Questions and Answers for Columbia Forest Products 1/4 in. x 2 ft. x 8 ft. PureBond Mahogany Plywood Project Panel (Free Custom Cut Available)

A:  Hi, Under the product, there will be a "product details" section. Once you select that, a form will pop up that you can fill out the measurements to have your panel cut!

A:  Hi, Yes, I believe that will work fine as long as you have a sharp blade with the router, I should be okay.

A:  Hello, It’s a little thinner than a full ¼” thickness. The range of thickness will be between .203”-.250”. Average closer to the .203” thickness.

A:  Hi, There could be multiple reasons that this is happening. If you don't mind, could you send me an image so I can get you a better answer? I can be reached at alec.neugent@cfpwood.com. Thanks.

A:  Hello, This product is African Mahogany. Thanks.

A:  Yes I can if you don't have the equipment to do it

A:  Hello Dawn, We are unable to cut circles at this time, only the square cuts. The edge of the panel could be finished. Recommend testing a small piece to see if it meets your approval.

A:  The 1/4 inch is too thin for any fasteners. Use the 1/2 inch. There is a reasonable amount of weight in the planters with the dirt and plants.

A:  I suggest that you make up a prototype for what you think you want it to look like, and then see how it works.  Home Depot carries what are called "Handy Panels" in the lumber area; these are specifically offered for "projects".  Some are sized 2 ft x 4 ft, and others are 2 ft x 2 ft.  Find the thinnest plywood panel they have (perhaps 3/8"), and hopefully it will be "exterior" plywood, i.e., it is somewhat waterproofed for outside use.  If you wall hung plant holder  My suspicion is that the pots & soil you will be using probably will be too heavy for use with "1/4" inch mahogany plywood.  Additionally, the "1/4" product (at least when I used it) was 'interior' rated, meaning it would not act kindly if watering the plants regularly missed the target; getting interior plywood wet frequently might delaminate the panel and you might come home to see your pots on the floor. At most Home Depot's I have been to, the "Hardware" section is relatively close to the Lumber aisles.  If you can drill 1/8" or 3/16" holes in your plywood backer board (or buy a pegboard-ready Handy Panel), the Hardware section may offer one or more standard "wire" hangers meant for use in pegboard panels to hold a wide variety of things.  The hardware offered might include something you could repurpose (as is, or by bending or using multiple hangers) to hold your plant pots - if they have circular hangers that are close in size to the pots you can use, that problem might be resolved -- provided that the hanger is well anchored in the wall panel..   You will have to paint the panel -- and do this on both sides so that moisture content in the panel will not be significantly different between the front side and the back side.  Moisture imbalances between front & back will often cause warping of the panel.  Masonite pegboard is usually not much affected by moisture if it is temporary; interior plywood will be more sensitive to moisture and show warpage; exterior plywood may or may not show warping & delamination, as it is treated to reduce moisture and other outdoor use problems. If you find pegboard-style hardware you can use, you will have to set the panel a small distance away from the surface it is being mounted on.  Most pegboard hardware legs are inserted straight into holes the user drills in the panel surface (or into the holes provided if using a pegboard panel) and the hardware mounting legs are then locked into place by pulling the hardware hanger down to align it with the front of the panel.  The legs should be locked in position behind the mounting panel.  The panel must be far enough off the wall to provide room for the legs to move and lock the hardware in place for every hanger being used.  If you are planning to mount the panel on a wall, door, "?", then buy longer mounting screws and a handful of washers to place between the back of the panel and the wall.  Each mounting screw should have the same number of washers to correctly mount the panel.  Your mounting screws will go through the plant support panel, the washers and whatever is holding the project in place; enough washers need to be used to provide the panel the needed 'set-off' from the (wall).        

A:  Hello, For this application I would use the 1/2" plywood. It will be a better option for holding the weight of a hanging planter.

A:  Hello, the panel thickness is less than a full 1/4". It will measure closer to .203" vs. .250". Should work for your project.

A:  I've used this material for three different projects, most notably for construction of a small six-drawer case for jewelry & accessory pieces that I built into a standing dresser, as well as drawer bottoms in the larger drawers of the dresser.  I suggest you also need to consider how wide the drawers are in your project dresser when figuring out how to use this material for a drawer bottom - I address that below. The first adjustment needed in your thinking is thickness - the material is very consistently 3/16" / 5mm thick (these are equivalent dimensions, which presumably helps sell it in world markets); it is not 1/4" thick.  I also expected it would be 1/4" when I first ordered it. The 3/16" thickness does allow using it in a 1/4" slot, but it will be loose.  The gap could be resolved if the material was covered with 1/16" or 3/64" veneers, which are readily available.  So you do not need to sand either the slot in the existing drawer sides or the edges of the material to use this with a typical fit it in the supporting slots; it will actually be a gap in a 1/4" slot, but that can be addressed.   Also, do not cut the drawer bottom length & width to extend into the full depth of the slots; the combination of wood sides and a plywood bottom will result in changing fit due to seasonal movement; cutting it full size could cause splitting of the drawer sides. If the sides are made of fiberboard / MDF, this will not be an issue.  Since the material is essentially a thin plywood (two hardwood veneers [central American mahogany & what seems to be maple] with a soft core wood are used to make it), it is fairly strong.  However, if the dresser's drawers are large (say 36"x20") and are not built with a centering runner, filling the drawer with anything heavier than ordinary clothing might result in damage to the slots or cracking of the drawer bottom.  Furniture made with drawers this large or larger in the 18th & 19th century typically has a solid wood floating drawer bottom perhaps 3/8" to 1/2" thick.  Most of the bottom is full thickness, tapered at the edges to fit in the slots in the drawer sides, as this approach was quite strong.  If strength might be a concern, you could laminate the drawer bottoms with this material by gluing two pieces together in a "stack", with one layer being somewhat smaller in length & width than the piece actually held in the slots. You would want to use something weighty on top of the two pieces right after they are glued & aligned, until the glue is cured.  This would nearly double the strength for the bottom.  Also ensure that the orientation of the doubled bottom does not interfere with installing / removing the drawer, as it might hit the front frame piece.  (Solve this by sizing the second piece just a bit smaller than the drawer side dimensions, and have it be face up to the drawer contents). Hopefully, this answers your question and helps avoid other issues.