What is film faced plywood?
Film faced plywood is hardwood-core plywood with a phenolic resin film hot-pressed onto one or both faces. The film sheds wet concrete and weather on the face. The cross-laminated core carries pour pressure. US and Canadian formwork buyers treat it as a reusable casting face, not sheathing. Film weight (gsm) and core bond class set how many pours you can expect.
Is film faced plywood waterproof?
No. The phenolic face is water-resistant and handles cement alkalinity, but cut edges still take water. WBP core glue means weather and boil proof in the bond test — not a waterproof panel. Factory-sealed edges and resealing after every site cut are what keep reuse cycles from collapsing.
What is film faced plywood used for?
Main job is concrete formwork: walls, slabs, columns, beams, foundations, and stair shapes. Anti-slip film variants show up on scaffold decks. Truck and trailer floors use the same film chemistry under different load cases. Lost (sacrificial) formwork can take a lighter film because the sheet sees one pour.
How much does film faced plywood cost?
Judge spend by cost per pour: landed sheet cost divided by the pours you actually get on that job. Sheet price alone misleads. A cheaper MUF panel and a Class 3 phenolic panel can land at the same cost per pour. Ask for a landed quote against your programme — grade, thickness, size, bond class, and target month. No retail table belongs on a mill page.
Is film faced plywood the same as phenolic plywood?
Overlapping words, different specs. Film faced names the phenolic face film. Phenolic plywood can also mean PF core glue (EN 636-3 / Class 3) or solid phenolic sheet with no wood core. A panel can wear a phenolic film over an MUF core and still be sold correctly as film faced — that is not Class 3. Only Pro Form, Pro Form Lite, and the HDO range are phenolic on both film and bond at Vinawood.
Film faced vs MDO vs HDO — which for formwork?
For 5–15 pours of standard formwork, choose film faced plywood. For paint-grade outdoor trim or signage, choose MDO / MatteFace (MTF) — MDO is the search bridge, MatteFace is the product name. For architectural concrete or programmes past about 25 pours, choose HDO. Overlay weight and resin density set the split, not the search label alone.
Should I buy film faced plywood from a mill or a retail yard?
Retail yards sell odd sheets for small jobs and often stock imported film faced without mill paperwork you can verify. A Vietnam mill quote covers bond class, film gsm, thickness, size (including 1220×2440 mm / 4×8), container loading, and export docs for the programme. Importers and contractors who need consistent reuse and cert packs buy manufacturer-direct, then stage locally — not DIY hobby sheets.
