The basis for the production of balsa plywood is balsa wood. This rare tree grows in South America. It is characterized by fast growth and a short life cycle. By 6-7 years, the tree reaches a height of 20m and a diameter of 1m. However, its wood only matures at 13-15 years. By the age of 20, the tree becomes filled with water, rots, and decays.
Another characteristic of balsa wood is its record-low density. 1 cubic meter of balsa wood weighs only 100-120 kg. This is 5-6.5 times less compared to birch plywood and 4-5 times less compared to softwood. Balsa wood is even less dense than the wood of the Seiba species, which weighs an average of 350 kg per cubic meter. It is easy to work with but does not take well to painting with lacquer materials.
Attention! Due to its porous structure, balsa wood has a high water absorption capacity. The wood can absorb up to 700% of its own weight in water.
The name of the tree "balsa" comes from the Spanish word "balsa" (meaning "raft"). This is because balsa wood is used to build rafts in South America and Peru. Balsa plywood was used during World War II in the construction of high-speed bombers due to a shortage of metals. In modern times, it is used in the following areas:
Despite its low density, balsa sheets have good strength characteristics. In terms of strength, the material is comparable to softwood plywood and lime wood. Therefore, it is used instead of regular plywood sheets when it is important to create a structure of minimal weight. To increase water resistance, balsa plywood is treated with paraffin and other water-repellent impregnations. If you do not have such a requirement, you can always purchase moisture-resistant plywood on the website goodok.eu.
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