This post is part of Plyco’s Guide to Laser Plywood
The first step on your Plywood journey is to identify what variety of Laser Plywood you want to use. However, the tough decisions don’t stop there. You then need to decide the size and thickness required for the project you’re dreaming up. This is arguably even more important, as it really doesn’t matter what your Laserply looks like if the sheet doesn’t match your specifications. We have twelve different options in our Laser Plywood range, and having such a comprehensive range is what makes Plyco the number one Laser Plywood supplier in Australia, but we do also realise this can be a little overwhelming to navigate. To help with this we’ve put together a handy guide so you can easily identify the right size Laser Plywood sheets for you.
At Plyco, our Laser Grade Plywood comes in one uniform size. Each species of Laserply comes in a 1200x600mm sheet size, so you won’t have to spend too much time trying to figure out what the perfect size is for you. Why do we offer this singular size? Well, our experts have put in countless hours of research and have found that this is the optimal size for laser cutting. We’ve taken many factors into account, like the ease of use with a laser cutter, being easy to transport, and the amount of Laserply the average customer requires per project. All of these factors have been weighed up, plus many more, and we arrived at 1200x600mm sheets as the sweet spot.
Plyco's Hoop Pine Laser Plywood
Plyco stocks 12 different varieties of Laser Plywood, and five of those are entirely Australian-grown and made! With a handful of different options to choose from this obviously brings with it a number of different thicknesses for you to choose from. Our Eucalypt Laserply is unique, in that it comes in 1.25mm and 2.5 mm thicknesses, something that none of our other Australian species offers. Queensland Walnut Laserply, Jarrah Laserply, and Tasmanian Golden Sassafrass Laserply are quite similar as they all have the option of 1.8mm or 3mm thick sheets. Finally, we have our Hoop Pine Laser Plywood, which has the most options of any product in our Laserply range. Here you’ll find boards of 1.8mm, 3mm, 6mm, and 12mm available for your selection. Queensland Walnut, Jarrah, and Tasmanian Golden Sassafras Laserply are the newest additions to our range, and each of these products come in 1.8mm, or 3mm thickness. If you’re looking for a thick sheet to cut and use in your project, Hoop Pine is your best bet if you’re looking to use an all Australian product.
A clock made out of Hoop Pine Laser Plywood by Lambert and Willis
Much like our Australian range, we also have quite a comprehensive range of European species in our Laserply lineup. While there aren’t as many different varieties (we have three European species) there’s even more to choose from when it comes to thicknesses. Our Birch Laserply comes in the least variety, with 3mm and 6mm boards available. European Beech Laserply and Poplar Laserply come in three thicknesses but are both very different. Beech can be purchased in 1.25mm, 1.8mm, or 2.5mm sheets, while Poplar comes in 3mm, 6mm, and 12mm. Much like Hoop Pine, Poplar is one of the top options if you’re looking for a thicker sheet to cut.
Finally, we have our Laser Plywood options that aren’t bound to Australia or Europe. In this “outsiders” category we have Fijian Cedar Laserply, Radiata Pine Laserply, and the two different styles of Bamboo Laserply. Radiata Pine comes purely in 3mm sheets, while Fijian Cedar is available at 2.5mm and 3mm. As we mentioned, Bamboo Laserply comes in two different varieties, Natural and Carbonised. Both of these are available in 1.5mm and 2.5mm, however, our Bamboo Natural Laserply also has a slimmer 1mm sheet for purchase.
A book made out of Bamboo Laser Plywood by Studio Bianco
One important thing to always keep in mind when deciding on your thicknesses is that you may have to adjust a setting or two to make sure it cuts just as cleanly as you’re used to. There’s a considerable size difference between a 1mm sheet of Bamboo and a 12mm sheet of Hoop Pine, so make sure all your settings are correct before you get to crafting!
Now that all of the numbers have been laid out in front of you we hope that the task of picking the correct Laser plywood size and thickness has been even just a tiny bit easier. If you know exactly what you’re after now, head over to our online store where you can buy Plywood from the comfort of your home and have it shipped all over Australia. If you need a little more information, our blog posts on the Different Types of Laser Plywood, and the Top Properties of Laser Plywood are sure to help you.