Plywood Warping and How to Prevent it – Subhash Jolly

Plywood Warping is deformity in plywood which occurs when the moisture content of different parts of a piece of plywood change unevenly.

I wish to bring to light the facts which emerged during my recent numerous visits made to various Plywood Industry Units across India. I observed that once the Ply got manufactured, soon it would develop Warps / bents. In most instances, it could be observed from a naked eye that complete stacks & stacks of freshly manufactured Plywood were bent.

Main cause of Plywood Warp:

While it’s understood that Plywood warps because the layers of wood soak up different amounts of moisture from the atmosphere, thereby causing the side that soaked up more moisture to be slightly larger than the other (causing a warp). The real reason observed is as below:
During the PF Plywood Manufacturing, the temperatures in the Hot Press range from 140°C – 150°C because the LIQUID PF Resin currently being used by Plywood Manufacturing Units requires such temperature conditions….

Solution: How to Prevent Plywood Warping:

So, based on my decades-long experience I now share the Solution to the problem of Plywood Warping which will not only make the PF Plywood Sheets look more symmetrical/beautiful but would also make them stronger by helping reduce various other minor defects as well. By using of P.F – 20 –M (Phenol Formaldehyde POWDER Resin from ARCL), the factory- manufactured Phenol Formaldehyde Resin Powder from the trusted house of ARCL organics Ltd. (formerly Allied Resins & Chemicals Ltd, Kolkata).

Note: (a) The ratio for making the P.F Liquid Resin varies across Plywood Manufacturing Units and some Units are even making Double-Stage Liquid resins. By mixing a suitable-quantity of P.F-20-M Powder Resin with already-being used Liquid Resin and some Extender, the correct Viscosity can be achieved. The quantity of PF-20-M powder-resin which should be mixed thus varies accordingly.

Plywood manufactured using mixture of Liquid P.F Resin + PF-20-M Powder is pressed at temperatures ranging from 130°C- 135°C and thus has no complaints of warping / bending of Plywood.

Multiple Other Advantages of using PF-20-M are:

1. PF-20-M being molecular, improves strength of non-porous, hard & dense timber like Eucalyptus by imparting better bonding.
2. Saves fuel as hot-press temperature is reduced by 10°C-15°C.
3. Increases weight of film-face shuttering plywood by 250-300gms/sheet.
4. Reduces the chance of steam-pockets to almost zero.
5. Increases both, wet and dry glue sheering strength.
6. Increases wood failure percentage, which endorses better glue bonding.
7. Nailing quality improves.
8. Reduces free formaldehyde content present in liquid PF resin.
9. Reduces glue penetration on face of BWP Plywood
10. Maintains glue viscosity.

About ARCL:

ARCL Organics Ltd.(formerly Allied Resins and Chemicals Ltd.) was established in 1959 and is a leading integrated Speciality Chemicals Co. Manufacturing state-of-art chemical products.

With a diverse range of offerings: Resins, Adhesives, Hardeners, Additives, Abrasives, and more, ARCL has gained reputation for delivering cutting-edge solutions to various industries.

ARCL caters to a wide range of industries, including Plywood, Panel, Animal-feed, Rubber, Pharma, Engineering, Textile, Paper, Foundry, Paints, and many others. Our products have been trusted and utilized by clients across India and globally.

As a recognized Star Export House by the Government of India, ARCL has a global presence, exporting its products to over 50 countries worldwide. With a rich experience of over 60 years, the company has fostered collaborations with cutting-edge technologies from around the world, enabling them to offer innovative and high-quality chemical solutions.

Committed to delivering the highest standards of quality, ARCL ensures that our products adhere to various international standards such as DIN, BIS, ASTM, and JAS.

This commitment to quality is combined with a deep focus on customer satisfaction, making ARCL a trusted partner for businesses seeking the best value, product, quality, and service.

ARCL is dedicated to the growth and success of its customers.With a legacy of six decades, ARCL is poised to continue its journey as a leading provider of speciality chemicals, serving diverse industries with a focus on innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction.

ARCL’s goal is to continuously strive for excellence in Speciality Chemicals Industry.

For further enquiry or information, please contact the Technical Manager:

Sh. Anil Kumar Singh (M): +91 9355333084 (Email): yamunanagar@arcl.in