Ply: The Wood That Grows on You
Once seen as purely functional, this humble building material has experienced a resurgence thanks to its simplicity and uber-cool aesthetic
Plywood hasn’t always had the best of reputations. In the past, the engineered board was considered cheap and unattractive, and was mainly used for utilitarian purposes, for example, as hoarding on building sites and as a floor and roof substrate. But not any more.
These days, ply has stepped out from behind the scenes and is taking a starring role in interiors, with more and more designers and architects embracing the humble and hardy building material thanks to its warmth, texture, raw beauty and cool aesthetic. It’s also more affordable than solid timber, plus it’s environmentally friendly, which are two other reasons why people are jumping on the plywood bandwagon. Take a look at the head-turning ply projects below, and I promise you’ll warm up to this underrated wood too.
These days, ply has stepped out from behind the scenes and is taking a starring role in interiors, with more and more designers and architects embracing the humble and hardy building material thanks to its warmth, texture, raw beauty and cool aesthetic. It’s also more affordable than solid timber, plus it’s environmentally friendly, which are two other reasons why people are jumping on the plywood bandwagon. Take a look at the head-turning ply projects below, and I promise you’ll warm up to this underrated wood too.
HOW TO USE IT
On the walls
Take cues from this cool, creative space and make wall art using plywood panels as your canvas. Here, the colourful geometric patterns add visual punch and a playful vibe to the room, while the raw ply allows the bright colours to pop and adds an urban edge to the scheme.
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On the walls
Take cues from this cool, creative space and make wall art using plywood panels as your canvas. Here, the colourful geometric patterns add visual punch and a playful vibe to the room, while the raw ply allows the bright colours to pop and adds an urban edge to the scheme.
See more photos of this home
If you love the rawness and rugged good looks of ply, consider cladding all of your walls (and ceiling, if you dare) in the engineered wood. The result will be a home that’s cosy, inviting and exudes natural beauty, three qualities that this plywood-clad pavilion has in abundance.
Be sure to introduce generous helpings of colour, licks of black and white, and contrasting materials to add visual drama and ensure the woody scheme doesn’t look too overwhelming.
Internal walls in B-C plywood with a Wattyl Estapol water-based speed clear finish: Austral Plywoods
See more of this kids’ play pod
Be sure to introduce generous helpings of colour, licks of black and white, and contrasting materials to add visual drama and ensure the woody scheme doesn’t look too overwhelming.
Internal walls in B-C plywood with a Wattyl Estapol water-based speed clear finish: Austral Plywoods
See more of this kids’ play pod
Not a fan of vibrant colour? Pairing ply with high-contrast black and white will achieve a similar level of visual drama and intensity, but with a more sophisticated and luxurious look.
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See more of this home
If cladding your room in wall-to-wall ply requires too much commitment on your part, dip your toe in the trend by starting small with a plywood accent wall. Thanks to its unpredictable colour, pattern and texture, the surface will act as a patterned wallpaper of sorts, while infusing your scheme with warmth and an easy, breezy vibe.
For a twist on the previous look, line your accent wall with ply wainscoting instead, then paint the top half of the wall in a high-contrast colour. If your room is poky in size, paint your ceiling the same colour as the top of your accent wall, as this will create the illusion of height and make the area feel more spacious.
Nothing says beach shack like panels of plywood teamed with chalky whites, soothing blues, hardy plants and quirky coastal decor (think macramé plant hangers, shells and coral, and tie-dyed soft furnishings). Leave the ply unfinished to achieve a natural and relaxed seaside feel; just be sure to sand the material lightly before using it as a wall cladding or to fashion furniture, to ensure the surface is splinter free.
Get the Aussie beach house look
Get the Aussie beach house look
Another unique and unexpected way to work plywood into your interior is to line your walls or floor with panels of ply cut into tiles, as seen in this large, airy living room. Stick with simple rectangles and a linear layout, or take things to the next level by opting for snazzier geometric forms like triangles or honeycomb shapes. Or try laying basic rectangular tiles in a diagonal or herringbone pattern.
Feature wall in pickled maple plywood
Feature wall in pickled maple plywood
Meanwhile, in this Perth home, a plywood feature wall doubles as a giant adjustable pegboard. Genius!
See more photos of this home
See more photos of this home
On the walls outside
Plywood cladding will amp up the cool factor and character of any exterior facade or standalone structure, from poolside cabanas to garages such as the ones pictured here. To ensure the cladding can withstand the elements, choose a marine-grade plywood for the job. This type of ply is extremely durable, free of surface defects and resistant to humidity, which means it’s suitable for use in areas that are exposed to moisture.
