Baltic birch plywood
Baltic birch is plywood made with birch veneer in every ply. It is made to metric thicknesses and sold in the US under the nearest inch name, so a sheet sold as 3/4 inch is 18 mm, about 0.709 inch. These figures come from dealers’ own listings; we found no US standard for it.
| Metric | Sold as | Actual (in) | Under the inch name | Plies | Ply count from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | 1/8 in | 0.118 | 0.007 in | 3 | 3 sources agree |
| 6 mm | 1/4 in | 0.236 | 0.014 in | 5 | Two sources: Woodworkers Source and The Wood Vault (KJP Select Hardwoods) |
| 9 mm | 3/8 in | 0.354 | 0.021 in | 7 | Two sources: Woodworkers Source and The Wood Vault (KJP Select Hardwoods) |
| 12 mm | 1/2 in | 0.472 | 0.028 in | 9 | Two sources: Woodworkers Source and The Wood Vault (KJP Select Hardwoods) |
| 18 mm | 3/4 in | 0.709 | 0.041 in | 13 | Two sources: Woodworkers Source and The Wood Vault (KJP Select Hardwoods) |
The actual inch size is the millimetre size converted (÷ 25.4). For joinery, the nearest 1/16 is about 11/16 in for 18 mm; still, measure the sheet you have, since makers’ thicknesses vary a little.
Sheet size
The classic sheet is 5 × 5 feet (1525 × 1525 mm), not the 4 × 8 of construction plywood. Dealers also sell it cut down into small project panels, such as 30 × 30 inches. More on sheet sizes: plywood sizes.
Grades
Baltic birch is graded face/back with its own letters (B, BB, CP and C). Dealers list these pairs: B/BB, BB/BB, BB/CP, CP/CP, C/C. (3 sources agree)
A B face is a clean veneer without patches or splices. (Two sources: Woodworkers Source and Woodcraft)These are not the same letters as construction plywood’s A–D or hardwood plywood’s AA–E: see plywood grades.
Sources
- Woodworkers Source, Your ultimate guide to Baltic birch plywood, read 2026-11-07
- The Wood Vault (KJP Select Hardwoods), Baltic birch plywood, read 2026-11-07
- Woodcraft, Woodcraft Woodshop Baltic birch plywood (item 191386), read 2026-11-07
- NIST, Special Publication 811, Appendix B (1 in = 25.4 mm, 1 ft = 0.3048 m)