# working with prefinished plywood



## FFKen (Nov 29, 2011)

For those of you that use prefinished plywood. How do you transport and work with it to prevent damage to the finish? I have never worked with prefinished but I would think that it would be all dinged up before I even get it home. It's handled so many times and that's even before you put the tools to it. Sliding it on a tablesaw running a circular saw over it. Am I over thinking this? Is the finish stronger than I think?


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## bzguy (Jul 11, 2011)

I used to use pre-finished clear coated maple a lot, the finish was a really durable urethane.
You handle it just like any other material you don't want to scratch or ding.
Place it carefully on something smooth and slide flat to transport.
Do the same when placing it on table saws and work surfaces, the finish I used was actually more forgiving/harder than raw wood.
Use sharp blades, score cuts across the grain if using pre-finished 2 sides.
If you are using a normal table saw with no scoring blade you make 2 passes, first pass with blade 1/16" up, second pass with blade gullets above top.
Can be edge-banded with pre-finished tape, contact cement, iron on, etc.
I gently trim the edges with a fine-tooth flat file held at slight angle above flat side of panel.
You can wax the flat sides near the edges so the file slides off if you are new to this, clean up excess glue and wax with thinner.


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## imdskydiver (Apr 26, 2012)

I install pre finished stairs. We wrap everything in shrink wrap which prevents movement while we are shipping it. Cat. Lacquer seems to hold up pretty well during the first few days. Poly on the other hand scuff pretty easily until cured and then it seems to hold up better than the cat. Lacquer. 
Use sharp blades. They will gum up pretty quick, so clean them regularly. If you do this frequently your finisher will become your enemy. So keep that in mind. Touch up's become a big problem because once sealed your stain will never stain up the same again. . You or your finisher will have to become really good at this since you have to think out side the box to get acceptable results. In my opinion. Stay away from this type of work. Especially if it is stained. Nobody is perfect and sooner than latter you will make a mistake.


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## BioNerd (Dec 7, 2014)

circular saw? on a track at least, 1/4" ply with a fence, like a track saw. better using a tracksaw.

Tablesaw, just not a portable one on your own, have somebody help you. piece the sheet in more manageable sizes to use your table saw. 

Usually there is a really good side and a not so good one, choose wisely which one is gonna slide on equipment of vice versa.

Use blue tape on rips to prevent excessive tear out, and of course use proper blades.

As stated above, they are usually pretty hardy.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I wrap all finished wood and parts with furniture blankets to transport to a jobsite. It's kinda expensive to buy a couple dozen blankets all at once but the ones I have are more than 20 years old and still are in good condition.


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## BioNerd (Dec 7, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> I wrap all finished wood and parts with furniture blankets to transport to a jobsite. It's kinda expensive to buy a couple dozen blankets all at once but the ones I have are more than 20 years old and still are in good condition.


Yes^

Harbor freight has cheap blankets, same brands that are sold for way more in other stores.


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