# Ply



## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

I got some 18mm Exterior ply from a mate that works on sites as a chippy.
He assured me it came straight from the pack and into his van but has been outside on a building site covered with a tarp for a week.

I put it in my snake room until I have time to build myself some new viv's with it and when I went upstairs to my room I nearly choked.

It was like trying to breath toxic smoke and I actually checked all my snakes before I realised what it was as I thought something had burned.
He reckons its just where its drying out from being outside and the treatment to make it exterior is drying out in the warm room.

I have taken it out of the room and opened the windows to get rid of the smell but left it indoors to see if it does dry out (its not wet to the touch but I get where he's coming from).
Is it ok to use to build vivs with if the smell does go or should I get shot and buy some different stuff?

MDF is no good, its for Bloods and an MDF viv wouldn't last 2 minutes even with all the coating and sealing in the world.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

if it's that bad it's probably not worth risking just in case. I'd go for normal ply, it's about £28 for an 8x4 from B&Q and should be reet when it's sealed.


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

Meko said:


> if it's that bad it's probably not worth risking just in case. I'd go for normal ply, it's about £28 for an 8x4 from B&Q and should be reet when it's sealed.


yeah I was gunnna get it from B&Q anyway but when he turned up with 2 sheets for nothing I thought it a right result


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

you could always use it to build the viv and leave it running with heat and humidity... If it starts to smell, throw it away and build another the same size to use the glass


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

I have a fortnight off work at the end of the month and was going to be building them then so if it still smells by then I wont be using it.


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## Kamuro (Feb 9, 2012)

Im an assistant manager mark for a timber merchant & over the 7yrs I've been climbing the corporate ladder, I've never heard of that

I have unloaded tuns of lorry's & left stuff in the rain (by mistake, due to being busy) and then thought "oh god! its outside" & never smelt a thing once bought in, also what with the english weather our lorry's do get caught out in the rain enroute to a delivery & I've never had a complaint of that sort of thing.. days/weeks or months later.

I would guess its a low quality ply or if its even an exterior grade (not saying ur pal is lying but i just never heard of it) the only real way to tell is if it has a "WBP" or "EN636" stamp?, if so then it is an exterior ply but this only means it has water resistant capabilities (not water resistant)

Just out of interest when u look at the edge does it have what we call "voids" in it?...(eg can u see little bits missing hear & there along the edge, e.g not one continous smooth edge)? If so its probably a good quality shuttering ply which is not external...you would want a WPB/EN636 ply sealed with a PVA glue

I think you would be better with a "new" sheet from a local merchant or B&Q

Sorry to rabbit on....just trying to help


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## johnsy (May 7, 2012)

aint all exterior man made boards treated with chemicals to make em water boil proof,
surly a sheet of mfc is your best option,


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

It doesn't have any voids in the edges or any stamps/labels or markings on it that I can see.
It is a nice reddish colour though:2thumb:


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## Kamuro (Feb 9, 2012)

markhill said:


> It doesn't have any voids in the edges or any stamps/labels or markings on it that I can see.
> It is a nice reddish colour though:2thumb:


To be fair to ur pal an exterior hardwood ply, does generally have a redish tint, if not it more of an sandy colour, but still sounds odd to me

The only other thing that comes to my mind is if it did get very wet & was never sealed with a PVA, As I said above an exterior ply is not waterproof & still needs sealing..are the laminates separating?


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## johnsy (May 7, 2012)

why would you seal an exterior grade grade ply with a water soluble glue?

that colour you on about is the mixture of chmicals it has been pressure treated with to make it exterior grade its not called water boil proof for no reason, if using for soffits or facia's you would normally coat it with an exterior type paint/creasote to prolong its life 

it sounds like nasty stuff and i personnaly would use it ,ithink i got a 12'x10' sheet of mfc and edging tape for about £50(wal








nut)


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## bigal1982 (Nov 24, 2011)

B&q rob you blind on plywood. Your best off gettin it from a proper timber yard. It'll be almost half the price.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

Water and Boil Proof (WBP) refers to the adhesive used to make the ply, not to any chemical treatment of the wood itself.

It sounds to me like this ply is shuttering ply as already mentioned, it's typically made using softwood species (Pines) and can have a very strong resinous smell when it's fresh off the pallet. Because of the species used to make it I would not consider using it to make a reptile viv.


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## markhill (Sep 22, 2006)

Kamuro said:


> To be fair to ur pal an exterior hardwood ply, does generally have a redish tint, if not it more of an sandy colour, but still sounds odd to me
> 
> The only other thing that comes to my mind is if it did get very wet & was never sealed with a PVA, As I said above an exterior ply is not waterproof & still needs sealing..are the laminates separating?


Not seperating.
I've had it in the bathroom all night leaning agaisnt the wall and the bathroom this morning didn't smell like my snake room did yesterday.

I have the wood and a load of screws in the shed so I might just make a viv and stick some heating in and run it empty for a while to see what happens.

Is Travis Perkins or Jewsons cheaper than B&Q for ply?
Its £28 a sheet at B&Q and theres a TP and Jewsons 10 minutes from my house and I dont have a car to get to B&Q


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## johnsy (May 7, 2012)

Graham said:


> Water and Boil Proof (WBP) refers to the adhesive used to make the ply, not to any chemical treatment of the wood itself.
> 
> It sounds to me like this ply is shuttering ply as already mentioned, it's typically made using softwood species (Pines) and can have a very strong resinous smell when it's fresh off the pallet. Because of the species used to make it I would not consider using it to make a reptile viv.


i beg to differ, 

Each sheet of* exterior plywood* is made using plies or sheets from different trees. The trees that usually lend their wood are the Australian Eucalyptus, Birch, Yellow Pine etc. These sheets of wood are then glued together using a water resistant chemical and pressed together. This lends the *exterior* *plywood* durability, strength, resistance to water, sustainability, toughness 
After treating the ply using chemicals, it is coated with another chemical to protect it from decaying on the outside. This makes the *exterior plywood* resistant to moisture from all angles.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

That may be true, but there are many varying qualities of exterior ply, and the one thing they (should) all have in common is the WBP test which tests for delamination. 

You can get some really cheap and nasty exterior ply, especially some of the Far Eastern products where the quality of the timber itself can be pretty awful, but if it passes the delamination test then it can be sold as exterior grade despite any other deficiencies it may have.


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## Wrighty572 (May 14, 2012)

Im not too sure on the price but if you use this locator Jewson Builders Merchant - Building Materials and Supplies you can give them a call and find out. The Trade Cash Card may be worth looking into as well.


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## Wrighty572 (May 14, 2012)

Im not too sure on the price but if you use this locator Jewson Builders Merchant - Building Materials and Supplies you can give them a call and find out. The Trade Cash Card may be worth looking into as well.


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