How to bend plywood. Steaming and soaking

To bend plywood, two conditions must be met: moisture and heat. There is also a dry way to change its shape. You can work with material of any thickness, but the thicker it is, the more time it takes to achieve the result. Bent plywood used in construction to construct arches, spiral staircases etc.

What kind of plywood can be bent?

Thin layers of wood are glued together, positioned in different directions. As a result, the fibers of one layer have a direction of 45º, 60º, 90º with respect to the fibers of adjacent layers. This method of making plywood increases its bending resistance, so it is easier to bend material with a small number of layers. In production it is bent using special equipment, clamping in the matrices. It is pre-treated with steam and thereby acquires sufficient elasticity.

During renovation or private construction, a bent plywood structure may be needed. Then you have to make do with improvised means. But even in this case, the work can be done efficiently if you follow the technology.

Methods for heating plywood

Heating can be done in the following ways:

ferry,
V hot water.

Without heating, the work can be done using epoxy glue.

Hot water should be poured into a bathtub or other suitable container big size. The workpiece is immersed in it for about half an hour, as a result the layers of wood are steamed. IN living conditions steam is created using a boiling kettle. Some experienced craftsmen heat up the plywood using an iron. The steam supply must be constant, otherwise the wood will cool quickly.

Securing the workpiece

Moistened plywood easily changes shape, but if the bend angle is large, the work is done in stages. The wood is bent to a small angle, dried, then the steps are repeated as many times as possible until the required shape is achieved. If the bend angle is small, you can do it in one go. The next step is to secure the plywood, which can be done in 2 ways:

the load is installed at the bend, the ends are tied with a rope and supports are installed under them;
Fastening to the template is done using tape or rope.

In the second case, any curved structure made of rigid material can act as a template. The most commonly used is fiberboard. To make an arch, steamed wood can be secured in the opening using self-tapping screws. Some nuances of steaming wood should be taken into account: in very hot water it can delaminate, so it is important not to overexpose it.

A thin layer can steam in 5 minutes. You can use another option: iron the workpiece moistened with water with a hot iron. After this, immediately give the required shape, repeat wetting and heating with an iron.

Watch a video about bending using a ready-made template at the end of the article.

A metal template made of durable steel is also used to secure the plywood, but it bends along with it. This technique is preferable for large parts with complex configurations. The steel strip is tied to the plywood until it is moistened, then its shape is changed. The steel template is untied only after the wood has completely dried. If a weight is used to secure the plywood, it is important that its width is equal to the width of the workpiece. If it is smaller, only that part of the wood that is equal to the width of the load will bend. Changing the shape of plywood can be done independently when its thickness is up to 20 mm. It should be taken into account that different types of wood have different abilities to bend and unbend. Compression can be performed by 30%, stretching by 2%. Good results

show walnut, beech, ash. Maple, oak, and larch are difficult to change shape.

How to bend large sheets? It is not always possible to treat a very large sheet with steam. In this case, so-called cuts are made. They are strips that are shaped like a cone. Used manual milling machine

. The cuts must be made to the opposite layer, it is important not to catch it, otherwise the material will split. For wood 4 mm thick, the cutting depth is 2 mm.

The steeper the bend radius, the greater the number of cuts. The plywood should then be clamped onto the template, and a thin layer of veneer glued to the outside of it. The glue used is epoxy or PVA. Drying time: approximately 1 day. Thus, the workpiece is hollow at the bend, but can withstand heavy loads.

The usefulness of a material can be determined based on three basic components:
Minimum installation costs, while taking into account the maximum covered area;
Multifunctionality of the material. This also includes the possibility of full use of products, provided that they are given a non-standard, for example, bent shape.

Plywood meets all these parameters. In addition to its main purpose, lining horizontal surfaces, it can perfectly bend and be used in the construction of so-called “blown” or curved forms. But this instruction will tell you how to do it.

