Finishing baltic birch ply

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

What's the recommended way to finish baltic birch plywood? I'm trying to get a stained, darker look for it...is it as easy as staining it with some Minwax (although the edges would seem to be a problem, all the stained plywood pieces I've seen have moulding for the edges, something that doesn't work as well on speaker cabs) or is there another technique for getting a furniture-like finish to it?

I'd post this to a cabinetry/woodshop forum, but I don't know of any...maybe rec.woodworking.

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[maylar 10+ year member]

If it's cabinet grade stuff there should be no voids in the plys, so edges are a ~bit~ cleaner than with S2S interior grade ply. But they're still fugly.

I always finish plywood edges with thin strips of solid wood. You can usually get Birch shelving that's a pretty close grain match to the plywood. If you're clever and have lots of patience you may be able to rip the veneer face off strips of scrap and use those. Woodworking suppliers also sell 3/4" wide rolls of "edge banding" veneer with iron-on adhesive already on it. Here's one source:

http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=934-995

Or you can mitre the corners at 45* and avoid edges altogether.

Birch finishes well with Minwax stains and Urethane. Sand 220 grit and go for it.

edit: Good woodworking forum: http://www.woodnet.net/forums/

 

[amedeuce 10+ year member]

I'd post this to a cabinetry/woodshop forum, but I don't know of any...maybe rec.woodworking.

http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?Cat=

 

[amedeuce 10+ year member]

If it's cabinet grade stuff there should be no voids in the plys, so edges are a ~bit~ cleaner than with S2S interior grade ply. But they're still fugly.
I always finish plywood edges with thin strips of solid wood. You can usually get Birch shelving that's a pretty close grain match to the plywood. If you're clever and have lots of patience you may be able to rip the veneer face off strips of scrap and use those. Woodworking suppliers also sell 3/4" wide rolls of "edge banding" veneer with iron-on adhesive already on it. Here's one source:

http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=934-995

Or you can mitre the corners at 45* and avoid edges altogether.

Birch finishes well with Minwax stains and Urethane. Sand 220 grit and go for it.

edit: Good woodworking forum: http://www.woodnet.net/forums/

Didnt see that you had posted the links, Sorry.

 

[Beat_Dominator 5,000+ posts]

Just stain that biotch! I would recommend numerous light coats so that you will get exactly the color that you want.

 

[Dozerboy 10+ year member]

What about having dovetail joints? There hard to make, but considering you strength in your box you can beat a dovetail and IMO they look good.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Dovetails would kick serious ***, but for the box design I was thinking of, it would be very difficult to implement.

I've been kicking that idea around in my head for a while...eventually I'll get teh ballz to do it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif