# Home Depot Birch Plywood OK for boxes?



## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

I see alot of people using birch plywood because it's supposed to be dense, but lighter than MDF. I don't really have a supplier around me for exceptional stuff, so I have to rely on Home Depot or Lowes. So I was wondering if this was acceptable, or if I should just stick with 3/4" MDF.

Thanks.

Jay


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## savagebee (Sep 12, 2006)

thts probably 7 or 5 ply. The "high grade" stuff most use on here is baltic birch, 13 ply, voidless.

Ive found for the money, my cheap ass will keep on with my mdf boxes.

If I had a fairly permanant install Id use the voidless Baltic Birch, for an install I change once a year Ill stay with the MDF

i think a good 5x5 piece of baltic birch ran me $80 last time i got some

i dont believe that you can buy baltic birch in that quality in a typical 4x8 sheet


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## Fast1one (Apr 6, 2007)

Too many voids. Stick to MDF.


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

Yeah, I knew about 13ply, but I didn't see a listing for "voidless" or how many plys on the HD site. MDF it is.

Jay


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

My local Lowes has 13 ply BB mixed in with the 7 ply BB...about $40 a sheet.


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## sirsaechao (Jan 25, 2010)

MDF only here.


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## savagebee (Sep 12, 2006)

thehatedguy said:


> My local Lowes has 13 ply BB mixed in with the 7 ply BB...about $40 a sheet.


hmmm.. Im going to dig a little next time I go to lowes


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## Shod (Oct 6, 2008)

The last time that I used baltic birch I had to have it special ordered from lowes. 13 ply 7/8 thick 5x5 sheet cost $92 a sheet, I know that it is expensive but I really like working with it.


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## MaxPowers (Oct 25, 2007)

Ive seen voidless BB 13 ply at HD before, but not in full sheets. They sell in 2'x4' sections. Used it to build a 5ft^3 box for 2 13s, it turned out pretty nice-much lighter than mdf but still heavy.

My local lumber yard usually has China Birch 13 ply. Used 10 sheets of it to build my pro audio setup. Its pretty decent and only cost $35 a sheet.


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## pork soda (Jun 29, 2009)

I find that baltic birch and mdf remain quite stable as you are cutting the sheets up, where 5 or 7 ply plywood of almost any species tends to cup/warp/twist with each rip/crosscut.Tension in the sheets.It drives me nuts.I'm for using "Ranger Board" 1" mdf for sub boxes.Some of the lesser grades of mdf move around like crazy as well.


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