Every craftsman should know how to bend plywood if he has to make sheathing of curved structures and decor elements with it. It is required to learn the basic rules so that the material does not break when bent. The main difficulties lie in the wood structure and the individual characteristics of the plate.
More about the material
Before bending plywood with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with such products in more detail. The product is a wood board obtained by gluing 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 may vary. Most often sheets consist of an odd number of layers of veneer. It is easiest to work with thin plates, but their scope is limited to decorative functions. For the device of arches or the formation of three-dimensional structures of a rounded type, in any case, thick sheets will be required, which are quite problematic to bend.
The process of soaking the elements
For craftsmen who are thinking about how to bend plywood at home without unnecessary difficulties, you can offer this option. It involves keeping the sheets above a tank of boiling water or placing them directly into 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, when carrying out work, high-quality plywood should be used. Bad sheets can delaminate quickly. Before starting soaking, it is advisable to lower a small piece of material into a container of water. If nothing happened to him, then you can dip whole fragments.
Step by step actions will look like this:
- The workpiece of the required size is placed in water for a certain time. It is possible to understand that the product is ready for further transformations by conducting regular inspections. The slab will become pliable.
- Soaking stops when desired flexibility is reached. The sheet itself is moved to a convenient place to work.
- The workpiece is bent and fixed with screws in a certain position until completely dry.
In domestic conditions, it is recommended to combine humidification with steaming. With this option, only the outer layer is impregnated with water. The ferry is processing the place of the bend. It is best to bend the sheets along the wood fibers, then it will be possible to achieve maximumeffect.
Making frequent cuts on the bend
If the question is how to bend thick plywood, then creating numerous notches in the right place is an effective way. To create cuts, you need a cutter. With its help, special stripes are made in a certain area of the wood board.
During the work it is impossible to make deep cuts. They should reach a maximum of half the thickness of the sheet. The veneer layer located on the opposite side must not be damaged. Modern boats are often made from slabs rounded using this technology.
So, how to bend plywood by making gashes in it, step by step:
- Frequent cuts are formed in a certain place.
- The workpiece is given the desired shape by fixing in the required position.
- A dense veneer is glued using PVA or epoxy.
- The fasteners are removed after about 24 hours.
Gashes are best placed on the inside. When gluing veneers on top of them, voids are formed. In case of careless operation of the manufactured structure, gaps may appear.
Technique for gluing thin sheets
Before bending thick plywood, consider using multiple boards. You can glue together a number of fragments, since it is much easier to bend them separately. However, when using low-quality glue, there may be problems with delamination of the product already at the initial stage.operation.
First, whole sheets are cut to obtain blanks of suitable sizes. All fragments are bent by hand and fixed to each other with epoxy glue. Clamps are required to avoid deformation changes.
The final part is rubbed off the dried glue. Possible defects are removed from its surface. At the last stage, grinding is carried out.
Some nuances
The above information makes it clear how to bend plywood in different ways. To achieve the best result, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with some of the subtleties:
- when soaking, it is allowed to bend the plates only in a state of elevated temperature, otherwise cracks may appear;
- elements that will be curved should be stored in rooms with a stable level of humidity;
- with the high cost of the purchased material, you can use the services of specialized companies.
Before you bend plywood 10 mm or more, you need to decide on the method used. The option must be selected depending on the angle of the break. As for thinner products, they are only warped by soaking with water or steam.
Humidification time calculation table
You can use the data provided to determine the number of minutes required to soak the material at a temperature of 95 degrees along the fibers.
| Number of layers | Thickness in mm | Time, min. |
| Three | 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 40 | |
| 3 | 90 | |
| 4 | 180 | |
| Five | 1 | 60 |
| 2 | 120 | |
| 3 | 180 | |
| 4 | 240 |
Benefits of Curved Plywood
The above methods make it possible to give wood-based panels a smooth shape. Arches, furniture and other decorative elements in this case are aesthetically attractive and mechanically resistant. Curved surfaces enable:
- keep the number of corners to a minimum, greatly reducing the risk of injury;
- give the interior sophistication, because the eyes are more interested in smooth transitions;
- reduce the number of fasteners.
Plywood sheets are indeed an excellent material for finishing work and furniture production. The ability to create curves opens up interesting design possibilities. Curved shapes create stylish products and designs.
About the choice of method
Knowing how to bend plywood with three basicways, each master must decide on one of them. Each of the options is not universal, it is relevant in a given situation.
Even the soaking process is not suitable for all occasions. It cannot be used to make too strong bends, and besides, it takes a lot of time, especially if the thickness of the material is high enough.
It is not a universal method for creating notches for sheet compliance. Not suitable for thin plywood. Usually, a 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 of all those listed. However, it does not make sense to use it for thin sheets. It is easier to bend them immediately by soaking.
Final part
Some companies manufacture products directly from customer drawings, so if you wish, you can contact them to avoid unnecessary problems. They produce high quality plywood with various bend radii.
