Baltic Birch is a general designation of plywood from Russia and nearby Baltic states (such as Finland, Latvia…etc.).
The grading for Baltic Birch is established by the Russian intergovernmental standard GOST 3916.1-96.
- B - Selected one-piece face, generally light and even in color. Occasional small pin knots and some brown streaks may be allowed, but generally no patches, voids or mineral streaks. Surface is sanded intended for natural finish. Availability is tight in summer months.
- BB - One-piece face generally light and even in color. Pin knots and mineral streaking or discoloration is allowed with occasional sound tight knots permitted. Open knots and defects in BB face veneers have been cut out and replaced with small oval or round veneer patches before gluing. The veneer selected for the patches is of the same general color as the face veneer. Surface is sanded.
- CP - One-piece face very close to grade BB. Rejected from BB for small defects with more streaking. Occasional hairline splits of less than .5mm are allowed. The oval or round patches may or may not be matched for color with the base face veneer. There will normally be more patches per face than the BB grade. Sanded surface.
- C - Patches, open knots and veneer splits allowed. Surface is not sanded.
- SHOP GRADES - Shop panels are offered in the full 60” X 60” format in all of the grades listed above. Panels allow for 1-3 splits on the face veneer along one edge of the panel in lengths no longer than 10” and no wider than 1/4”