Canadian & American Plywood Grades

Canadian Plywood Grades

Good Two Sides - Fully sanded on both sides, may contain neat wood patches and inlays and synthetic filler is allowed.

B/BB - Is the same as above but is used for describing poplar as opposed to fir. B is a grade of veneer that applies to Fir & Poplar.

Good One Side - Fully sanded face allowing neat wood patches and inlays, back is sanded and has open knots. Synthetic filler is allowed.

B/C - Same as above when describing poplar.

Industrial One or Two Sides - Basically the same as one or two sides but allows more patches per face and allows for the grain of the wood to
be a bit more feathery or raised.

Factory - A fall down from good one side, face is still fully sanded but allows for a defect on the exterior of the panel, such as a sand through or piece of
veneer missing, but must be able to make a a 4’ x 7’ or 3’ x 8’ panel with no defects.

Sanded D - Can be anything less than that allowed for a factory panel. Is lowest grade of sanded plywood. Does not include delamination.
Grading will vary from mill to mill. Delamination is allowed as a part of a visible defect.

Select Sheathing - Fully sanded or skip sanded face with small tight knots and allows for larger and open knots on back. May not be sanded.

D Grade - All fall down from above, including some face or back veneer missing or loose.

Cull - Allows for any possible imperfection - delamination, off square or mis-sized.

American Plywood Grades

ACX Superply - Patch free, hardwood face veneer, very tight grain, buff sanded very smooth. Excellent for paint.

AC Premium - Up to 10 repairs per panel, wood and synthetic, no knots.

ACX - Up to 18 repairs per panel, some pin knots, very slight.

BC Premium - Unlimited repairs, no knots, some minor repaired splits.

BCX - Unlimited repairs, tight knots up to 1” across grain, some minor veneer splits allowed.

C Veneers - Open knots up to 1!, tight knots up to 1-1/2”, unlimited repairs, discolorations, sanding defects, limited splits.
This is a veneer grade and does not describe a sheet of plywood. This grade of veneer is not always a sanded item.

Off Grades - Sanded Shop (Factory) - Fall down from A & B sanded products, 80% usable panel. Up to 20% allowed for delams, edge and corner damage,
sanding defects. Varies from mill to mill. The actual grade does not require any % as usable.

PTS (Plug and touch sanded) - Fall down from APA rated underlay products. 80% usable panel, same as above. Could have core voids not allowed in
on grade underlay panels. PTS is a manufacturing process that could be performed on any sheet of plywood.

CD Shop - Fall down from C face veneers, otherwise same as Sanded Shop above. CD shop is not normally sanded.

Blows - Delaminated veneers, could be pocket delams, edge delams or whole veneer section delams.