Molded plywood

Molded plywood is the term for two- or three-dimensionally shaped products from multiple veneer layers that are glued together through heat and pressure in a pressing tool.

Due to its immense strength and low weight, molded wood is particularly suitable for interior decoration, seating furniture, bed slats, skateboards and vehicle construction.

It was an American named Isaac Cole who first took out a patent for the process of the production of molded wood in 1874.

However, in 1830 the famous furniture designer Michael Thonet had already begun to experiment with the gluing of veneer layers.

To make the chair very comfortable without padding and to give it a light appearance, designer Mart Stam used three-dimensionally shaped plywood parts for its seat and back.

The Finn Alvar Aalto was the first to deliberately implement the natural spring effect of the material when he created his model "Piamio" in the 1930s.

After that, Charles Eames and his wife Ray developed the spectacular plywood furniture collection for the company Herman Miller (USA).

Term for molded parts made from at least three thin veneers that are glued together with the grain of each running at a 90° angle to that in the next layer.

To increase the bending strength and reduce the swelling and shrinking behavior, laminated wood is interlocked with some transverse veneers for certain applications.

First the peeled veneer is produced, then it is pressed into molded plywood or laminated wood blanks which are subsequently processed.

What can be formed out of firm cardboard can also be made of molded plywood, since both behave in a similar way.

These limits can be exceeded by the use of special 3D veneers, which are, expensive to produce and therefore entail additional costs.

Molded plywood blanks for chair frames and components are automatically cut, ground and processed with fixtureless CNC milling machines.

Special joining techniques can be used, such as screw, dowel, spring or mortise and tenon joints to produce pre-finished components or complete racks.

Compared to other wood-based panels such as MDF or chipboard, molded plywood and laminated wood are very reliable.

This ensures for the high load capacity and pleasant vibrations of cantilever chairs made of laminated wood, for example.

But through chemical or thermal changes it is possible to produce weather resistant molded plywood and laminated wood.