Buying Birch Plywood in Bristol

[Jim22]

Hi all,

I am new to woodworking as of December so I will apologise up front for any ignorance!

I have been reading this site for a few months now and after searching low and high for somewhere to buy birch plywood from I am at a loss. There is loads of good advice on these sites so hoping for some useful tips.

I am looking to buy a few sheets of birch plywood to make a few bookcases/cupboards for the new house; 3 sheets each of 3/4" and 1/2". However, I seem to be struggling to find reasonable prices anywhere in the area, well unreasonable if you factor in delivery. So far Eastman's Timber is coming in cheapest at around £300 + delivery. Any alternatives?

I am very close to just buying roof racks and tempting fate by attaching wings to the fiesta!

Cheers,
Jim

 

[Woodmonkey]

Did you try Avon ply, or Robbins

 

[Matt@]

yes Avon Plywood in Keynsham, nice firm to deal with. Robbins an expensive firm to deal with!

 

[Jake]

I haven't bought any in a while, but I don't think that is such a bad price for quality (Finnish maybe Latvian) stuff these days. It's expensive, really expensive. So most people use other stuff for most things unless you need to have a clear finish and the nice raw edges on show.

 

[PAC1]

I agree with Jake for that sort of quantity the price is in that order. That is why we turn to MDF or MDF veneered sheets unless you really need to use Birch

 

[KevM]

I am very close to just buying roof racks and tempting fate by attaching wings to the fiesta!

Jim,

Been there, done that - and I won't be doing do it again!

It might be worth looking at Avon Plywood's cutting service - I used this a few years ago for a project and for a fair price (I can't remember the exact charge) they cut everything to size for me, and edge banded a few lengths. The overall value proposition of using their cutting service was pretty convincing for me at the time:

- Reducing the total number of boards I'd estimated because of the accuracy of their cutting/efficiency in their layout
- The benefit of not having to man-handle full size boards (I invariably end up dinging the corners of boards)
- Edge banding to a standard I couldn't even think of
- I could pick up in my own vehicle, saving a delivery charge

I spoke with them at the time about tolerances and finish on cutting, I can't recall their exact advice but they were very friendly in dealing with a fairly trivial order (for them).

http://www.avonply.co.uk/precision%20cutting.aspx
http://www.avonply.co.uk/cuttinglistsA.aspx
http://www.avonply.co.uk/Client%20Area/ ... dsheet.xls

It might also be worth looking at half-day van rental vs. roof racks - way safer, for you and the boards.

Cheers,

Kev

Edit: Forgetting my manners - welcome to the forum, and good luck with your project whichever way you go with it.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You are are new to woodworking. Are you really sure you need birch? You mention a new house, so I assume you are on a budget? Could you not use WBP instead? It would be a lot cheaper.
Welcome, by the way.

 

[morfa]

My local place charges £60 a 18mm sheet, so that's £180 for three. I reckon that for 12mm sheet's it wouldn't be that much cheaper. So £300 sounds good really.

Personally, I'd rather splash the cash and get the quality of proper birch ply. It's nice stuff and good to work with. MDF really is orrible to work with. The birch ply will look good and take screws well.

BTW, as you're new, WBP, means 'Weather and Boil proof' ply. It's about half the price, but generally has lots of voids, which make it a poor choice for nice furniture in my eyes at least.

 

[AndyT]

+1 to what KevM said about Avon Ply and their cutting service. I used them - some time ago now - and bought just one sheet, ripped into bookshelf sized strips. The results were perfect and the saving in effort well worth it. And like he said, they didn't turn me away for not wanting a lorry load.

 

[Jim22]

Hi all,

Thanks very much for the welcomes and all the advice.

Seems that Avon are the clear winners. I will give them a call this week and get a quote for the cut sizes. Need to properly measure and figure it out first though. Sounds a much better idea and the 0.2 mm tolerance is certainly better than I am going to do!

I have looked around Robbin's before, but there prices were through the roof.

I will let you know how I get on / get into trouble .
Jim

 

[PAC1]

Make sure you know which way the grain is running. Traditionally birch ply had the grain running the short length 4' or 1.2m. But the last sheet I bought it ran the long way 8' 2.4m. This fact makes all the difference for your cutting list. So ask them before you start

 

[Woodmonkey]

Last two jobs I did in birch ply I sent the cutting list to both Robbins and Avon ply and there was very little difference, I ended up using Robbins as they are on my door step, and they are friendly chaps in there. Also unlike some other timber yards they will let me pick through packs of wood and select the bits I want (when buying wood rather than sheet materials I mean)

 

[davin]

or Jewsons sell Wisa ply,

Spruce core (but no voids) with birch faces. Good quality, made in Finland and around £35 a sheet for 18mm

 

[morfa]

or Jewsons sell Wisa ply,

Spruce core (but no voids) with birch faces. Good quality, made in Finland and around £35 a sheet for 18mm

That wisa ply sounds good. Like the sound of the price as well.

 

[Peter Sefton]

You could try Clarkswood in Bristol, no cutting service (as far as I know) but they do stock a fair range of solid timber to go with the sheet material. I see they also have a new website.
http://www.clarkswood.com

Cheers Peter

 

[Jim22]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for all the replies. I have been busy redecorating our hall so didn't get round to buying till last week. Now seeing the loft conversion and therefore third floor as a hindrance...should have bought a bungalow!

I went with Avon Ply in the end. Excellent service but didn't go for the cutting list option this time (may regret that soon).

I picked up some H/W ply from Eastman's Timber too for some units in the garage; they gave free delivery and were very useful. Even gave me a call to let me know when the driver was leaving (great as I live close to work so could nip home to accept it in). Would recommend although at £30 a sheet not "cheep" but not bad at all.

Thanks for the advice again. Sure I will be looking for help in the near future when i start making stuff with it. No going back now!

Cheers all,
Jim

 

[mahomo59]

Time to buy a plunge saw if not already owned!?...

 

[Tom MasterCraftsman]

Just to give you a comparison I was quoted for sapele veneered birch ply 19mm £80 per sheet so normal birch should be much cheaper.

 

[Eric The Viking]

To be fair to Robbins, I think their main business nowadays is high-end marine (boatbuilding + refurbishment). They don't seem to be as interested in local trade as they once were. I used to use them in the 1980s, but can no longer afford to.

One thing I miss - they used to sell a good, clear acrylic finish (homebrew) - looked milky in the bottle but came up really well and was easy to use. I asked last time I was there, and I don't think they sell it any more. Shame.