Balcony and utility areas often expose furniture to more demanding conditions than regular indoor spaces. Humidity, water splashes, rainfall, dust, temperature changes, and frequent cleaning can affect wood-based furniture. Marine plywood is often considered for these applications because of its moisture-resistant construction. However, whether it is worth using depends on the location, exposure, furniture design, and installation quality.
Moisture Level
First off, it is necessary to know how much the furniture is going to be exposed to moisture. A covered balcony has different requirements as compared to an open balcony directly impacted by rain.
Likewise, utility furniture placed beside the washing machine, sink, or a plumbing connection is bound to be exposed to more moisture than the units located further away. Therefore, selecting plywood should be based on the real conditions of the location.
Benefits of Marine Plywood
Marine plywood is made by glueing sheets of veneer,or making it more moisture-resistant. This makes it suitable for certain reasons for being used in balconies and utility furniture.
It can be considered for storage cabinets, shelves, seating units, and utility furniture. However, good moisture resistance does not eliminate the necessity of conducting some finishing, protecting edges, and installation.
Protecting Balcony Furniture
The fact that balconies are exposed to the sun, rain, humidity, and temperature drops should be taken into consideration. Even marine plywood can’t be classified as totally unaffected by prolonged exposure in the outdoor environment.
Furniture placed on the balcony needs to be ideally protected from direct rain and standing water. Using closed spaces, proper finishing of surfaces, sealing edges, and having a proper drain system will increase the furniture’s longevity.
Different Requirements for Utility Zones
Utility zones can be places of moisture because of the sinks, washing machines, pipes, and cleaning work there. Marine plywood can work well when creating cabinets and stations which are located in the proximity of this moisture.
Still, it does not mean that it is necessary to use marine plywood in every utility zone. For example, a dry storage cabinet can look alright when made of some other type of plywood because of its dryness.
Quality of Core and Thickness
While moisture resistance is an important feature of plywood, the quality of the inner core is also something to be considered, especially when furniture needs to be processed, joined together, or installed with fittings.
Check the edges of the sheet before using it to make sure that there are no voids, loose layers, or uneven construction. The thickness should also be chosen depending on the construction and loads of the future piece of furniture.
Protection of Edges and Joints
Cut edges and holes can be made entrances for moisture, thus creating ‘weak points’ on the furniture. Some holes created for pipes, screws, hinges, and fittings can allow moisture to enter the plywood if not treated properly.
In an effort to prevent such problems, it is advisable to seal the edges, cut sections, and joints. In particular, take special care of the areas around the sinks and washing machines as primary sources of water in utility rooms.
Appearance and Type of Finish
The finish should correspond to the interior and the desired appearance of the item . Laminates, veneers, paint, and protection finish is chosen according to the style of furniture and its expected conditions of use.
The finish of the balcony furniture must be able to keep up with the environment. The utility furniture finishes should provide an easier cleaning process here since the areas become dirty and dusty.
Select As Per Application
Using marine plywood everywhere may not be the right choice. The dry utility cabinet does not need the same moisture resistance as the cabinet next to the sink or washing machine.
In applications where higher humidity is experienced, Royale Touche marine plywood should be checked regarding its specifications, purpose of use and construction and finishing requirements.
Installation and Maintenance Play An Important Role
Even good quality marine plywood needs proper installation. The correct measurements, good fastening, solid joints, edge protection, and proper ventilation lead to good performance.
Maintenance should not be neglected. There should not be water remaining on the furniture for too long; any plumbing leak must be immediately fixed, and surfaces must be checked for swelling, damage to the finishing and fastening.
Is It Worth It?
Marine plywood may be worth using for balcony and utility furniture that requires moisture resistance. Thanks to its peculiar properties, marine plywood may be a good solution.
However, the extra cost doesn’t mean that marine plywood is the right choice in all situations. The moisture exposure, design of furniture, load, thickness and core quality, finish, installation, and maintenance must be taken into account to make the right decision.
Conclusion
Marine plywood may be the right solution for balcony and utility furniture where moisture exposure is required. Nevertheless, the suitability depends on the actual working conditions. Proper specifications and good protective treatment of plywood allow creating stable and practical furniture.
