12 mm film-faced plywood
Weight, loads and the jobs a 12 mm sheet does.
12 mm film-faced plywoodTechnical notes · sizes, thickness, grades
Plywood specifications: sizes, thickness, grades guides
In short
PK Ply presses construction plywood in sheets of 1220 × 2440 mm or 1250 × 2500 mm, and nothing larger, from 9–40 mm thick. The everyday formwork thicknesses are 12, 15, 18 and 21 mm. Film-faced thickness tolerance is ±0.5 mm, length and width ±2 mm, and film weight is an order field.
- 1220 × 2440 mm
- 1250 × 2500 mm
- 9–40 mm
- 12 · 15 · 18 · 21 mm
- ±0.5 mm thickness
- Cutting lists
- thickness range
- 9–40 mm
- thickness tolerance, film-faced
- ±0.5 mm
- length and width tolerance
- ±2 mm
- most common film now, about
- 130–135 g/m²
Film
Sizes and thickness in one film
The film measures sheets of both formats, shows the four everyday thicknesses side by side and follows a cutting list through the saw and the edge-painting line.
The short answer
What are the standard sizes of shuttering plywood?
Two sheet sizes cover almost every order: 1220 × 2440 mm (4 × 8 ft) and 1250 × 2500 mm for European systems. Anything smaller is cut to the buyer's list at the mill; nothing larger is pressed.
| Size | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1220 × 2440 mm | Traditional timber formwork, general site use | The 4 × 8 ft sheet |
| 1250 × 2500 mm | European beam and deck or wall systems | Often ordered in 21 mm |
| Custom sizes | Frame facings, repeat pours, kits | Cut to your cutting list, every cut edge painted |
Thickness
What thickness of plywood is recommended for formwork?
18 mm is the everyday choice for slab decks and walls on timber joists. 21 mm suits beam-and-deck systems, while 12 and 15 mm suit frame facings, curved or light work. The joist spacing and the pour pressure decide the final call.
| Thickness | Typical use | Tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| 12 mm | Frame facings, curved or light work | ±0.5 mm |
| 15 mm | Walls and columns on close supports | ±0.5 mm |
| 18 mm | Slab decks and walls on timber joists | ±0.5 mm |
| 21 mm | Beam-and-deck systems, wide spans | ±0.5 mm |
Length and width tolerance is ±2 mm. The tolerance for each order is written on its technical sheet.
Film weight
Which film weights can a buyer specify on an order?
Film brand, weight and colour are order fields. Orders run from 120–125 g/m²; about 130–135 g/m² is the most common now, and some buyers specify 165, 185 or over 200 g/m².
A heavier film resists abrasion and gives a smoother concrete face for longer, but the glue and the core still set the pour count. Colour is black or dark brown for smooth formwork film.
Anti-slip panels carry their own patterned film; the catalogue lists a 220 g/m² reference and the actual film is fixed on the order.
Grades
What is structural grade plywood?
Structural grade plywood is plywood whose strength and stiffness are declared for load-bearing use. In Europe that declaration is the CE marking under EN 13986, with the values per thickness on the Declaration of Performance.
Our CE factory production control certificate 0407-CPR-2146 covers structural plywood of 3.6–30 mm with MUF or phenolic glue for dry, humid and external conditions. A structural order must fall inside that scope.
Formwork panels are graded differently: by glue, film weight and reuse target. A formwork panel is not a structural panel unless it is ordered and declared as one.
Notes
More plywood specifications: sizes, thickness, grades guides
One note per thickness, plus the notes on tolerance, sizes and grades.
15 mm film-faced plywood
Walls, columns and close supports.
15 mm film-faced plywood18 mm film-faced plywood
Build, sheet weight and 40HC loads.
18 mm film-faced plywood note21 mm film-faced plywood
Beam-and-deck systems and EU sheets.
21 mm film-faced plywoodFormwork plywood thicknesses
Choosing between 12, 15, 18 and 21 mm.
Formwork plywood thicknessesConstruction plywood sheet sizes
1220 × 2440 or 1250 × 2500 mm.
Construction plywood sheet sizesThickness tolerance
What ±0.5 mm means on site.
Thickness tolerance on film-faced plywoodCalibrated formwork plywood
Sanded to thickness before the film.
Calibrated formwork plywoodFilm-faced plywood grades
How formwork panels are graded.
Film-faced plywood gradesEN 636 plywood classes
Dry, humid and exterior classes explained.
EN 636 plywood classesCut-to-size panels
Your cutting list, cut and painted at the mill.
Cut-to-size formwork panelsBuyer questions
Questions about plywood sizes, thickness and grades
What are the standard sizes of shuttering plywood?
1220 × 2440 mm (4 × 8 ft) and 1250 × 2500 mm. We cut smaller sizes to a cutting list and press nothing larger.
What thickness of plywood is recommended for formwork?
18 mm for slab decks and walls on timber joists, 21 mm for beam-and-deck systems, and 12 or 15 mm for frame facings and light work. Joist spacing and pour pressure decide.
What thickness tolerance applies to your film-faced plywood?
±0.5 mm on thickness and ±2 mm on length and width. The tolerance for each order is written on its technical sheet.
Can you cut custom sizes or supply a cutting list?
Yes. We cut film-faced and anti-slip panels to your list at the mill and paint every cut edge before packing.
Which film weights can I specify?
From 120–125 g/m² up to over 200 g/m²; about 130–135 g/m² is the most common now. Film brand, weight and colour are written on the order.
What is structural grade plywood?
Plywood with strength declared for load-bearing use; in Europe under EN 13986 with a Declaration of Performance. Our CE FPC covers structural plywood of 3.6–30 mm.
Quotation
Send your specification
Send the size, thickness, film weight and quantity, or your cutting list. We reply with a technical sheet and a load plan.