Question about Baltic Birch Plywood

[TAIrving]

Recently somewhere on SSV I saw a comment about "a good baltic birch plywood" and it got me thinking.  Add to this my experience with some 1/8" BBP I got at a good price from an online vendor.  It certainly is solid core, but the surface is just so-so, it does not finish as nicely as I would like.  I go through all the grits of sanding and the surface is just sort of ok.  

So, the question arises; is there a difference in Baltic Birch Plywood?  And where do you get the "Good BBP"?  

[Denny Knappen]

I am not sure if there is a difference, but I buy my BBP from Ocooch Hardwoods.  I have had no problems with the plywood.

[OCtoolguy]

I buy mine from Cherokee and so far, so good. You might be happier with a venier plywood that has a hardwood exterior.

 

[TAIrving]

Thanks for your answers.  

I bought mine from someone other than Ocooch or Cherokee.  

You can see the imperfections if you zoom in on the attached picture.   I know I could coat it with gesso or some such and create a new, smooth surface.  I would hope that I would not have to do that. 

Perhaps it is just that birch is a softwood and is not for a finer finish and a hardwood surface plywood might be the right answer.   

 

[Bill WIlson]

It may be worth mentioning that BB ply isn't necessarily intended for the kinds of things we scrollers use it for.  BB ply is primarily used  a secondary material for things like drawer bottoms, cabinet backs, chair seats (to be covered with upholstery), shop jigs, as a substrate for veneer and other utilitarian purposes.  It is flatter and more stable than other wood sheet material, but was never really intended to be seen in most projects.  It has a very bland grain pattern and doesn't really take stain all that well, (at least not without the use of a pre-stain conditioner).  

[jerrye]

Like most plywoods, there are differing grades of BB.

This article is one of the best I've found on BB ply.

[TAIrving]

3 hours ago, jerrye said:

Like most plywoods, there are differing grades of BB.

This article is one of the best I've found on BB ply.

Thanks Jerry.  Great article about BB ply.  

[crupiea]

If you are going to stain it, a pre conditioner is the way to go.  

Then sand with 320 by hand.  The stuff raises the grain so it sort of gets rid of the flas that screw up the stain. 

Now, that said, it will also ruin the edges, sort of watery so water will get under the very edges and it will drive you up a wall trying to fix it.  It is best for the big flat middles. 

I spray paint my pieces so what i do is skip the pre stain.  tried primer but that screwed it up too. 

What I do is use flat white spray paint.  Works basically to lay down a flat base .  i sand it back and then I have a nice sealed surface to work with.