Burl Plywood

Burl Plywood adds a special touch to high-end projects with its fascinating swirls and burls. It is available in a variety of cores and thicknesses to fit the need of any project.

What is Burl?

Burl (or Burr) wood is a type of fast growing, abnormal growth found on some trees, often below ground. Burl wood grows because the tree has experienced some sort of environmental stress or damage. This is often caused by either a fungal attack or an attack by insects. Burl veneer has the appearance of tightly clustered dormant buds and tiny knot formations interwoven with swirling woody tissue of veins and lines.

The number of trees that produce burl wood is quite low. In addition, certain areas tend to create more burl wood than others, because all or many of the trees in a particular location are likely to be attacked by the same fungus or insects. Certain species also tend to be more susceptible to attacks and, therefore, more likely to develop burl wood. For this reason, certain types of burl wood are more rare and prized than others. Often, a tree that has developed burl wood is still quite healthy. In fact, many trees with burl wood can go on to live for many more years.

Burl Plywood Availability

FormWood Industries, Inc. is able to laminate high quality burl veneer to a number of different plywood substrates. We offer a number of different burl species, including White Ash, Carpathian Elm, Madrone, Maple, Mappa, Myrtle, European Oak, Olive Ash, Redwood, Roble, and Walnut. We offer many of these species in both A and AA grade. Our burl faces are manufactured in a book and butt match formation to enhance the beauty by utilizing the repeating patterns. We can laminate with burl on both sides of a plywood panel or use a plain wood such as maple or walnut on the back. We are also able to balance the hardwood plywood panel with a wood or mill option backer. FormWood keeps a large amount of burl inventory on hand which ensures a quick lead time.

Burl sampling

• Type sample: We will send you an 8'x10' sample to show a representation of a particular burl species. This is a great way to compare several species before making your final decision. Please note that the color and grain of the material that you receive will vary from the sample.
• Digital image: We have a specially designated photo room that is designed to take high quality digital photos of our veneer. We can send sample photos to you via email to ensure that we are sending material that meets your customer's expectations.