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Had to pick between prefinished plywood and raw sheet goods for a big kitchen job last month
Went with prefinished because the client wanted it done in 4 days, but the edge banding was a nightmare to match on site. Has anyone else dealt with the tradeoff between speed and getting seamless edges?
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olivia_allen1mo ago
The whole "speed vs. details" thing reminds me of how everything in life is kinda like that now. We all want things fast and cheap but then get annoyed when the little stuff doesn't line up perfect. It's like buying fast fashion vs. saving up for something that fits just right and lasts. Prefinished plywood gets the job done quick, but that edge banding struggle is the price you pay for skipping the extra steps. Sometimes the shortcuts just leave you fighting small battles later.
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hugo_schmidt1mo ago
Push back on that. Prefinished plywood is the smarter move here because the factory finish is way more durable than anything you can roll on site. That edge banding headache is real, but it beats dealing with splintered edges from a raw sheet that got dinged up during install. The client wanted it done in 4 days and you delivered a kitchen that already has a sealed surface ready to go. Raw plywood would need sanding, priming, and painting which adds days and still ends up softer than the factory baked on coating. The tradeoff is worth it when you factor in how much longer the prefinished stuff will hold up to spills and scrubbing. Is the edge banding really the hill to die on when the rest of the job is solid and done on time?
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