WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH PLYWOOD

Plywood is the perfect go-to material for a DIY project. The beautiful birch finish of plywood lends itself to rustic and scandi-style projects, and the durability and versatility of plywood make it a no-brainer for many crafters, and DIYers to use in their at-home creations.

Here are a few of our favourite plywood projects:

Plywood pegboard
Pegboards are a great way to organise your life and even create storage

Modular shelving
If you need to hold a bit more than just a few shelves, you can make plywood boxes/crates and arrange them on your wall to make a modular shelving system that grows as and when you need it to. Don’t just stick to squares, try out hexagons.

Climbing wall
Avid climbers in the family (or just the members with a bit too much energy to burn) might like a personal climbing wall. It’s important to ensure your wall is strong enough to support their weight (not just the weight of the holds!) but it makes a great addition to a kids’ room or even a more serious wall in the garage or garden for adult climbers.

Coffee table
Whether you have a minimalist aesthetic or are in love with the mid-century style of exposed wood, it is likely that there is always space in your home for an additional side table. The beauty of this simplistic design is that you can shape your side table to meet your needs, in size and purpose.

For this DIY plywood project, you'll need more than a single piece of hardwood plywood. Creating a plywood table, no matter the size requires structural integrity which supports load-bearing. Structural plywood (Birch plywood or hardwood plywood) will be your go-to timber for this project.

With a minimal need for advanced tools, a coffee table or side table is a perfect woodworking project for those DIYers looking to build plywood furniture.

Plywood Stool and Standing Desk
This modern desk combo from creates a simple workspace that can be used while standing or sitting on the sleek stool.

Plywood Playhouse
You could buy this plywood playhouse, but it's a much better idea to build your own. Just make sure all the sides and edges are sanded down and there are no exposed screws or nails that little ones could cut themselves on.

How to Cut Plywood

DIYers often avoid plywood as a material since it can be challenging to get a clean cut, especially when using hand saws. Here are a few tips to help you get a clean cut without tearing parts out of the surface:

• Score the wood before making a cut – make sure you do this along the entire design.
• Use a saw with smaller teeth – smaller bites reduce the chances of chipping.
• Cover the cutline with masking tape to hold fibres in place.
• Support the wood when cutting.
• If you can’t get a clean cut, saw the wood slightly above where you need it and trim or sand it down to size.