Each layer has its own approach

In fact, of course, the solution to the question of how to bend plywood is not calculated with precision down to the layer, but there is still a certain amount of truth in the title of the chapter. Let us explain: there are a number of difficulties when bending plywood, which are associated specifically with the structure of the material, as well as with the technological features of the bending process.

Namely:

The thinner the plywood, the easier it is to work with. However, for the sake of objectivity, we must also take into account the fact that to construct, for example, arches, the plywood must be at least 10 mm thick, that is, you already need to bend a fairly serious puff paste (see also article);
Initially, the veneer layers are located at different angles to each other precisely in order to increase the material’s resistance to bending;
In workshops and special workshops, bending and the required curvature are achieved quite simply: the part is practically saturated with steam and then comes under the influence of a kind of vice, which bends it to the required radius of curvature.

Interesting to know! At home, you can also steam impregnate a small piece of plywood. For these purposes, you can use boiling water that turns into steam in a saucepan or kettle. Some craftsmen solve the problem of how to bend plywood using irons with a steam mode.

All this is real, but there are two points that need to be taken into account:

First, wood cools very quickly, this equally applies to plywood;
Secondly, it is very difficult to achieve uniform heating of the entire part, so this type suitable for small pieces with curves, most likely for the production of curved surfaces of furniture or other small products.

How to bend

So, how to bend plywood without unnecessary hassle?

There are two main technologies:

Ferry, (which has already been described);
In the bathroom with hot water.

The second technology is much simpler; it allows you to calmly place the required fragment in a bathtub or other sufficiently large container and leave it in hot water for half an hour. The effect will be guaranteed, since the wood veneer softens under the influence of water and temperature, and the plywood part acquires the necessary elasticity.

Advice! Plywood, there is plywood, there is a very high probability of delamination of the material during prolonged contact with hot water. IN in this case We invite you to become an experimenter for a while.

Take a strip of plywood of the required thickness and soak it in the bathtub. Check the condition of the fragment every 5 minutes for bending; if after a certain time (within half an hour) the fragment bends normally, then this time is enough to soak the entire working fragment.

The softened part can be installed in a stationary place, attached with self-tapping screws and left until completely dry, this is if you are making a false column, simple arch or another part that does not require additional complex structural inserts.

A few words about complex structures

Bending is a delicate matter.

Arch is different from arch, just like a curved design is different from another curved design. Often, home craftsmen resort to complex, combined solutions using overlay ornaments and other decorative elements. In this case, the entire structure is assembled into a single ensemble, and only then it is mounted and strengthened in a permanent place.

Note! In this case, a lot depends on the bend angle. If this angle is very small, then in order to achieve it you will have to make several approaches.

The material is soaked, bent as far as possible, then left to dry completely. Then everything is repeated again until the part acquires the intended curvature.

There are several basic technologies for securing workpieces after soaking.

We will not repeat them all; we will focus only on the one that we consider the most acceptable for the following reasons:

If you do not install the workpiece immediately in a stationary place, then you need an accurate, even bend and a combined solution;
The maximum winning result can only be ensured by a pre-prepared blank or template;
Fixing on the template is guaranteed to save you from the need to redo or correct the part.

In this case we're talking about specifically about fixing the fragment on the template until it dries completely. Making the template itself is quite simple; by the way, there are also a lot of manufacturing options.

Here is one of them:

Take wooden slats length equal to length details;
Cut out several fragments from chipboard or wood (from 3 or more, depending on the length of the plywood sheet to be bent) and attach them to the slats;
Attach the plywood layer to the finished frame with self-tapping screws and leave until completely dry.

About working with large sheets

Sometimes it becomes necessary to bend a large sheet of plywood with your own hands. This occurs when designing an arched vault of considerable length or another similar shape.

In this case, do the following:

Using a wood cutter, cuts are made to the last layer, but without damaging this layer (otherwise, you will simply ruin the workpiece);
The number of cuts is determined by the radius of curvature; the smaller it is, the more cuts there are;
The sheet is placed on the template and fixed, while the voids are not filled, but glued; PVA glue is quite suitable (find out here).

Finally

It’s quite simple to bend plywood, a little patience and skills - and everything will work out (read also the article). The video in this article is ready to present you with its report on the topic.

Similar materials

Plywood is made up of slabs of natural veneer glued together and is one of the most common lumber today. This popularity is due to its high strength and, at the same time, ease of processing. Its use has found application in furniture production, construction, shipbuilding, design and other industries. One of the most important properties of plywood is its ability to change shape as a result of bending. This process seems complicated only at first glance, but even a non-specialist can master how to bend plywood.

Advantages of plywood

The material is not scary high humidity and changes in ambient temperature. In addition, it is distinguished by the following features, which indicate undeniable advantages over natural wood in a number of cases:

high strength;
durability and wear resistance;
ease of processing and installation;
combined with other building materials;
There are no cracks, including through ones.

The main differences between lumber are related to the type of wood from which they are made, therefore, when purchasing material, it is necessary to take into account the subsequent scope of its application.

Classification

Speaking about the classification of material such as plywood, it should be noted that there are four grades of this lumber.

The first grade is the best. However, it is also the most expensive. It is distinguished by a minimum of flaws and deformations.
A second grade product allows for minor defects such as cracks and knots.
The third grade is distinguished by the presence of numerous defects, both of the wood itself and of the lumber itself, such as leakage of the adhesive layer and the presence of inserts.
Fourth grade lumber is suitable only for the manufacture of packaging containers. However, it is also the cheapest, as it has greatest number all kinds of defects.

Flexibility of plywood

Plywood has a very high flexural strength coefficient. For this reason, bending is one of the main processing methods. Bent plywood is widely used in products.

The ease of bending a plywood sheet directly depends on its thickness. Thin sheets are easier to bend, thick sheets are more difficult. In this case, the material bends better along the fibers than across, and the bending angle in this case is the largest. We will look at how to bend plywood in the production of various products below. Currently, several methods for this technological process are known.

Method using heating or steaming

Before bending the sheet, it must be thoroughly heated using steam. A steam iron or a tank of boiling water may be suitable for this. If necessary, the sheet can be impregnated with hot water. Processing time directly depends on the thickness of the material and the temperature of the steam or boiling water. However, steaming for too long can lead to the destruction of the adhesive layer and delamination of the plywood.

Having steamed the sheet, it bends into required configuration, after which this position is fixed with any available material, for example, rope. The sheet is fixed until completely dry and takes the desired shape.

Method by sawing and notching

This method is used when the thickness of the plywood sheet does not exceed 22 mm. It consists of creating conical cuts on the surface of the material with a depth of no more than half the thickness of the sheet. It is advisable to make them using a milling machine, since another method can lead to cracks and splits.

Having made the necessary cuts, we bend and fix the sheet, treat the surface with glue and apply a sheet of veneer. Leave the product in this position for 24 hours.

Gluing method

Before bending plywood in this way, a pattern is made. Next, the sheet is bent along it, smeared with glue and a new sheet of plywood is applied. In this case, the directions of the fibers should alternate. Having glued the layers, we fix them with clamps and leave them for about a day. After this, the workpiece is subject to the grinding process. This is done in order to remove residual glue and give the product a beautiful appearance.

It should be noted that after processing, products should not be stored in damp areas.

There are cases when you can use special thin (3-4 mm) plywood, specifically designed for bending. It is used in the production of products such as arches in doorways.

How to bend sheets of plywood without a machine

Plywood sheets are often used in construction. They can be used as a base for bitumen shingles, for laying a wooden floor before laying laminate, etc. But the scope plywood sheets much wider, they can also be used to create elements with a curved surface. To do this, the sheet of plywood must be bent correctly.

Existing methods of bending plywood

When bending plywood, you need to solve 2 problems:

ensure sufficient flexibility of the sheet;
ensure the safety of the new shape of the plywood sheet.

The plywood sheet acquires the necessary flexibility after steaming or boiling in hot water. In this case, it is necessary to control the integrity of the plywood sheet; if exposed to high temperatures for too long, it can collapse.

Highlight following methods sheet bending:

In industry, a combination of exposure to water vapor and mechanical action is used. Individual sheets of curved shape are literally pressed into molds and then cooled until they retain their resulting shape without external force.

The same approach is used for bending plywood at home. The only difficulty in this case is ensuring uniform heating of the sheet over the entire area. Wood cools quickly, so bending a large sheet can cause serious difficulties.
At the point of bending, the plywood sheet can be weakened with blind cuts. The cuts are not made to the entire depth of the sheet; the last 1-2 layers are left intact. After giving the required shape to the sheet, these cuts are filled with glue.

A thick part with a curved outline can be obtained simple gluing several thin layers flexible plywood.

Plywood does not dry instantly, so during the first 6-7 days after bending it is necessary to ensure that the new shape of the sheet is preserved. Special templates are used for this.

Templates can be made, for example, from chipboard, fiberboard, etc.

Even an ordinary one can act as a template steel tape, its use is permissible if it is necessary to bend a long plywood strip. In this case, the plywood is simply tied to a steel strip.

How to bend plywood correctly - procedure

The answer to the question of how to bend plywood is quite simple - you just need to give it flexibility and secure it in the required position until it dries completely. The main difficulties arise precisely with making the sheet flexible at home. Most often, steaming or boiling is used to bend plywood. Therefore, first you need to determine whether the selected sheet will delaminate from exposure to high temperature and high humidity. To do this, a small piece of plywood needs to be boiled/steamed, periodically checking its flexibility.

For steaming, some even use irons, ironing plywood through a damp cloth. There are even homemade installations, which are a chamber into which plywood is loaded, with a hole at the bottom. In this case, even an ordinary kettle can act as a steam generator.

There is a definite relationship between the steaming/cooking temperature and the flexibility of plywood sheets of different thicknesses. The data shown in the figure is valid for a water temperature of 90-100°C; at a water temperature of up to 60˚C, the indicated periods must be increased by at least 1.5 times. IN cold water plywood will have to be soaked 20-30 times longer.

It is important to remember that wood bends much better along the grain than in the transverse direction. Therefore, a sheet of plywood consisting of an odd number of layers of veneer will bend in one direction better than in the other.

Once the sheet has become flexible enough, it is attached to the template.

The plywood sheet takes 5 to 7 days to dry, after which it can be used. The bending of plywood greatly increases the options for its use.

Wood-laminated board, better known to us as plywood, has found wide distribution, both in finishing works, and in furniture production. And one of her unique properties is the ability to create almost any bend. This allows you to create unique aesthetic designs and use the material more efficiently.

In this article we will look at how plywood is bent in industrial and domestic conditions.

General provisions

What is wood laminated board? This is a combination of thin sheets of wood and veneers glued together with a special composition. The most commonly used tree species are birch, alder, beech or pine.

This structural feature gives this material the following advantages:

Increased moisture resistance. Compared to ordinary wood, the hydrophobicity of this material is approximately two times lower. This allows its use in rooms with high humidity and even for finishing external facades.

Advice: for outdoor use, it is recommended to use special plywood with increased moisture resistance of the FSF brand.
The phenol-formaldehyde resin used for gluing veneers is much more resistant to dampness and temperature changes.

No warping and less susceptibility to rotting processes.
Attractive appearance with wood texture.

Easy to use with your own hands. It is very easy to work with such a pliable material.
Resistant to ultraviolet radiation . Does not fade in the sun.
Affordable price . Significantly inferior in cost to natural wood, while exceeding it in many technical indicators.
Easy to care for. The instructions allow the use household chemicals to clean the surface of the material in question.

