Types of plywood and application. Types of plywood, characteristics, properties, use. The difference between fk and fsf plywood

The modern market is filled with various sheet construction and finishing materials. Among them, FK plywood stands out due to its characteristics. Thanks to such quality as versatility, it is in demand not only among professional builders, but also among ordinary consumers who decide to make repairs or build their own. This material can be used to cover walls, level floors, or use it to make furniture with your own hands.

So, FC plywood - what kind of material is it? You can find out its characteristics and features by reading this article.

Features of FC plywood

FC plywood - what is it? The abbreviation FC includes the words “plywood” and “urea”. This is a multi-layer moisture-resistant material in the form of square sheets, made from hardwood or coniferous species wood, the layers of which are glued. The fibers on all sheets of veneer used for gluing plywood are located at the same angle.

Making this building material is done in stages. First, the main inner layer is formed and glued, which can be made from solid veneer of any type of wood or be combined. Then it is covered with veneer sheets on both sides, which serve as a finishing cladding. The use of silicate glue in the production of FK plywood slightly reduces its waterproof characteristics, however, plywood sheets of this brand can be used when finishing walls, ceilings, floors indoors, as well as in the manufacture of formwork for strip foundation, furniture production.

In most cases, birch wood is used to make hardwood FC plywood. It is distinguished by high strength, wear resistance, good environmental properties, decorative texture, and good surface qualities. Thanks to the characteristics source material FC birch plywood is most in demand compared to other types.

Scope of application

Despite its low moisture resistance, FC plywood is used in various fields.

Cladding of walls and ceilings. High-quality plywood sheets that do not emit any toxic substances are suitable for covering surfaces in both residential and office premises.

Laying under laminate, parquet. as a substrate improves sound and heat insulation flooring. For lining under the laminate, sheets with a thickness of 5-15 mm are used. Before installation, the strips are cut into squares to prevent internal stress on the material, so for such purposes you can use low-grade plywood by cutting out unsuitable parts. Under the parquet, the plywood backing is made solid. Its thickness should be at least 2/3 of the height of the parquet board.

Furniture production. High quality plywood is used for the manufacture of interior items. It is used to make armchairs, sofas, various shelves, and drawers.

In addition, FC plywood is used for the manufacture of exhibition stands, souvenirs and packaging products.

FC plywood standards

Russian manufacturers produce plywood that meets all the requirements stipulated by several GOSTs, since there is no single such document for the production of this material. Standard size plywood sheets: 1525x1525 mm. They also produce strips with other dimensions: 1270x1525 mm, 1475x1525 mm, 1220x2440 mm. The thickness of standard sheets is 3-24 mm.

Material grade

There are four grades of FC plywood, which are determined depending on the number of different wood defects(cracks, knots, sprouts, patches and others) on each side of the strip. Therefore, the grade may have the following designation: “Plywood FC 2/2, 3/2, 4/2”, etc.

Plywood is a popular material used in construction, furniture production, technical and decorative items. There are several types of it, which it is advisable to understand in order to purchase what you need. In particular, it is useful to find the main difference between FC and FSF plywood as the most popular materials.

Any plywood consists of layers of natural veneer, firmly glued together. The only difference is the wood that is used to produce the veneer, the method of arranging thin layers and the composition for gluing or impregnation. The dimensions of the sheets do not depend on these parameters and can be the same for different types.

In FK type plywood, the veneer layers are glued together using urea-formaldehyde glue. In FSF materials, gluing is carried out using phenol-formaldehyde glue resins. This is the fundamental difference between the types of FC and FSF, from which the corresponding consequences follow.

The external difference between FC and FSF is manifested in the color of the layer. The ends of FC plywood are lighter, while FSF has a noticeable reddish dark tint. This is explained by the fact that urea-based glue becomes transparent when hardened, while formaldehyde resins are colored.

The difference between FSF and FC is as follows:

• adhesive composition;
• moisture resistance;
• strength;
• end color;
• price;
• content of hazardous substances.

And all this depends mostly on the glue. The urea composition is soluble in water, so FC plywood products are afraid of getting wet. FSF, unlike FC, is a moisture-resistant material.

Pay attention! The difference in cost is noticeable. With the same size and grade (quality) FSF price usually higher than FC.

Of course, the cost will be affected by the location of production, additional processing and some other factors. But the general trend can still be traced.

It should be noted that there is also another type of plywood - FOF. She belongs to the group special purpose. The difference between FOF and FSF plywood is that the former is covered with a durable laminated film. So her moisture resistant properties increase even more.

Application of FC

FC plywood sheets are made from hardwood, mainly birch, poplar, and alder. This is a wonderful material, the highest grades of which are distinguished by a light, smooth surface.

The peculiarity of FC is that, due to the adhesive, it cannot withstand prolonged exposure to moisture and, when wet, swells and delaminates. At the same time, if such plywood is used in a dry room, it exhibits high strength characteristics.

