# menards birch ply de-lamination?



## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

just curious if anyone else has run into the same problem, within the past year now i have just gotten my 3rd sheet of the 3/4" classic birch ply from Menard's that the layers have come unglued. its not noticeable till you cut the sheet, than you find it.
Has anyone else had this going on, or is it just bad luck 3 times in a row? I like this stuff for shop carts and it does make a nice interior of cabinets when simply clear coated, but this is frustrating me. just might take a scrap or two that i had to cut around to show the mgr at the local Menard's.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

troyd1976 said:


> just curious if anyone else has run into the same problem, within the past year now i have just gotten my 3rd sheet of the 3/4" classic birch ply from Menard's that the layers have come unglued. its not noticeable till you cut the sheet, than you find it.
> Has anyone else had this going on, or is it just bad luck 3 times in a row? I like this stuff for shop carts and it does make a nice interior of cabinets when simply clear coated, but this is frustrating me. just might take a scrap or two that i had to cut around to show the mgr at the local Menard's.


It's not that uncommon. Sometimes you can look across the sheet and possibly see a raised area. But like you said it's easier to find when its cut, and by that time it's too late. Most home centers will replace the sheet. You might assume you could work glue into the dried out area, and clamp it up. But the indication that this sheet suffered from glue starvation, or improper compression of the plies, may fail in another area if you fix the one you found.

Local distributors of plywood carry what they call "shop grade" plywood. It's cheap, and there could be several problems with it such as being out of square, or not 4'x8', but find out about delamination in using it. It's rare to find separated plies in top grade plywood.










 







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## fromtheforty (Jan 15, 2011)

I assume you are using the tiger ply. The stuff that is around $27 a sheet (at my local Menards). I have had the same problem with that stuff. It looks good, especially when you see that it looks like cabinet grade stuff with all the layers. I use their thick face plywood instead at around $43 a sheet. If you are using the stuff for shop carts maybe try the Auraco pine plywood. Its pretty decent stuff but it costs a few more $ than the cheap birch.

Geoff


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## MNsawyergp (Jan 31, 2012)

Yep, I have the same problem. Yeah, they will replace the sheet, but what about all the time wasted...that is what makes me mad. But, I just blow off steam and get out the glue and clamps and move on. Going with the higher grade is worth it some times.


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## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

do you have to take the whole sheet back? lol..i used the majority of it. from here out i will buy the stuff that's 10 bucks a sheet more, or just go with regular ply for shop stuff. 
i am however in debate what to do with the sheet i have that's still full, do the pain in the ass of taking it back, or grin and bare it.


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## Jim Moe (Sep 18, 2011)

I can only speak for the Menards (alias; The After Rebate Store) in my area that practice very poor lumber practices and seem to have the most inferior lumber that they can purchase. One of the tricks they frequently use is when they get a different shipment of lumber they mix it with the left over last mill run products they have. Thus each board you purchase may not be quite the same thickness or width. I avoid Menards unless I am doing an outside yard project where getting cement block products that include factory culls doesn't matter.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Sounds like they buy from the same place that Home D does only it is $48 a sheet at Home D and watch the super thin veneer, it will sand through in a heartbeat with ROS.


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## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

ive had decent luck with menards' thick face oak veneer..though thinking next time i use it i may try some of the A-1 grade the wholesaler offered up at 50 a sheet.


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## Eric13 (Jan 15, 2012)

I had a short discussion with our plywood salesman at work the other day about the birch troubles. We had just received a returned bundle of the Chinese birch plywood back from a customer because of delamination and I brought up the problems mentioned on this forum.

In the last 6 months we have sent back to our supplier approximately 5 units (+/- 250 sheets) of the unfinished C-2 China birch, and about 1 1/2 units of the prefinish variety due to delamination. 

Our salesman has been talking to our supplier about this problem and they have basically told him flat out it is only going to get worse.
We also have other plywood species (Red Oak, Maple etc.) from the same supplier which don't seem to have this issue. So from what I can see it seems to be a birch only problem. 

Unfortunately the price of domestic made plywood is substantially higher, so many customers have to take a chance on the import plywood.

About the best thing I could say is to have the store cut the sheet for you at your largest usable dimension and hopefully if it's a bad sheet you'll see it there.

EDIT: I just re-read my post, I just wanted to make it clear I don't work for Menards so I'm certainly not speaking for them!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I'm not familiar with the Minard's store and I don't believe it's their fault, it's the plywood mfg. I'm seeing more and more plywood delaminate. I suspended using chinese made plywood in 2009 for that reason. Now I'm seeing more and more american made plywood do this also. I've even had one sheet of baltic birch delaminate. This was the first defect I've ever seen on any baltic birch plywood and I started using it when it was marked "Made in USSR". From time to time I consider getting out of the business because of the building materials. I keep getting green solid stock and defective sheet goods and it's up to me to warranty what I build out of it.


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## buildwithwood (Dec 30, 2011)

I believe that it's about time we hire the chinese at $150 per month and sell their crap at 200 times cost like all other company's are doing!!!!!!


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