Expert: Jamie Yocono - 9/11/2008

Question
I am looking for the name of a specific type of plywood and can't seem to find the name, nevermind the actual sheets.  The bottom of my kitchen cabinets are made of it and I have seen it used in covered exterior applications.  It is a plywood with a type of hardboard veneer.  It isn't like oak or birch veneer.  It's almost like an mdf veneer.  It is good to use because both sides are finishable.  My cabinets have a poly on the inside and it's looks great painted.  Any ideas?  I have been told melamine, but that's not it.
Thanks

Answer
Mike,

I'll need more information if I am going to be able to help you. I believe All-Experts has a way that you can send a picture to me, so I suggest that you take a shot or two of the plywood in question and I'll  take a look at it for better identification.

MDF is very similar to particleboard, so it wouldn't look anything like veneer at all. Veneer is basically a thin sheet of real wood, usually anywhere from 1/20 to 1/8" thick. Veneer can be applied to MDF so that it might appear to be solid wood, when in fact, it's not.

Melamine is more like plastic laminate or plastic contact paper, it's usually applied to sheet stock like MDF. It's completely fake, plastic, and probably isn't what you're talking about.

I'll wait to get a picture or two and try to help if I can.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com