FC plywood is used to make beds, sofas, and boxes for transporting goods; they cover walls with it, and place it on the floor under parquet or laminate. Like other species, its thickness varies, reaching a maximum of 40 mm. The varieties depend on the presence of knots, sprouts, cracks, darkening and other defects.

The question may arise FSF plywood or use FC for flooring, for example under parquet? These two types are suitable, although moisture-resistant FSF plywood products (low grade, sanded and unsanded) are preferable. The difference between them will also be in price. If the room is not damp, it is not ground floor, not a basement, then in order to save money you can use FC. Most often, when laying floors, sheets with a thickness of 10-12 mm are used.

Application of FSF

FSF sheets are used as roofing material, for the construction of stages, sports grounds, temporary structures, billboards. This plywood is widely used for formwork, and the best option here is the laminated material because it can be used several times (up to 100).

Although furniture for residential premises is not made from FSF, it is excellent for garden benches, gazebos and other structures. Another common application is truck floors and van linings. It is allowed to make boxes for transporting non-food products from FSF sheets.

Security difference

There's one more thing important difference between the materials under consideration. It concerns the safety of their production, use and disposal.

FSF contains phenol formaldehyde, which makes you think about the safety of the material. Phenol and formaldehyde, from which glue is made, are toxic and negatively affect the skin, mucous membranes, and respiratory tract. Disposal of products with their contents is problematic.

When cured, phenol-formaldehyde resin becomes less hazardous, but vaporization of both phenol and formaldehyde is possible. Sanitary standards require monitoring of these parameters.

When purchasing, you should pay attention to the emission class of harmful substances. If the certificate of conformity states E1, then such plywood can be used even in the bedroom. Class E2 cannot be used indoors.

FC plywood is safe for indoor use, since urea-formaldehyde adhesive is an order of magnitude less toxic than phenol-formaldehyde. The emission of phenol in it is minimal.

FK and FSF plywood are two options for one of the simplest, most affordable and durable materials that finds widest application. They are equally in demand in construction work, industry, packaging industry, machine and carriage building. Due to their high convenience, there is practically nothing to compare them with, since they are suitable for floors, walls, ceilings, and partitions. They are also good as a basis for any design ideas.

What is FC and FSF plywood?

First of all, it’s worth understanding the abbreviations:

1. FC is a wood-laminated board glued together using a urea-formaldehyde composition, which is where the abbreviation “plywood + urea-formaldehyde glue” comes from;
2. FSF is a material made by joining veneer with phenol-formaldehyde substances, which is what the combination of “plywood + resin phenol-formaldehyde glue” produces.

What is the fundamental difference?

The first is not at all resistant to a humid environment, but is quite durable and versatile. Designed for dry conditions only. Much cheaper than the second option, therefore it is widely used for the production of furniture, wall cladding, packaging containers, as a substrate for laminate, parquet and other coatings.

Made from peeled wood of birch, alder and some other hardwoods (a combination of these is also possible). After penetration of moisture, it usually delaminates and curls, which is a serious difference between FK and FSF plywood. The thickness of such sheets can reach 40 mm. They are divided into varieties based on the presence of knots.

Pack of FC plywood sheets

The second is characterized by increased resistance to moisture, which it resists very successfully. Thanks to this property, it is in demand in roofing processes and can be used not only inside, but also outside of buildings. It has good wear resistance and mechanical strength.

It is made mainly from birch and coniferous veneer. It can be impregnated with compounds not only against moisture, but also against fire (FSF TV), which is why it has an expanded range of applications: construction, industry, mechanical engineering and aircraft construction.

How to distinguish FC plywood from FSF externally?

Without experience in this matter, you can get confused, since they are hardly distinguishable by external signs, which sometimes causes misunderstanding. The only factor that clearly shows the difference between them is the shades of the layers.

FC is lighter, as it is connected with glue without the presence of phenol, which is why the cut sheets are as close as possible to the natural color of the veneer. Whereas FSF with increased moisture impregnation has a darker color with the presence of a reddish undertone.

Data Comparison	FC	FSF
Veneer type	Deciduous trees (birch, alder, aspen)	Deciduous-coniferous species (birch, pine, larch)
Bonding	Urea-formaldehyde composition	Phenol-formaldehyde composition
Moisture resistance	Average (for non-residential and residential premises)	Maximum (for interior and exterior work)
Presence of phenol	No
Processing	Lamination, sanding	Lamination, sanding

Differences in physical and mechanical parameters

Which plywood is less harmful - FC or FSF?

For the production of wood-laminated boards of the FK type, a silicate adhesive is used, which is non-toxic to humans and animals. This equates plywood to safe building materials suitable for interior finishing and installation of partitions in dry conditions.

Packaging of FSF plywood sheets

FSF is more resistant to moisture because it has a special impregnation based on potentially harmless resins. The glue also contains 8 mg/100 g of phenol, which negatively affects the health of others.

Main differences

To more clearly distinguish between these two types of plywood, we offer a brief comparison of them.

