At One Place

Plywood

Density of plywood
600 kg/m³ (450–750)
0.60 g/cm³ · 37.5 lb/ft³

Odd numbers of veneers glued with alternating grain direction, which is what removes wood's great weakness: solid timber is roughly twenty times weaker across the grain than along it, and plywood is nearly equal in both directions. It also barely moves with humidity for the same reason. Grade and glue matter more than thickness — interior-grade ply delaminates within a season outdoors, and only marine or exterior grades with WBP adhesive survive damp.

Properties

Density
600 kg/m³ (450–750) — 0.60 g/cm³
Young's modulus
8 GPa
Floats in water
Yes
Magnetic
No

What it is used for

  • Roof and floor sheathing
  • Furniture carcasses and shopfitting
  • Concrete shuttering
  • Boat hulls and vehicle bodies

How it compares

Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.

air 1.2 kg/m³
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³
plywood 600 kg/m³
Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³
gold 19,300 kg/m³
platinum 21,450 kg/m³
Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.
Material Density Relative to water
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³ 0.04×
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³ 0.02×
air 1.2 kg/m³ 0.00×
plywood ← 600 kg/m³ 0.60×
platinum 21,450 kg/m³ 21.45×
gold 19,300 kg/m³ 19.30×
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³ 19.25×

Does it rust?

Plywood contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

Is it magnetic?

Plywood is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Common questions

What is the density of plywood?
600 kg/m³ (450–750), or 0.60 g/cm³.
Does plywood float?
Yes. At 600 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.
Is plywood magnetic?
Plywood is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked