, when Home Depot was just starting to build their empire, They use to sell Sande wood in dimensional lumber form and not just plywood. It was from a different source they have now. I built my entire shop with it. All my cabinets and trim are from Sande wood. It was a very nice wood to work with and cut easily. Very stable wood.  I was told it was in the mahogany family.  Not sure where they get this stuff from now but it is not the same stuff for sure. 

[NC Scroller]

Wood is alive, well before it was cut down.  It's color can change in the way is processed/milled and dried or even from minerals in the ground water.  Even on solid wood I have seen color variation and rate of absorption on boards 4 less then feet in length.  I find slight color variation on all sheets of Baltic Birch and I get the B/BB grade. (B/BB) will have one face that is clear of defects and the backside may have some oval patches.    

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

7 hours ago, NC Scroller said:

Wood is alive, well before it was cut down.  It's color can change in the way is processed/milled and dried or even from minerals in the ground water.  Even on solid wood I have seen color variation and rate of absorption on boards 4 less then feet in length.  I find slight color variation on all sheets of Baltic Birch and I get the B/BB grade. (B/BB) will have one face that is clear of defects and the backside may have some oval patches.    

Thus the grading.

[Old Joe]

I buy B/BB grade Baltic Birch ply in 5x5 sheets at a local Exotic Lumber store. They stock virtually all thicknesses. 1/4” 5’x5’ runs $30 a sheet. Baltic Birch has more layers than the cheap Birch sold at the box stores.

[tomsteve]

usually,but not always, the bar code stickers are on the back/bottom side of ply. when i get a large sheet to cut down, ill run a pencil line  about every 16" across the 4' so i can tell after cutting which way is up.

[Goat]

I'm glad I seen this post.  I'll be cutting some BB (label says made in Russia) for the first time and one of the sheets there is a clear difference in color front to back.  The other sheet I can't really tell a difference.  I applied a little shellac and the red side really stands out.  So glad I seen this before cutting.

Thanks

[ike]

ai use the cheep home doe plywood ($15) a sheet for the back of my projects and Lowe's oak plywood ($33) a sheet for the front on some projects and I also use BB ply.

IKE