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A brief guide to making plywood Once out of the

24th May 2007, Page 55
24th May 2007
Page 55
Page 55, 24th May 2007 — A brief guide to making plywood Once out of the
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forest, logs are usually transported by road to the plywood mills. If necessary, they are kept afloat in one of Finland's many lakes to prevent excessive drying out. Savonlinna, a municipality of 28,000 inhabitants where liPM's main mill is located, has more coastline than Spain.

When required, logs are conveyed to the start of the production line, where they are cut to length and mounted on a lathe, automatically centred and then rounded off. Waste material is converted into energy to run the mill, with enough left over to heat much of Savonlinna town. The logs then meet a set of sharp knives which slice the them into 1.4mm sheets. After any defects, such as knotholes, are identified and patched, the sheets are laid in alternate layers at right angles to each other with glue between each sheet. They are then stacked in giant presses, squeezed together and cooked until the glue is cured. This gives the basic plywood sheet.

The various qualities are created by the choice of timber, spruce for the cheaper construction material and birch for higher-quality automotive and architectural grades. For automotive use, most products are coated with what is initially little more than a thin chemically treated paper. After the appropriate heat, pressure and pattern are applied, the result is the familiar WISA flooring that is capable of lasting a decade or more of everyday mistreatment.

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