Core Comparison
Core Options
Almost all hardwood plywood is available in several optional cores or "substrates". This is the material over which a thin decorative face and back veneer is applied. Core selection is often a compromise between performance characteristics and price. While the core makes up most of the volume of wood in a panel, it has much less impact on the price of a panel than the face and back veneers. There are three common categories of cores*, and each category contains several variations. The categories are:
CORE SELECTION COMPARISON CHART
| Flatness | Visual Edge | Surface Uniformity | Dimensional Stability | Screw Hiding | Bending Strength | Thickness Tolerance | Costs | |
| 1 Step Veneer | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | $$ |
| 2 Step Veneer | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | $$$ |
| Particleboard | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | $ |
| MDF | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | $$ |
| 1 Step Armorcore ® | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | $$ |
| 2 Step Armorcore ® | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | $$$ |
Click here for a PDF of this chart.
* Lumber and OSB cores represent less than 1% of US domestic production.