Plywood panels are made from thin layers of wood veneer, treated with resin and glued together under pressure for added strength. They come in various thicknesses, finishes, and grades and can be made from softwood or hardwood. Luan is a popular choice for interior RV walls due to its ability to decorate RVs with just a screw. However, it is cheaper than Azdel and may be more expensive.
Composite plywood is a standard material choice for interior RV walls, consisting of several compressed sheets of hardwood. It is common among higher-end RVs and is the best option for campervan and caravan fit outs. G-Lite plywood is a lightweight, sustainably engineered line of plywood products designed specifically for RV interior applications, including cabinet faces, cabinet components, furniture, and structural elements.
Hoop Pine AC Interior Plywood is a popular choice for wall and ceiling linings in RV projects. Trusscore Wall and CeilingBoard is the ideal RV interior wall material due to its durability, ease of install, moisture and water resistance, and cleanability. Many RVs use 1/8″ lauan plywood, which is flexible enough to bend around curves. Outside walls are usually lauan or plywood bonded to aluminum sheet metal.
Beadboard may sound like a good option, but Baltic/Russian birch plywood is recommended by many RV users. Composite plywood is the preferred choice for many RV users and is the most popular option on the market for RV interior walls. For the upper walls, use 1/8″ luan and keep factory plastic on the lowers. Look for “Russian Birch” or “Scandinavian birch” plywood, which has many more plies than spruce or fir and is far more durable.
In summary, plywood is a popular choice for interior RV walls due to its strength, ease of installation, moisture and water resistance, and cleanability.
📹 Which is better, OSB or Plywood?
Roger compares OSB 3 board and plywood and gives his opinion on the best option. OSB board vs Plywood (from Champion …
What kind of plywood for RV interior walls?
Wood paneling in RVs is strong and durable, providing a comfortable and homely feel. Its perpendicular wood grain ensures it doesn’t break easily and allows for easy customization. The paneling is lightweight, impact-resistant, and stiff, contributing to fuel efficiency. However, it’s vulnerable to water damage, causing mold and rotting. Therefore, precautionary measures are recommended to prevent moisture damage. Overall, wood paneling offers a natural look, allows for painting, decoration, and hanging decorative items, while also contributing to RV safety.
What plywood for campervan walls?
Reusing ply lining in a van depends on its condition and intended finish. 6mm thickness is commonly used for wall lining, as it is thin enough for flexibility but rigid enough for smooth walls. For the floor, thicker ply is typically used with insulation. The heavier materials used during conversion reduce the weight of the van during trips.
Once walls are lined, they can be covered. Some builders cover the walls at this stage, while others build furniture units first. There are various fabrics available for wall covering, such as soft flax or vinyl paper from motorhome parts suppliers, very thin carpet from carpet shops, or thick wall paper from various sources. The choice of fabric depends on the specific needs of the van and the desired finish.
Which ply is best for interior?
Moisture-resistant plywood (MR plywood) is an optimal material for the construction of cabinets, sofas, and small tables in living rooms. In the context of kitchens, it is of paramount importance to optimize storage space through the use of robust cabinets. The thickness of the plywood is of paramount importance with regard to durability and functionality. In the case of larger areas, such as kitchen doors, it is recommended to select 16mm plywood in order to ensure durability and functionality.
What is the best material to use on RV walls?
RV interiors consist of two main materials: thin plywood or medium density fiberboard (MDF) for walls, and vinyl paneling for higher-end campers. For ceilings, fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) or PVC wall paneling is used due to their lightweight, moisture-resistant properties and lack of need for painting. Choosing between these materials or combining them is a personal choice, but there are pros and cons to consider. Plywood panels, made from thin layers of wood veneer, are treated with resin and glued together under pressure for added strength. They come in various thicknesses, finishes, and quality grades.
What type of plywood to use for interior walls?
Plywood is a popular choice for wall panelling in living spaces due to its strength, attractiveness, and environmental sustainability. Premium Grade B/BB birch plywood ensures a high-quality finished surface, while commercial Grade BB/BB birch can offer excellent results at lower costs if plug marks are managed carefully. Since the late 1920s, plywood has been a favorite among architects for its design potential. It comes in various types, grades, sizes, and associated costs, and provides practical advice on installation and finishing.
