Properties of 1/2-Inch Composite Plywood with Southern Yellow Pine Veneer Faces and Unidirectionally Oriented Southern Oaks Strand Core

Evaluation was made of certain mechanical properties and dimensional changes of 1/2-inch composite plywood, fabricated from 1/8-inch-thick southern pine veneer faces and 1/4-inch unidirectionally oriented strand cores made from a mixture of southern oaks, as well as a mixture of oak and southern pine, bonded with phenolic resins. Results indicate that the physical and mechanical properties of the composite panels are equal to and, in some cases, superior to the properties of 1/2-inch southern pine CDX plywood and a commercial composite plywood (Douglas-fir veneer faces and grand fir core) reported in the technical literature. Composite panels similar to those tested are expected to perform all structural functions required by sheathing panels for walls, roofs, and subfloors over 16-inch spans. Swelling tests indicate that the dimensional stability of the composite panels is comparable to that of 1/2-inch southern pine commercial CDX plywood and are expected to perform satisfactorily in service. Production of composite plywood with southern pine veneer faces and unidirectionally oriented oak strand cores could provide a means to more efficiently utilize the low quality hardwood resources in the South.

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