Sawn timber and plywood
Sawn timber and plywood,graded and specified.
Sawn softwood and hardwood, and 100% birch plywood in every grade and surface. We connect sawmills and plywood mills with importers, builders and manufacturers, on written terms.
Free to ask · Confidential · Everything in writing
What we source
Two product groups.
- Sawn timber. Pine, spruce, fir, larch and cedar pine, plus hardwoods, kiln dried or unseasoned, graded by recognised sawmill grading rules and cut to standard sections.
- Plywood. 100% birch plywood, sanded, film-faced, coloured, clear-coated and special purpose, from 4 to 40 mm, in standard and large formats.
Sawn softwood
Species, grade and moisture.
Typical parameters used in the trade. Each contract sets its own grading rules, tolerances and length mix.
| Parameter | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Species | Pine (redwood); spruce and fir (whitewood); larch; cedar pine |
| Grading rules | Recognised international sawmill grading rules, or the buyer's standard |
| Grades | Unsorted (U/S, grades I to IV); sawfalling (SF, I to IV or I to V); fifths (V); domestic and lower grades |
| Moisture | Kiln dried 10 to 16%; kiln dried 18 to 22%; unseasoned |
| Thickness | 15 to 75 mm |
| Width | 75 to 225 mm |
| Length | 2.7 to 6.0 m in steps of 0.3 m; fixed 3.0 or 4.0 m; ends 1.5 to 2.4 m; short lengths 0.3 to 0.9 m |
| Packing | Single length packages or truck bundles of up to 4 lengths, about 1.1 x 1.1 m, wrapped on 5 sides; half and quarter packages |
| Shipment | Bulk vessel, container, rail or truck |
Standard sections
The sizes the trade runs on.
Thickness x width in millimetres. Other sections are produced to order.
| Group | Typical sections (mm) |
|---|---|
| Heavy sections | 60 x 150 · 60 x 198 · 54 x 150 · 50 x 100 to 50 x 225 |
| Joists and studs | 47 x 100 · 47 x 125 · 47 x 150 · 47 x 175 · 47 x 200 · 44 x 100 to 44 x 150 |
| Medium boards | 38 x 100 to 38 x 200 · 35 x 125 to 35 x 200 · 31 x 125 to 31 x 200 · 27 x 100 to 27 x 175 |
| Boards | 25 x 75 to 25 x 225 · 22 x 100 · 19 x 75 to 19 x 125 · 16 x 75 to 16 x 100 · 15 x 75 to 15 x 100 |
| Uses | Construction, joinery, flooring, furniture, packaging and pallets |
Other sawn products
Hardwood, planed and packaging timber.
| Product | Specified by | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|
| Sawn hardwood (oak, beech, ash, birch) | Species, grade, thickness, width, length, moisture | Furniture, flooring, joinery |
| Planed and profiled timber | Species, profile, dimensions, moisture, finish | Cladding, decking, mouldings |
| Packaging timber | Species, dimensions, ISPM 15 heat treatment | Pallets, crates, dunnage |
Birch plywood
Defined by grade, glue and face.
100% birch veneer, long grain or cross grain. Typical parameters, agreed for each order.
| Parameter | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 4 to 40 mm |
| Sheet sizes | 1220 x 2440 · 1250 x 2500 · 1220 or 1250 x 3000 or 3050 · 1500 or 1525 x 2400 to 2500 · 1500 x 3000 · 1525 x 3050 · 1525 x 1525 · 2135 x 3965 (large format) |
| Face and back grades | B/BB · S/BB · B/CP · B/C · BB/BB · BB/CP · BB/C · CP/CP · CP/C |
| Surface | Sanded both sides (S2S) or unsanded (NS) |
| Glue | Exterior WBP (phenolic) or MR |
| Emission class | E1 or E0.5; CARB and EPA TSCA VI compliant options |
| Density | 640 to 730 kg/m³ |
| Moisture | 5 to 10% |
| Size tolerance | ±2.0 mm up to 1250 mm; ±3.0 mm to 2500 mm; ±3.5 mm above |
| Processing | Cut to size, CNC machining, tongue and groove, drilling |
Face grades
From flawless to structural.
| Grade | Face quality | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|
| E | Practically without defects | Premium furniture, visible surfaces |
| B and S | Smooth, minimal defects; small sound knots allowed | Furniture, interiors, decoration |
| BB | Knots and defects repaired with veneer patches | Furniture, transport, packaging, interiors |
| CP | Flat surface, patches and discoloration allowed | Construction, vehicle and wagon building, flooring base |
| C | Natural defects allowed, full bond strength | Construction, shipbuilding, packaging, crates |
Plies and thickness
Built layer by layer.
| Thickness (mm) | Plies |
|---|---|
| 4 · 5 · 6 or 6.5 | 3 · 4 · 5 |
| 8 · 9 · 12 · 15 | 6 · 7 · 9 · 11 |
| 18 · 21 · 24 · 27 | 13 · 15 · 17 · 19 |
| 30 · 35 · 40 | 21 · 25 · 29 |
Plywood types
One base, many surfaces.