What kind of plywood do you use for trailer walls?
The interior walls of Interstate cargo trailers are constructed with ⅜” plywood, while the hat-bow studs are made with ¾” plywood. This combination of materials provides a reliable structure that can withstand the demands of prolonged use.
How thick should plywood be for interior walls?
House frames are made stronger by using plywood to sheath them, providing a surface for siding installation and making the structure stronger. For structures with siding only connected to the plywood sheathing, thicker plywood is required. Standard thickness is ½” thick plywood for walls, but the International Residential Code requires 3/8″ wall sheathing when studs are spaced 16″ apart and siding is attached to the studs.
Local building codes often require 3/8″ plywood for roofing, but using ½” or 5/8″ plywood results in a longer-lasting and safer roof. Thin plywood is often insufficient for roofs, especially in large areas with large spaces between trusses and rafters. Thin plywood also makes it easier for shingles to fly off in high wind situations.
When choosing plywood thicknesses, consider the finished product requirements, such as furniture and construction, and the weather conditions of the building site, especially high winds. It may take only one severe storm to prove the worth of investing in thicker plywood.
Which ply is best for interiors?
Moisture-resistant plywood (MR plywood) is an optimal material for the construction of cabinets, sofas, and small tables in living rooms. In the context of kitchens, it is of paramount importance to optimize storage space through the use of robust cabinets. The thickness of the plywood is of paramount importance with regard to durability and functionality. In the case of larger areas, such as kitchen doors, it is recommended to select 16mm plywood in order to ensure durability and functionality.
How thick is the plywood on an RV wall?
Tolko offers premium RV panels with various thickness categories, including 9. 5 mm, 12. 5 mm, and 15. 5 mm, and sizes from 1220 mm x 2440 mm to 4′ x 8′. These panels are designed to withstand various weather conditions and are favored by RV manufacturers due to their superior surfaces and consistent cores. T-PLY plywood products provide precision, high-grade strength in an industry with limited capacity for deviation or adjustments. The T-PLY Pro Premium Select Square Edge CCPTS is suitable for laminating substrates and underlayment applications.
How thick should plywood be for camper van?
The recommended thickness for plywood for a campervan subflooring is about half an inch, which balances lightweightness with strength. The floor should be as cold as the outside temperature, so adding multiple layers between the top and bottom sheet metal of the van is crucial. Insulation is particularly important as it reduces the amount of cold transferred from the outside to the top layer of the floor. This will help prevent the floor from becoming too cold in winter. However, thicker variations may make installation more difficult.
How thick are RV interior walls?
It is possible to install screws in RV walls; however, due to the typically reduced thickness of such walls, caution should be exercised. It is advised that a screw of a length of 1″ or less be utilized to prevent the screw from extending the full length of the hole. The construction of RV walls comprises a thin layer of plywood mounted on metal studs, which is conducive to the use of wood screws. Nevertheless, the plywood is of a relatively thin gauge and lacks substantial tensile strength.
📹 5 Mistakes Buying Plywood – Don’t Waste Your Money!
Don’t make these 5 Mistakes when buying plywood from your lumber supplier! What to Watch Next: 13 Ways to Organize a …
All true, for roofing! Also like to use it behind plasterboard where it may be useful to have walls that can be used to hang heavy stuff later. Not so sure about other places, some people use it as their subfloor on joists…. well in our case they used chipboard…. 20 years later took it up and it’s mush. So that’s where my suspicion about OSB came from originally!
