Carpentry and Woodworking - ?Finished plywood edges?

Is it possible to finishes the edges of plywood?

Cover it with trim.

You can either buy a wood grain tape to go over the edge or rip a piece of wood the correct size and glue and nail it to the edge.

I saw some chairs with bent-wood frame and back; the edges of the wood showed three or four layers of wood, like plywood, but the edges were finished. It looked really nice.

I realize the wood used in the chairs could not have been typical ply, but I would like use that effect on some shelving. Has anyone tried sanding the edges of ply smooth?

Oh, sure. I built a rolltop computer desk last year and as additiona pieces I made some cabinets that sit to either side with double doors top and bottom. The door material is 9-ply oak plywood with the edges routed and finished. The trick is the quality of the plywood; the more plies the better and you have to watch for voids in the edges. If you pm me an email address I'll send you some pics.

If you want to directly finish the edges of the plywood, sand well and use painters putty for any voids, colored putty if stained.

Now that I know it is possible I will try it, and if I just can't get the look I can always use trim to cover the attempt.

jhomeowner:
The_tow-guy got it right - The trick is the quality of the plywood; the more plies the better and you have to watch for voids in the edges. - you will have the best success if you use what is called "hardwood veneer plywood". It has more plys and none of the voids that are common in your typical whitewood plywood.

I am definitely planning on hard-wood veneer; I would prefer maple but oak is so much easier to find.

Is 'cabinet grade' at HD good enough?

Oh, what type of blade should I get for the best cut?

I am definitely planning on hard-wood veneer; I would prefer maple but oak is so much easier to find.

Is 'cabinet grade' at HD good enough?

Oh, what type of blade should I get for the best cut?

Your call on if it's good enough - I'd ask the folks at HD about voids in their 'cabinet grade'.

I don't know what kind of saw you are using - I would go for something with more teeth - smoother cut, but I would avoid a fine-tooth "plywood" blade for a 7 1/4" circular saw - they will burn easier, leaving you with more sanding to remove the burn marks. Whatever you use - the sharper the better.

Thanks for the help, many teeth, not too fine, and I'll report back on HD's 'cabinet-grade'.

FWIW JB, I discovered, at least in this area, that Lowe's carries a better grade plywood, 9 ply vs 7 ply at H-D. Might want to check that.

Baltic Birch ply generally has more plys than any other plywood, and hardly any voids. Very dimensionally stable.

Better to shop for it at a woodworker's supply store, rather than a big box store. More money - but much better quality with less voids in the plys.

Looks far more like maple than oak does too.