Ecological cleanliness. All ingredients are absolutely safe for human health. This allows you to place products made from this material even in a children's room.

Abrasion resistance. Does not deteriorate in places of frequent contact with hands, feet or interior items.
Durability. Thanks to the combination of the above qualities, it has a long service life.
Ability to create smooth shapes and curves. This is precisely the unique quality that allows you to achieve the most original designs, and that’s what we’ll talk about next.

Bending methods

There are two ways to bend plywood, which we will discuss in detail.

Tip: When using either method, do not place the grain of the top veneer across the bend.
This can trigger a break.

Bending of layers during gluing

This technique is most suitable for production and consists of the following:

Special curved molds are used, heated by steam and electric current.
Veneer sheets, glued with fan glue and bent into the required position, are placed in them, the humidity of which does not exceed twelve percent.
They stay there until the glue dries enough to hold it firmly. new uniform material.

You won't find it at home necessary equipment and therefore you can limit yourself to the following actions:

Glue some with wood glue.
With my own hands bend them at the angle you want.
Fix the edges with epoxy mortar.

Wait for it to completely harden.

The method is quite good, but you need to remember that it requires both in production and in homemade the presence of thin veneers. If you already have it ready, then move on to the description of the next method.

Bending a sheet of plywood after gluing

A thick product will not simply bend. It requires special processing to soften the material and make it more pliable. And only after this can the plywood be bent by placing it in a pre-prepared curved template.

The following types of processing are possible:

The factory uses industrial steam units for this purpose.
At home, you can use steam from a kettle for small parts or household steam generators.

Large sheets should be soaked in hot water to give them elasticity. It is very important at this moment to ensure that the wood-laminated board does not delaminate.
Here you can go two ways:
- Leave the product in hot bath for half an hour. Then mark it in a hard blank and leave it like that for a week.

Moisten the workpiece with a generous amount of H 2 O, bend it slightly and iron it. Wet again, bend and remove moisture. And so on until the plywood takes the proper shape.

You can also heat the product in an oven to a suitable state. But this method is fraught with the appearance of cracks in case of overheating.

You can bend the pliable material in the following ways:

Place the plywood into the framing template. It is very reliable and neat, but it needs to be done first, which requires additional costs and effort. For fixation in this case, prepared spacers and a belt system are used.

Use a steel strip. You tie it together with a wood-laminated board and bend it into any fancy shape. The metal will reliably keep its shape. After this, leave the resulting structure until it hardens completely.
Using cuts. This is especially useful for particularly thick products. Apply a series of cuts at the bend to make the bend much easier. Place the workpiece in the position you need and fill the resulting gaps with adhesive solution.

Reasons for using bending methods

Using the methods listed above, you can achieve any smooth shapes that will hold firmly after the workpiece dries. This way you can create arches in doorways and rounded corners between walls. But especially wide application Today, bending of plywood sheets has gained popularity in furniture production.

This allows:

Minimize the number of traumatic angles. This is especially true for rooms where children live. Since their restlessness often causes dangerous contacts with the corner surfaces of ordinary furniture.
Increase the aesthetic significance of the interior. Because it is much more pleasant for the eye to observe smooth rather than sharp transitions. Sliding surfaces calm and improve your mood.
Give greater solidity to the object and get rid of sometimes a huge number of fixing parts. This significantly enhances the strength and reliability of the structure.

Conclusion

Wood laminated board is excellent for both finishing and furniture material. Lower cost and improved specifications make it a serious competitor to classic wood. And what is especially noteworthy, and something that wood cannot boast of in any case, is its amazing ability to bend into the most unimaginable shapes, giving the interior a special aesthetics.

The video in this article will be able to provide you with additional information that is directly related to the materials discussed.

Use materials and achievements of modern technologies!