Plywood cladding will amp up the cool factor and character of any exterior facade or standalone structure, from poolside cabanas to garages such as the ones pictured here. To ensure the cladding can withstand the elements, choose a marine-grade plywood for the job. This type of ply is extremely durable, free of surface defects and resistant to humidity, which means it’s suitable for use in areas that are exposed to moisture.
On the ceiling
Bathrooms can feel cold and clinical (or intimate and moody in the case of this dark, dramatic bath zone), but throw some ply into the mix and the space will take on a warm, inviting air that encourages rest and relaxation.
Another way to introduce this versatile material into your bathroom, aside from attaching it overhead if you’d rather keep it a bit more low key, is by way of a plywood vanity or built-in or floating shelving, which provide practical storage and a splash of personality. Alternatively, you could try a ply vanity top or wall cladding instead.
Why wood works brilliantly in the bathroom
Bathrooms can feel cold and clinical (or intimate and moody in the case of this dark, dramatic bath zone), but throw some ply into the mix and the space will take on a warm, inviting air that encourages rest and relaxation.
Another way to introduce this versatile material into your bathroom, aside from attaching it overhead if you’d rather keep it a bit more low key, is by way of a plywood vanity or built-in or floating shelving, which provide practical storage and a splash of personality. Alternatively, you could try a ply vanity top or wall cladding instead.
Why wood works brilliantly in the bathroom
On the stairs
The beauty of ply is that it’s lightweight yet strong, comes in large sheets, is easy to machine and highly resistant to splitting, warping, shrinking and swelling. This means it can be used for applications for which solid timber wouldn’t cut it, like in the case of this conversation-starting staircase.
Here, panels of plywood have been creatively machined to feature the names of each family member in Morse code. But even if you aren’t in the know about what the cut-out dots and dashes mean, the striking geometric motif still turns heads and adds plenty of drama to the space.
Stair panels in ApplePly
The beauty of ply is that it’s lightweight yet strong, comes in large sheets, is easy to machine and highly resistant to splitting, warping, shrinking and swelling. This means it can be used for applications for which solid timber wouldn’t cut it, like in the case of this conversation-starting staircase.
Here, panels of plywood have been creatively machined to feature the names of each family member in Morse code. But even if you aren’t in the know about what the cut-out dots and dashes mean, the striking geometric motif still turns heads and adds plenty of drama to the space.
Stair panels in ApplePly
In the kitchen
If you’re a fan of the unique grain pattern of ply but not its light, sandy tone, treat the wood with an adventurous coloured stain. A rich emerald green stain was a fitting choice for this eco-friendly abode. Notice how it enlivens the scheme, while allowing the natural grain and texture of the wood to shine through.
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If you’re a fan of the unique grain pattern of ply but not its light, sandy tone, treat the wood with an adventurous coloured stain. A rich emerald green stain was a fitting choice for this eco-friendly abode. Notice how it enlivens the scheme, while allowing the natural grain and texture of the wood to shine through.
See more photos of this home
This quirky and colourful Scandinavian-style kitchen is a lesson in just how well ply and punchy hues work together. Here, the simplicity of ply provides the perfect backdrop for the sun-kissed tangerine wall cupboards, ensuring the playful colour pops. Dollops of crisp white are used throughout to add another layer of interest and fresh, airy appeal to the space. If orange isn’t your flavour, lime, turquoise, cobalt or fuschia would work just as well.
Cabinetry in hoop pine plywood finish in a low-VOC, water based polish
See more of this kitchen
Cabinetry in hoop pine plywood finish in a low-VOC, water based polish
See more of this kitchen
Plywood and concrete form the perfect partnership in this cool industrial-style kitchen, with both materials bringing their own flavour of the utilitarian aesthetic to the table. While the concrete floor and benchtop infuse the cooking zone with an urban edge, the ply cabinetry and ceiling work double time to enhance the room’s raw, rustic appeal and provide warmth to stop the scheme from looking stark and lifeless.
