Softwood plywood is a common building material for roofs, walls and floors.
Softwood comes from various species of evergreen conifers including 
spruce, pine and fir. Plywood made from softwood is a building product 
commonly found in home construction and is also used for other purposes.
 Softwood plywood is available in different grades for various 
applications. The finish on softwood plywood ranges from fully sanded to
 not sanded at all, depending on the intended use.
Exterior Home Sheathing
 The most common wall construction on a new home consists of a 2-by-4 or 
2-by-6 frame covered by exterior-grade sheathing. This type of wall 
forms a structural panel that performs well at high wind loads and 
during earthquakes. Plywood panels fastened to each stud and to the top 
and bottom plates of the wall frame strengthen it and resist vertical, 
horizontal and diagonal shifting. Strict adherence to building codes for
 fastener placement, distance between studs and the joints between 
panels ensure strong, solid walls.
The most common wall construction on a new home consists of a 2-by-4 or 
2-by-6 frame covered by exterior-grade sheathing. This type of wall 
forms a structural panel that performs well at high wind loads and 
during earthquakes. Plywood panels fastened to each stud and to the top 
and bottom plates of the wall frame strengthen it and resist vertical, 
horizontal and diagonal shifting. Strict adherence to building codes for
 fastener placement, distance between studs and the joints between 
panels ensure strong, solid walls.Home Roofing and Flooring
Plywood for building construction has a span rating that governs how it 
is used to build subfloors and to sheath roofs. On floors, the plywood 
panels have tongue-and-groove edges that fit together. On a roof, the 
plywood carries less load and the tongue-and-groove edges are not 
required. The manufacturer-assigned span rating for roofs and floors 
specifies the maximum allowed distance between rafters for a roof and 
between joists for a floor.
Other Construction
Softwood plywood has other applications in home building in addition to 
roofs, walls and floors. Eaves and soffits are often covered with 
plywood. Some plywood is manufactured specifically as a siding product, 
most notably T-111 siding, a grooved sheet product made to appear 
similar to reverse board and batten siding. Builders also use plywood 
for building detached garages and sheds, temporary flooring and concrete
 forms. Plywood is also used for many of the same purposes in commercial
 building construction.
General Projects
Softwood plywood has many uses beyond building homes and is used for a 
wide range of projects from skateboard ramps to doghouses. In the 
workshop, softwood plywood covers work tables and is used to build 
sawhorses and general-purpose shelving. It is inexpensive, available in a
 wide range of thicknesses and grades, ranging from exterior with 
exposure to the elements to interior dry areas. 
 


 









