Cabinets
APA sanded plywood is particularly useful in furniture, cabinets, built-ins, shelving and similar applications. Sanded plywood can be manufactured with a special inner-ply construction that resists indentations and punctures from concentrated loads with a beautiful, finish-quality surface for visible applications. And since it is sanded at the mill, little or no sanding is required for most applications. Easy to stain attractively, plywood contributes warmth and the natural beauty of real wood while meeting project cost constraints.
In addition, APA Rated panels are exempt from U.S. EPA and California formaldehyde regulations due to their very low emission rates. For more information, visit our formaldehyde page.
For applications in which the panels will be painted or laminated over, Medium Density Overlay (MDO) plywood is a strong choice. MDO is often used for cabinets and built-ins, paneling, wainscoting and partitioning, particularly for shelving that may be exposed to water, such as in bathrooms or kitchens. MDO is an ideal base for paint and is designed to be exposed to wetness when finished.
Although it performs perfectly well without further finishing in applications where it is not exposed to water, MDO should always be face-primed and top-coated with a compatible solid-color stain or paint if subjected to wet or humid conditions. Some producers of MDO offer panels with a pre-primed surface. Follow the panel manufacturer's recommendations for stains and paints.
Photo courtesy of Olympic Panel Products LLC.