Ceiling: hoop pine plywood with clear satin gloss seal; cabinets: B-faced hoop pine plywood; floor: polished concrete in ‘Atlantic Ocean’ with off-white base; benchtop: custom precast concrete on custom fabricated steel frame
More on industrial-style decorating
Ceiling: hoop pine plywood with clear satin gloss seal; cabinets: B-faced hoop pine plywood; floor: polished concrete in ‘Atlantic Ocean’ with off-white base; benchtop: custom precast concrete on custom fabricated steel frame
More on industrial-style decorating
Take cues from ply’s utilitarian roots and put it to work in your home. Here, these perforated plywood cupboard doors serve multiple purposes. While the circular cut-outs transform the otherwise plain panels into eye-catching decorative screens, they also act as finger-pull handles and heating vents that circulate warm air during winter, which comes courtesy of the radiators hidden within the cupboards.
And as with the Morse code-encrypted staircase panels above, the circular cut-outs in these doors aren’t arranged at random either, but form an encrypted message for future tenants. Can you work out the secret code?
See more photos of this home
And as with the Morse code-encrypted staircase panels above, the circular cut-outs in these doors aren’t arranged at random either, but form an encrypted message for future tenants. Can you work out the secret code?
See more photos of this home
In cabinetry
Not convinced plywood will suit the luxe, refined look of your interior? Think again. The key is to apply a glossy finish to the wood, rather than using it in its raw, unfinished state. Doing so will dull the edginess but not the splendour and natural beauty of the building material, and will give it a sophisticated sheen.
See more photos of this home
Not convinced plywood will suit the luxe, refined look of your interior? Think again. The key is to apply a glossy finish to the wood, rather than using it in its raw, unfinished state. Doing so will dull the edginess but not the splendour and natural beauty of the building material, and will give it a sophisticated sheen.
See more photos of this home
In furniture and fixtures
Husband-and-wife design team Charles and Ray Eames were clearly onto something when they began experimenting with plywood. Together, they looked into how to use the material to produce comfortable and perennially stylish furniture, and all with a modest price tag (at the time, anyway!) back in the 1940s.
Their plywood furniture, such as the duo’s iconic moulded plywood chair pictured here, has left a lasting impact on the design world and remains just as popular now as it was when they were first produced.
Eames moulded plywood lounge chair: Living Edge
Surprise Eames classics
Husband-and-wife design team Charles and Ray Eames were clearly onto something when they began experimenting with plywood. Together, they looked into how to use the material to produce comfortable and perennially stylish furniture, and all with a modest price tag (at the time, anyway!) back in the 1940s.
Their plywood furniture, such as the duo’s iconic moulded plywood chair pictured here, has left a lasting impact on the design world and remains just as popular now as it was when they were first produced.
Eames moulded plywood lounge chair: Living Edge
Surprise Eames classics
One way to try this growing trend without making major (and costly) cosmetic changes to your interior is to switch out your pendant lights with ones made from ply. Many plywood pendants – like this chic, futuristic fixture – are crafted using thin sheets of bendy ply, which accounts for their striking sculptural forms.
They not only provide gentle illumination but also act as an attention-grabbing design feature, which then throws mesmerising shadows around the place.
They not only provide gentle illumination but also act as an attention-grabbing design feature, which then throws mesmerising shadows around the place.
Chances are you’ve seen this beauty hanging around the Houzz project gallery. Designed by David Trubridge, the popular pendant has become a modern classic and suits many design styles, from beachy to Scandinavian and contemporary.
Coral pendant by David Trubridge in ‘Natural‘: Designerlights
TELL US
How have you used plywood in your home? Tell us in the Comments.
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Coral pendant by David Trubridge in ‘Natural‘: Designerlights
TELL US
How have you used plywood in your home? Tell us in the Comments.
MORE
10 Stylish Uses for Plywood From Floors to Furniture
16 Timber Kitchens to Inspire You
You Know You Love Scandi Style When…
Plywood is manufactured by gluing thin layers or ‘plies’ of wood veneer together in alternating directions, creating a strong, stable board that’s less susceptible to shrinkage, expansion and warping than solid timber.
The versatile building material is available in different varieties to suit an array of interior and exterior applications. This ranges from hardy and humidity-resistant marine plywood for use outdoors and in wet zones, to rugged hardwood boards – a popular choice for furniture construction and joinery. It also includes softwood sheets, which are a cinch to cut and drill, making it a go-to material for for DIYers.
Plywood comes in different thicknesses and can be ordered with face veneers made from different hardwoods (like birch, mahogany, oak and bamboo) that offer the appearance of solid timber, but with the practical benefits and affordable price tag of ply. Below you’ll find some examples of how to make it work in your home.