Sheesham Wood vs Plywood – What’s the difference?

Sheesham wood is a form of wood derived from the North Indian Rosewood tree and is extensively used to make exquisite furniture in the Indian Subcontinent. Plywood, on the other hand, is a machine-manufactured material and is basically layers of thin slabs of wood veneers that are compressed and glued into a sheet of wood.

Both Sheesham wood and Plywood are used for construction. However, due to their difference in properties, each type of wood has a unique purpose. These differences ought to be analyzed to effectively select the right kind of wood for the given construction. So, let us discuss the differences between Sheesham wood and Plywood.

Sheesham Wood vs Plywood – Difference

Sheesham Wood

Sheesham wood is a coarse-grained hardwood whose color ranges from golden brown to chestnut and is streaked in darker hues which ensures a rich appearance. Due to its coarse-graining, each piece of Sheesham furniture has its own unique finish.

Sheesham is widely known for its strength and durability. Thus, products made from Sheesham tend to last much longer than plywood.

Sheesham is a very sturdy wood which neither splits nor warps. Thus, it is the ideal wood for carving. However, due to its hardness, it is not very easily workable. Further, Sheesham wood offers great resistance to termites and decay due to its moisture resistance.

Sheesham tree is a fast-growing tree that is abundantly available in the sub-Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, thus making Sheesham wood an affordable choice of extremely durable wood. Sheesham wood is widely used in order to make furniture with elegant carvings such as tables, closets, and cabinets.

Plywood

Unlike Sheesham, which is sourced naturally, plywood is made artificially. Plywood is a light, versatile wood which has gained increasing prominence in recent times. Plywood is essentially simple boards of compressed wood veneers, which means it has no extraordinary texture as such.

Even though plywood has no special appearance of their own, they are still very essential and effective because they tend to be very versatile. They can be easily customized to the specific needs of the customer and constructed and decorated accordingly. This makes plywood highly sought after.

Due to the design of plywood, it provides excellent stability as well as strength. Plywood is also more durable than natural wood, and the usage of wood veneers effectively reduces wastage of wood.

Plywood is also extremely light but also rather durable. Thus, it can easily be transportable.

Further, since plywood is artificially manufactured, it is very widely available. This makes plywood a very affordable option. Due to this, plywood has essentially replaced other forms of wood as the ideal wood which is essentially used for construction. Plywood is also extensively used in interior designing as well as daily use furniture.

Final Words

We can see that both Sheesham wood and plywood have a unique set of qualities. They are generally known for their affordability, strength, and durability. The given qualities should be kept in mind while choosing the right kind of wood for your furniture.

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