You’ve basically pushed the OSB in this vid and skipped right over the sub standard Chinese ply we are being sold right now, fair enough. I guess I’m considered old school now and the state of plywood is very sub standard to what we had, with no certification stamp or WBP ectra, merchants have no idea what they are selling. I would love to see a rant about this and educate. I could show you exactly the issue and how most have inadvertently stitched clients up with a time bomb of ply decks that are just waiting to delaminate at the hint of damp. Just ask your mate Robin I’m sure he’ll know what I mean. Rant over 🤐
Nice one Roger, I use OSB all the time these days for mainly structural strength behind plasterboard for hanging heavy column radiators and also as you have done on roof structures and many other places, my gripe at the moment is the absolute piss taking prices of timber that can easily double the price of a quote compared to a couple of years ago and also be wary about that cheap Chinese ply that’s doing the rounds at the moment as it’s absolute shite…..💩 Cheers mate….. 👍
OSB might not look pretty, but it is tough. A few years ago I built some temporary structures for a halloween event, faced with chinese cheapo ply. The thing was in a marquee, so out of the rain, but damp environment. Then we took that stuff down in November to build the Christmas event structures. Already after 2 months the ply on the halloween set was de-laminating from factory edges.
I use OSB for the floors of my animal sheds on my farm as it’s less bouncy and if treated and in my case covered in a rubber flooring lasts for years. All materials have their pros and cons but I guess its how you use them and then subsequently look after them. Great article yet again Roger with superb information and down to earth reporting.
I got caught out recently with shite Chinese 18 mm plywood. Bought for a tv backing board and the problems became apparent on the first cut where it exposed voids between each layer of ply. I soldiered on, but when I started to roll it with paint it began to blister. Needless to say it went into the skip
OSB has it’s place, roofing and walls (behind plasterboard or shed inner skin) It’s just another material I use for very specific applications, roofs and walls yes however floors and cabinetry no My local timber merchant stocks a decent quality hardwood plywood which is comparable price to OSB currently and unlike 90% of the cheap s*&^ plywood that’s about it resists moisture really well and is consistent quality.
Good information. Has OSB improved in quality (glue, etc.)? Are there different grades? I wrote it off years ago seeing it disintegrate (at least, puff up and become flaky) when exposed to damp. Always wondered about homes under construction with OSB underlayment on walls, which were accidentally exposed to rain – and then sheathed the next day.
I used to think OSB was inferior…I have changed my mind in recent years. Construction grade ply is naff…it is nearly always distorted, bent, curled & yukky. OSB does not distort in any grain direction, it is denser & treated properly will last longer than Plywood. All wood will deteriorate in the wet including ply & OSB. I use OSB (where code allows it) everywhere I need sheet materials nowadays.
If I’m covering a flat roof ready for GRP I was told it’s better to use the t&g sheets as otherwise all the joints will need bandage on them, and the sheets need to be layed down upside down so that there is a small gap where the boards meet. I assume they recommend it that way so that the resin can flow into the joint
while good in some cases my friends garage roof has an extension that is newer about 10 yrs old that is osb with chunks out of it. the much older section is plywood, yes the plywood is de-laminating a bit but is still a solid roof i can walk on it but wouldn’t think of the new side. Now this could be installation since waters in at both but just an observation.
Interesting article and good explanation. My point of view is from Canada, where OSB has pretty much been the standard for houses for at least 30 years or more. I don’t think anyone here thinks of it as inferior at all anymore, if they ever did. Subfloors, exterior walls, roof, all OSB on wood frame. The stuff used here is generally coated to be water resistant so that during construction it can get rained on and not swell up. Also, the roofing OSB has a side that is grippy on boots when wet, for safety. But like plywood, if left wet or sitting in water it will swell up and get very weak. All construction should be built to keep water off the wood or move it away from the wood so it stays dry. Overall the fact that it is consistent at holding screws and nails and has no voids is a big factor in its use. Also it can be made using fast growing “weed” trees like poplar so ecologically it’s very good. The only criticism might be the off gassing from the resin and glues… might be unfounded but some people claim to dislike it for that reason.
Hi need help. Is OSB wood or structural Plywood better suited for a summer house roof (7m x 4m)? I mostly see people using OSB for roof, but my handy man recommends structural plywood but it is about £150 – £200 more then OSB. I’ll also be covering the roof with EPDM rubber membrane (classic bond). Just need to know plywood is worth the extra £?