So, FC is absolutely safe for health, not resistant to moisture, suitable for interior works and furniture production, is fragile and does not withstand mechanical impact, easily breaks and delaminates.

While FSF has low environmental friendliness, which is why it can harm humans and animals, it has excellent moisture resistance, is applicable for interior, facade, and any other external work, and has increased fracture strength and pressure.

The concept of “plywood” is a collective term that combines sheets glued together from three or more layers of wood veneer. Wood fibers are usually perpendicular, which allows plywood to hold its shape and resist dynamic loads.

Currently, plywood class is very popular FC And FSF. However, disputes between finishers about the quality of products and their environmental safety continue. Let's try to understand this issue.

Decoding abbreviations

First, let's look at the definitions. In both cases, we are talking about material made from certain types of wood. It usually looks like this:

birch- all layers of plywood sheet are made from this type of wood.

coniferous trees- pine is used as a raw material.

combined options- the outer layers are made of birch, the inner layers are made of pine.

What's the difference? All plywood on the market differs from each other in its adhesive composition. In deciphering the abbreviation, the first letter indicates the name of the material. In our case, "F" stands for plywood.

Further symbols identify the glue that was used to make the sheet. In particular:

TO- urea-formaldehyde.

SF- phenol-formaldehyde resin.

The difference in adhesive composition largely determines technical properties plywood. For example, the series material FC often used in the production of cabinet and upholstered furniture.

FSF- more suitable for interior partitions and billboards. The scope of application is determined by the fact that the resin phenol-formaldehyde makes the sheets more resistant to humid environments.

Key differences between the submissions

Application of different adhesive compositions suggests for each type of plywood its own technical features and scope. The table compares the two materials.

Comparative review two types of plywood
Criterion
Fire safety*
Environmental safety	No phenol	Phenol is present at a concentration of 8 mg/100 g**
Moisture resistance	After getting wet and then drying, it delaminates	Does not delaminate after being in a humid environment
Scope of application	In rooms with low humidity	Indoors and outdoors (under canopies, in outbuildings)
Bonding	Urea-formaldehyde composition	Phenol-formaldehyde composition
Flexural strength MPa
On a leaf cut	Single-color, light (layers of veneer and glue are the same color)	Multi-colored, light veneer layers are combined with dark adhesive

*If you need non-flammable plywood - choose FSF-TV, impregnated with a special composition. It is used in passenger carriage construction.

**Security class assigned E-1- permission for use in residential premises. However, in some rooms, especially in the nursery, it is undesirable to use.

In terms of presentation, both types of plywood are identical. There are several categories here: the higher the class, the fewer external defects.

Regardless of these features, FSF often used for rough work, FC gets the finishing function.

Look to the root! Visual differences

Visually, both types of plywood are very similar. Similar types of wood veneer are used here, laminated coating and sheet sanding are provided. However, there are external differences, and they are due to differences in the adhesive composition.

Plywood FC does not contain phenol, so it looks lighter. The interlayers and veneer sheets have identical color scheme, so they look like a homogeneous material. FSF has layers of a dark red hue. Knowing these features, it is easy to distinguish between types of plywood, even without special skills and knowledge in the field of construction.

Which is safer for your health?

If environmental safety plays a decisive role, it is better to choose plywood FC. Here, silicate glue is used for gluing sheets, which is a neutral artificial material without chemically active additives.

In the case of FSF the question is controversial. According to requirements GOST applied to this type of material, the phenol content in the composition does not exceed acceptable values. In addition, this substance is actively and widely used in medicine, agriculture and even the food industry.

However, in terms of toxicity, the component belongs to the second class of chemical hazard. This means that there is only a thin line between acceptable and exceeded concentrations. Therefore, if you want to maintain a healthy atmosphere in your home, it is better not to risk it.

A worthy alternative

Fun fact:

It was from this that kamikaze planes were constructed, hence the idiomatic expression “plywood over Paris.”

Choosing plywood for finishing works, do not forget about such a category of material as FB. Deciduous or softwood veneer is also used here. However, before gluing, the sheets are impregnated with bakelite varnish; the glue is made on the basis of water- or alcohol-soluble resins.

Thanks to these features, the material does not have the disadvantages of plywood. FC And FSF, while embodying the best qualities.

It looks like this:

plywood has high moisture resistance and does not lose original qualities even in sea water;

the material does not ignite and does not support the spread of open fire - the sheet will char but will not flare up;

there are no toxic components in the composition, so plywood of this series can be used in children's institutions;

wide range of operating temperatures combined with resistance to almost any aggressive environment;

service life at least 10 years without loss of initial characteristics;

In terms of strength, such plywood is twice as strong as wood.

It should be noted that the characteristics of plywood FB confirmed by time: it was this material that was used to make kamikaze planes.

With a lot of undeniable advantages, the material also has a very significant drawback. For the price of this plywood at least 2 times superior to other analogues.