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Name: -Blockboard

Sources: -Blockboard is made up of a core of softwood strips. These strips may be up to about 25mm wide. The strips are placed edge to edge and sandwiched between veneers of hardwood. The sandwich is then glued under high pressure.

Sources: -Blockboard is not suitable for outdoor use because the glues used are interior glues. When using blockboard to make such things as doors or tables, it is important to ensure that the core runs lengthways in order to achieve maximum strength. Blockboard may be used to make shelves, doors, paneling and partitions.

Sizes: -Blockboard is sold in sheets of 2440 x 1220mm and are normally 30mm thick.

Screws and nails may be used to attach blockboard and laminboard but you have to ensure that you make contact with the strips of softwood and not the gaps between the softwood strips. The edges of both blockboard and laminboard are unattractive and cannot be cleaned up well. Place softwood strips, veneers or fill and paint the edges. Blockboard and laminboard may be bought with a variety of applied finishes such as wood veneers and plastic laminate surfaces. If both sides are treated in the same way blockboard and laminboard have a good resistance to warping.

Name: -Laminboard

Sources: -Laminboard looks very similar to blockboard but it is made up of softwood strips, 5-7 mm in width as opposed to blockboard, which has strips of 25mm. In both cases the strips are sandwiched between two outer veneers with the grain running at right angles to the core strips. The facing veneers may be birch.

Name: -Superior 5Ply

Superior 5 ply is one of the most expensive boards. It has additional veneers ensuring that the grain runs parallel with the core strips.