Bendable Flexible Plywood

Bent plywood can be used to give furniture and cabinetry a sleek, seamless appearance. The easiest way to bend plywood at home is using clamps and a form made out of medium density fiberboard, or by using a ratchet strap. For a stronger, sturdier bend, you may want to glue multiple pieces of plywood together so the piece you're bending is thicker. Whichever method you use, it's important you give the plywood enough time to bend.

The ability to bend plywood opens up a number of interesting design possibilities for amateur craftspeople as well as professionals in a number of trades, such as boat building. Because it's made from a series of cross-laminated sheets, though, plywood is more difficult to bend than raw wood. You can use steam to soften plywood for bending, but it isn't the best way to do it, because it requires a steamer large enough to accommodate a plywood sheet, which can be difficult to construct and expensive to buy. An easier option is to saturate all the layers of the plywood, using warm wet towels, prior to bending.

The best plywood for bending has a close-grained surface that won't splinter and separate when you bend it. For example, construction-grade fir plywood is not the best choice for bending, because the softwood fibers tend to separate under pressure, especially around knots. On the other hand, plywood with a close-grained hardwood face is less likely to splinter. Birch, mahogany and poplar are great choices.