Veneer & Plywood Glossary

Plain-English definitions of the veneer and plywood terms you will meet in our quotes, spec sheets and certificates. Bookmark it for your next sourcing conversation.

Panel & veneer terms

Veneer

A thin sheet of wood peeled or sliced from a log, used to build up the layers of plywood or as a decorative face.

Rotary-cut veneer

Veneer peeled in a continuous sheet as the log turns against a blade — the most efficient cut, used for cores and most faces.

Sliced veneer

Veneer cut in flat slices to show a straighter grain figure, used mainly for decorative faces.

Core veneer

The inner veneer layers of a plywood panel, which give it thickness and strength.

Face / back

The two outer veneers of a panel; grade is written face/back, e.g. BB/CC.

Plywood

A panel built from an odd number of veneer layers glued with grain alternating 90°, giving dimensional stability.

Film-faced plywood (FFP)

Plywood surfaced with a phenolic film for concrete formwork — smooth, water-resistant and reusable.

Melamine plywood

Plywood laminated with decorative melamine paper for furniture and interior surfaces.

Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis)

Plantation hardwood from rubber trees at the end of their latex life — the sustainable raw material for our cores.

Glue, grades & emissions

WBP

Weather- and Boil-Proof glue (phenolic) — fully waterproof, for exterior and structural use.

MR

Moisture-Resistant glue (melamine or urea) — for interior use in humid conditions, not fully waterproof.

Phenolic resin

The waterproof adhesive used in WBP plywood and film-faced panels.

Grade (A/B/C/D)

A quality rating of a veneer face from clear (A) to knotty/repaired (D); panels are quoted as a face/back pair.

CARB P2

California Air Resources Board Phase 2 formaldehyde-emission limit, now federal in the US under TSCA Title VI.

E0 / E1

European formaldehyde-emission classes; E0 is the lowest, E1 the standard interior limit.

NAF

No-Added-Formaldehyde glue — the lowest-emission option, used for sensitive markets.

Boil test

A QC test where a sample is boiled to confirm the glue line holds — proof of WBP performance.

Moisture content

The percentage of water in the panel; we ship veneer at 8–12% and plywood at ≤14%.

Trade, shipping & documents

MOQ

Minimum Order Quantity — for us, one 40HC container per product line (mixed loads possible).

CFR / CIF

Incoterms: Cost-and-Freight (you insure) vs Cost-Insurance-Freight (we insure) to your port.

FOB

Free On Board — price to the point goods are loaded on the vessel at origin.

T/T

Telegraphic Transfer — bank wire; our standard is 30% deposit, 70% against B/L copy.

L/C

Letter of Credit — a bank guarantee of payment, accepted for orders above USD 30,000.

B/L

Bill of Lading — the shipping document and title to the goods.

Proforma Invoice (PI)

A preliminary invoice confirming spec, quantity, price and terms before payment.

20DC / 40HQ

Container types: 20-foot Dry Container and 40-foot High-Cube; we usually recommend 40HQ for plywood.

CBM

Cubic metre — the volume unit used for loading and freight.

Certificate of Origin

A document certifying Vietnamese origin; Form A unlocks GSP tariff preference where it applies.

Phytosanitary Certificate

A government certificate confirming the goods are free of regulated pests.

ISPM-15

International standard for heat-treating wood packaging against pests; shown as a stamped mark.

SABER

Saudi Arabia’s online conformity platform issuing product and shipment certificates.

ECAS

Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme — UAE product registration.

FSC

Forest Stewardship Council — certified responsible forestry, via Chain-of-Custody.

EUDR

EU Deforestation Regulation — requires geolocation and legality due-diligence for timber imports.

CE marking

EU conformity mark for construction products under the Construction Products Regulation.