Thank you for the great information & reassurance, it’s put my mind at relative ease.I’ve laid a floor for a cabin in 18mm OSB3 & have used a pva sealer on the edges & joints & covered with a tarpaulin.I have used a roofing bitumen adhesive tape over the edges too & fingers crossed will be ok once the rain stops so I can make some progress with the roof. In England by the way with its perpetual rain! Thanks again & have subscribed.
OSB certainly has it’s points, but so does Plywood. Yes, there are water repellent OSBs. Advantech is one of the better ones there too. But in careful tests with controlled circumstances, ALL of the OSB samples against plywood samples swelled signifcantly when exposed to prolonged exposure to water. And non of them did as well as common CDX in holding with nails or staples. And when I say, “not as well”, when exposed to soaking for two straight days, all the OSB samples failed in holding power. I’d say that when OSB is used as a roof deck or sheathing, if it can be covered with a membrane before it is exposed to rain, then yeah, it works fine. It will hold shingle nails or staples adequately, (not quite as well as ply, but it passes) But for flooring, I don’t agree. It is pretty hard to get a subfloor down and be truly protected against water before the roof is on. Yeah, plywood has voids for sure, but extended tests do show that the swelling on OSB is way more significant. OSB can swell as much as 50%, and it does not shrink back when dry. Plywood swells much less, and after dry gets back to less than 5% more than original. I agree OSB is easier to use often, and all of us hate poor quality ply. OSB is improving in quality, but it still isn’t replacing ply for many things. I won’t use it if I have a fear of it getting wet.
I think you’re all forgetting how things change plywood was far better especially marine ply that’s why it’s called marine ply like everybody says it’s very expensive OBS on the other hand used to be rubbish but I guess with the better blues where is now it’s improved and I suppose with the more news the news better and would
Yes agree, l recently did a warm roof and while investigating came to the same conclusion Orientated Strand Board 3 (formaldehyde free) was a much more stable and consistent product. Been perusal that Liam too much to (hope he gets his van back) used t&g and can’t wait for it to dry glue👍 Roger I’m l👀king forward to the glass-fibre reinforced roof article🎯
I disagree. Other than surface discoloring, good quality 3/4″ exterior plywood can remain unaffected by rain for many months and even for years. OSB (even OSB3) will swell after the first medium rain, if not immediately, by the following day. No OSB is rated for rain and I still have yet to see a contractor or crew cover it up when rain is approaching and any edge swelling found in the following days is largely ignored. OSB is awful stuff in all but bone dry conditions. It should be banned before plywood sheathing is no longer available.
Hi Rodger, apologies for being pedantic but the timber isn’t branches but either thinnings or from clear felling operations usually Sitka Spruce as it’s largely only useful for processing not as structural timber. Big fan, been in the trade for many years but now extracting myself from it, reason? mainly getting on a bit and getting ripped off by clients, never mind “cowboy builders” it’s the clients, particularly nowadays, who are the cowboys. We are/were top builders, all our work was beyond immaculate, no matter, you’re on to hiding to nothing in the trades. I/we loved doing the work and we’ve done a helluva lot over the years but l/we have had enough, of course we have had great clients but the bad ones are bad & you end up being out of pocket, we aren’t talking about hundreds it’s thousands, of pounds, many thousands.Sickening when you put your all into projects, often getting up @ 4-30 to 5am to beat the rush hour and it doesn’t matter how considerate you are, or tidy or hard working or the quality of the work or the extra hours you put in, non of that seems to be recognised. Like most in the trades I could write a book. All the best
There’s plywood and there’s plywood for grp work I always go for quality plywood, a quality shuttering and not best Far East facing ply. Any moisture ingression weakens Stirling big time. In actual fact laying a grp roof system directly onto decking is not the best method, just convenient because it sticks, but that’s where problems can set In, grp shrinks and has tremendous pulling power it can pull the roofing around and actually degrade because of internal stresses building up have no proper release, bigger the roof bigger the problem so called expansion joints are waste of time because resin has attached to decking and cannot move A grp roof ideally should be moulded in the workshop as a moulding and post fitted so that it can move independently from the rest of the structure. Appropriate fixings and movement joints have to be considered to allow for constant movement. Grp in the right hands is a robust and resilient material but there is far too much “monkey see monkey do” “when it goes wrong we haven’t a clue”
