Plywood Species & Core Options

The expansive plywood inventory carried by Metro Hardwoods meets the needs of even the most specialized cabinet or fixture manufacturer. We carry over ½ million square feet of hardwood plywood in stock with selections of over 350 species and size combinations. Ranging from domestic species to exotics, from veneer core to HDF core, Metro can cover your plywood needs.

African Mahogany
Alder
Ash Select White
Aspen Industrial
Baltic Birch
Baltic Birch – New 4 x 8
Birch – Calico
Birch – Natural
Birch – Sap White
Birch – Red
Cherry – Plain Sliced
Cherry – Rustic

Douglas Fir – Vertical Grain
Beech – European Steamed
Hickory – Plain Slice Calico
Hickory – Rustic
Maple – Natural
Maple – Rustic
Maple – Sap White
Red Oak – Plain Slice
Red Oak – Rift
Red Oak – Quarter Cut
Red Oak – Rotary

Sapele – Quarter Sawn
Walnut – Rustic
Walnut – Plain Slice
White Ash
White Oak – Plain Sawn
White Oak – Rift Cut
White Oak – Rustic
White Oak – Quarter Cut
White Pine
Yellow Poplar

Additional species call for quote and lead-time

Veneer Core

Made with alternating veneer inner plies, veneer core panels are relatively light in comparison with composite panels, typically weighing about 70 lbs. per 3/4” panel. Veneer core offers great strength and stability with better spanning properties than either PBC or MDF. Columbia’s 100% veneer core products offer a variety of panel construction options to satisfy a range of quality and price point needs.

Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) Core

MDF is made in a production process similar to PBC except that all of the wood particles are small and uniform like sawdust. MDF offers great stability and is the least likely to react when subjected to a measurable change in temperature or humidity. It offers a very smooth, void-free surface for veneer faces. MDF has greater strength and screw holding properties than particleboard and weighs around 100 lbs.

Particleboard Core (PBC)

Raw PBC is composed of wood particles which vary in size bonded together with urea formaldehyde or, by special order, no-added urea formaldehyde systems. PBC is the least expensive core option for hardwood plywood, offering a smooth, void-free surface for veneer faces. PBC is very uniform in thickness and density. PBC is one of the heaviest core options for hardwood plywood construction, weighing as much as 100 lbs per 3/4” panel.

Combination Core with Composite Crossbands

Constructed of veneer core inner plies with particleboard or MDF crossbands. Offers similar strength and stability to veneer core but has the void-free surface quality of PBC or MDF. Excellent substrate for thin sliced woods and rotary woods, reducing the potential for core transfer.

Value Added Applications

Pre-Applied Custom Stained Panels
Designed to provide greater flexibility and control for customers to select, match and manage their stain procedures for Columbia products, CustomColors resolves a host of bottlenecks in the production process. CustomColors is pre-applied, UV cured, 100% solid stain applied with Columbia’s state-of-the-art equipment to provide superior quality and consistency. Customers can select from three gloss levels: Satin (30-40), Medium (50-60) and High (80-90).

UV LabCoat™
The beautiful and durable UV-cured pre-finishing option is certified by the Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association (SEFA). This chemical resistant finish is perfect for labs, schools and other installations that demand the performance of a laboratory grade finish.