How to bend plywood at home: step by step instructions

Each master should know how to bend the plywood if he is to produce a skin of curvilinear structures and decor elements with its help. It is required to study the basic rules, so that the material does not break during bending. The main difficulties lie in the wood structure and individual features of the slab.

More about the material

Before bending the plywood with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with such products in more detail. The product is a wood plate obtained by gluing together fragments of prepared veneer. To improve the strength properties, the fibers are positioned so that they are perpendicular to each other.

As for the number of layers, it can vary. Most often, the sheets consist of an odd number of veneers. It is easier to work with thin slabs, but their scope is limited to decorative functions. For the device of arches or the formation of volumetric constructions of round type in any case, thick sheets will be required, which is rather difficult to bend.

The process of maceration of elements

Masters who are thinking about how to bend plywood at home without too much difficulty, you can offer this option. It involves holding sheets over a tank of boiling water or placing them directly in a liquid medium. Soaking time will depend on the type of product, as well as its thickness.

The method of keeping plates in water is more accessible and safe, so it is proposed to consider it in detail. However, high-quality plywood must be used for the work. Bad sheets can quickly exfoliate. Before starting the soaking, it is desirable to lower a small piece of material into a container of water. If nothing has happened to him, you can immerse the whole fragments.

Step-by-step actions will look like this:

1. Procurement of the necessary sizes is placed in water for a certain time. Understand that the product is ready for further transformation is possible by conducting regular monitoring. The plate will become pliable.
2. Soaking is suspended when the desired flexibility is achieved. The sheet itself moves to a convenient place to work.
3. The workpiece is bent and fixed with screws in a certain position until it dries completely.

In domestic conditions, it is recommended to combine humidification with steaming. With this option, only the outer layer is impregnated with water. The steam treats the bend point. Twist the sheets best along the wood fibers, then you will achieve maximum effect.

Implementation of frequent incisions in bending

If the question is how to bend a thick plywood, then the effective way is to create multiple pits in the right place. A cutter is required to create the cuts. With its help special strips are made in a certain section of the wood plate.

Do not make deep incisions during work. They should reach a maximum of half the thickness of the sheet. The veneer layer located on the opposite side is not to be damaged. Modern boats are often made of plates rounded by such technology.

So, how to bend the plywood, making it zapily, following the steps:

1. Formed frequent cuts in a certain place.
2. The workpiece is given the desired shape by fixing it in the required position.
3. With the use of the composition of PVA or epoxy resin glued veneer.
4. After about 24 hours, fasteners are removed.

Cutting is best placed on the inside. When gluing veneers on top of them, voids are formed. When careless operation of the manufactured construction, gaps may appear.

The technique of gluing thin sheets

Before bending a sheet of plywood of great thickness, one should consider the option of using several slabs. You can glue together a number of fragments, as bending them individually is much easier. However, when using a poor-quality adhesive, problems can arise with product stratification already at the initial stage of operation.

First, the entire sheets are cut to obtain blanks of suitable dimensions. All fragments are bent manually and are fixed to each other by epoxy glue. Clamps are used to avoid deformation changes.

The final part is wiped off from the dried glue. From its surface, possible defects are removed. At the last stage, grinding is carried out.

Some nuances

The above information makes it clear how to bend the plywood in different ways. For the best result, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with some of the subtleties:

• When soaking it is allowed to bend plates only in a state of elevated temperature, otherwise cracks may appear;
• Elements that will be given a curved shape should be stored in rooms with a stable level of humidity;
• With the high cost of purchased material, you can use the services of specialized companies.

Before you bend the plywood 10 mm or more, you need to determine the method used. The variant should be selected depending on the angle of the fracture. As for products of smaller thickness, they are bent only by the method of soaking with water or steam.

Timing table for moistening

To determine the number of minutes required to soak the material at a temperature regime of 95 degrees along the fibers, you can use the data presented.

Advantages of using bent plywood

The above methods make it possible to give the wood plates a smoothness of form. Arches, furniture and other decor elements in this case are aesthetically attractive and mechanically resistant. Curvilinear surfaces enable:

• Make the number of angles minimal, so that the risk of injury is significantly reduced;
• Give the interior sophistication, because the eyes are more interesting is the smooth transitions;
• Reduce the number of fasteners.

Plywood sheets are indeed a great material for finishing and furniture production. The possibility of creating bends opens interesting opportunities in the design field. With the use of bent shapes, stylish products and designs are obtained.

On the choice of method

Knowing how to bend the plywood in three main ways, each master must decide on one of them. Each of the options is not universal, it is relevant in any given situation.

Even the maceration process is not suitable for all cases. With its help, you can not make too strong bends, besides it takes a lot of time, especially if the thickness of the material is high enough.

The method of creating notches for leaf compliance is not universal. For thin plywood, it does not fit. Typically, the bend is made if the thickness of the plate is at least 2 cm. As for the gluing technology, it can be considered more universal from all the listed. However, it does not make sense to apply it to thin sheets. It is easier to bend them immediately by soaking.

Final part

Some companies are engaged in the manufacture of products directly to the customer's drawings, so if you want, you can contact them to avoid unnecessary problems. They produce glued plywood of high quality with different bending radii.