Great article even if it goes a bit slow for my liking but lots of great material and couldn’t agree more with what’s said. 18mm OSB3 for subfloors is far superior than ply for anything but bathrooms. To be honest, if you are doing a bathroom you really should be using a cement board but that’s a different topic. What I personally love about OSB is that every board you get is of consistent thickness so there is virtually no sanding required. If you want to spurge you can also get OSB that has a plastic layer but that might be harder to source and definitely costs more. There is also the very illusive OSB4 which holds up even better to water but honestly, if you take care of your boards (don’t chip the edges) OSB3 is brilliant and it’s also come back down in price since Roger did this article. Oh and if you care about being eco friendly, OBS is actually carbon negative meaning that the carbon released in production is less than the carbon captured by the trees used so that’s something
Good vid Roger – as in all things there is no such things as better – it is what is fit for purpose (and economic). perusal the cameo of the roof fibreglassing – 1:11 and noted the 90 degree corner on the upstand – the contractor will never achieving an enduring bond, and should have put in a fillet first, fibreglass does not do 90’s. Have you covered GRP roofing in your article output?
one important point about OSB: you never know, what kind of wood OSB is being made from. It can be made from pine, what can have heavy evaporations that are actually poisonus in some concentration. This is an extreme sample, but we had a brand new Kindergarten here that was made with a lot of OSB on the walls. It was never opened because before opening there is a standard check for these evaportions and it was way above the level that is allowed. As far as I know, they only do such tests in Kindergarten, school, Hospital and so on. After 2 years, the building was taken down, because they couldn`t get rid of the poisonous stuff by venting the building. This test is not done in private homes! As well keep in mind, they use a whole lot of glue (PU?) to make the wood stick together. If you build a whole house from it, would you like to have 100 of kilogramms of chemical glue in your rooms? Especially nowadays where houses are well “sealed” with not too much air exchange? I really like OSB for many uses, but I would not want to have it in my living room… .
Being 81 I remember taking out sash window loose joints an well not in style, shame such great redwood an oak cills, fitting smart but cheap white wood lol . What we won’t accept in this country is we are very damp that is what Rots Everything,India which gets more rain last longer because it’s dry out. Cold and heat wood can cope with so that’s why you get timber buildings in we are cheap and you get timber buildings in the tropics. UK houses need to be either stone brick or concrete blocks simply to last, this latest fad in the last stage and 15 years of covering buildings with boarding and then laying something up over them is asking for trouble. I mean you Roger you think nothing of doing an alteration to your house and putting huge windows in you order the steel beams And that’s it .why Because since China’s rise steel is affordable so is large glass sheets. Changes in architectural are only possible when certain materials become affordable, How’s everybody knows with the structural tables certain things only take certain weights at certain lengths, so it’s only in all the buildings you see these big oak beams you don’t see them in houses up to 100 years old because Alt is just too expensive for mass-produce houses they’re okay for Manor houses or not for back-to-back slums. When I was a lad to have a shop window like they have now meant they had money to spend nobody could afford these great big patio windows it was all little little windows wasn’t it I’ll be called French windows.
The home next door, I saw in 24 years the home next door 4 roof jobs. I SAW New OSB go on and 5 years later same OSB rotten. OSB in cold climate SUCKS… I never use this junk. My 57 year old Plywood roof still perfect.. explain that. OSB has higher profits for the installer… Never use OSB for roofs, outside walls, or floors…you will be sorry.
If you have to use a sheet material then mdf is the way to go. The ethos of reducing lumber to chips then gluing back together again to sheet form is dubious. There is massive waste and chemical pollution involved in every stage from mill to the finished job each process will cause at least 30% loss of the original material. I get convenience, cost and ease of use for the unskilled but we should be in a different mind set now. Having to cover the roof in glass fiber say’s it all.