Back in the day, if you made furniture out of plywood, you always covered it with a nice veneer. But not any longer.
Today, the basic slab of plywood boldly displays its stripes, thanks to a rebirth in popularity fueled by striking, unique designs.
You can even make some of these yourself.
Plywood Table
This beautiful table is made from a single piece of birch plywood. You will be able to cut all of the pieces for this table at home.
A skilled woodworker may complete it in an afternoon; a novice might need a weekend.
Eames Chair
This contemporary Eames-inspired chair was created without the use of any typical woodworking tools.
Instead, the builder made do with a single sheet of plywood and a CNC machine.
After the plywood is cut, the chair is put together with adhesive and a mallet.
Plywood Standing Desk & Stool
Josh Rhodes’ modern desk combo produces a simple workspace that may be used while standing or seated on a slim stool.
Fold-Down Plywood Desks Where Space is Limited
These clever desks were designed by an Amsterdam company for their restricted workplace space, but they’d also look wonderful in a child’s room.
The bright, natural color palette of this plywood furniture makes a small area appear larger.
Stacked Plywood Table
This plywood table, made of layered plywood and sculpted with delicate curves, gives a sense of traditional elegance to a home office.
With the correct techniques and tools, cutting curves like these is a breeze.
Minimalist Plywood Shelf Headboard
A headboard made of plywood? You betcha. Begin with a whole sheet of plywood for a clean, industrial aesthetic.
When you can install floating shelves with screws through the back of the headboard, it’s a piece of cake.
Plywood Bed Platform
Gonzalez Design Studio’s proposal will require two sheets of plywood, which technically violates our guideline, but that’s not awful considering how much beds generally cost.
Add four locking caster wheels and you’ve got yourself a bed platform for less than $60.
Birch Plywood Coffee Table with Hairpin Legs
If you stare at it long enough, the layers that run through this beautiful tabletop begin to resemble tree rings.
But it’s not a cross-section of a tree trunk—a it’s sheet of birch plywood molded into a coffee table with delicate contours.
The hairpin legs give this appealing plywood furniture a touch of mid-century elegance.
Floating Corner Bookcase
This bookcase wraps around a corner to create an Escher-like effect.
The plywood shelves are held up against the wall by invisible supports.
DIY Modern Plywood Sofa
The structure for this super-simple couch is composed solely of glued-together layers of plywood.
It disassembles into two pieces for easier transport up and down stairwells.
You’d be doing a lot of gluing for this project, so learn how to make things stick here.