| Type | Key specifications | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|
| Sanded birch plywood | Grades above, S2S, WBP | Furniture, interiors, joinery, packaging |
| Film-faced plywood | Phenolic film 120 to 220 g/m², brown, black, grey or dark grey, smooth, wire or hexa texture, sealed edges | Concrete formwork, trailer and vehicle floors |
| Anti-slip plywood | Wire or hexa phenolic film, high wear and alkali resistance | Truck and trailer floors, platforms, stages |
| Coloured film-faced plywood | Melamine or phenolic film in a wide colour range | Shopfitting, playgrounds, signage, vehicle interiors |
| Clear-coated plywood | Transparent or opal white protective film over the birch face | Interior design, furniture |
| Paper-overlaid plywood | Kraft or grey paper base, ready to paint | Painted finishes, signage |
| Flexible plywood | Special veneer arrangement, bends to a radius on site | Curved structures, interior design |
| Fire-retardant plywood | Fire retardant applied to every veneer layer | Public buildings, transport interiors |
| Low-temperature plywood | Selected inner veneers, keeps strength at very low temperatures | Insulation for LNG and cryogenic tanks |
| Flooring-grade plywood | Thickness tolerance ±0.2 mm, moisture 6 to 9%, grades CP/CP, BB/CP and higher | Parquet and engineered flooring base |
Strength
Tested to EN 636 and EN 13986.
Minimum requirements for exterior birch plywood, 6 to 40 mm.
| Property | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| Bending strength, along the face grain | 60 MPa |
| Bending strength, across the face grain | 52 MPa |
| Modulus of elasticity, along the face grain | 7200 MPa |
| Modulus of elasticity, across the face grain | 5400 MPa |
| Glue line shear strength, after 24 h in water or 6 h boiling | 1.0 MPa |
Packing
Crates of 400 or 600 mm.
Typical sheets per crate for 1220 x 2440 mm sheets. Crates are about 1.2 m³ (400 mm) or 1.8 m³ (600 mm).
| Thickness (mm) | Sheets per 400 mm crate | Sheets per 600 mm crate |
|---|---|---|
| 6 · 6.5 · 8 · 9 | 65 · 60 · 50 · 44 | 100 · 92 · 75 · 67 |
| 12 · 15 · 18 · 21 | 33 · 26 · 22 · 19 | 50 · 40 · 33 · 29 |
| 24 · 27 · 30 · 35 · 40 | 16 · 15 · 14 · 11 · 10 | 25 · 22 · 20 · 17 · 15 |
For a precise answer
What to includein your request.
The more precise the request, the faster the right match.
- 01Product, species and grade
- 02Dimensions or sheet size and thickness
- 03Moisture (KD or AD), or glue and face veneer for plywood
- 04Quantity, and whether it is a single order or regular supply
- 05Destination port or delivery point, and preferred Incoterm
- 06Payment preference
How we work
Three steps.You stay in control.
- Tell us the species and the gradeDimensions, quantity and destination. Free, confidential, no obligation.
- We find and screen the other sideMills and buyers are checked against international sanctions lists before any introduction, under an NDA.
- You agree terms in writingPrice, payment, inspection and delivery are signed between buyer and supplier. We coordinate to delivery.
Questions
Common questionsabout timber and plywood.
What do U/S and sawfalling mean for sawn timber?
They are grade groupings under recognised sawmill grading rules. Unsorted (U/S) combines grades I to IV, sawfalling (SF) covers grades I to IV or I to V sold together as they fall from the saw, and fifths (V) is the next grade down.
What moisture content is kiln dried sawn timber?
Kiln dried (KD) sawn softwood is typically traded at 10 to 16% or at 18 to 22% moisture. Unseasoned timber is also traded, and each contract sets its own moisture limit.
What do birch plywood grades like B/BB and BB/CP mean?
The first letter is the face grade and the second the back grade. B is smooth with minimal defects, BB has knots and defects repaired with veneer patches, CP allows patches and discolouration, and C allows natural defects with full bond strength; see plywood face grades, explained.
What is the difference between WBP and MR glue in plywood?
WBP (weather and boil proof) is a phenolic glue for exterior use, while MR (moisture resistant) glue is for interior use. Exterior birch plywood is tested to EN 636 and EN 13986, with a minimum glue line shear strength of 1.0 MPa after 24 hours in water or 6 hours boiling.
What sizes and thicknesses does birch plywood come in?
Typically 4 to 40 mm thick, in sheets such as 1220 x 2440, 1250 x 2500, 1525 x 1525 and 1525 x 3050 mm, and large format 2135 x 3965 mm. Cutting to size and CNC machining can also be specified.
Get started
What do you supplyor need?
Free to ask, with no obligation. Nothing is shared with the other side before an NDA is signed. Prefer to talk? WhatsApp +971 52 662 1066 · Telegram · Admin@BGIBrokers.com. See our Privacy notice and Website terms.
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