baltic birch?

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where can i buy some baltic birch ply for my 65 westy?

[Type2meister]

I bought 3mm (1/8") Baltic Birch at a specialty wood supply store called Reimer Hardwoods
http://www.reimerhardwoods.com/
There should be a similar type of store in your neck of the woods.

[cru62]

The stuff I bought for my 66 westy was called "Europly" and was widder than 48". It was wide enough to do the roof without a splice and the roof takes a piece at least 50" wide.

[veedubgirl]

we bought ours at a specialty wood place, BUT i have seen it at home depot. However, it only came in the 1/2 inch size not the needed 1/8 inch ply... I guess it may work but it'd be a pain to fit in any place. Look in your local phone book under lumber yards.. call around and ask them what they have. If you have a good supplyer in your area they probibly will be able to order some for you...
hope this helps.
Jen
66 riviera

[OB Bus]

It's not "Baltic" birch, but my local Home Depot sells 1/4" birch ply in 4'X 4' as well as 4'X 8'sheets. It's a whole lot chaper than the specialty stuff.

[Major Woody]

Guy whose late 50s westy was featured in HVWs a year or so ago had his panels made out of 1/8" african Avodire wood. Supposedly the closest match to the original baltic birch that he could find. Looked fantastic in the pictures! Got it from some specialty veneer plywood place in LA. "Veneer Products"? You would have to check.

Good luck!

Chris
JHC

[Bart]

Problem with 1/4" stuff is it doesn't flex as much. Try making door panels out of 1/4" or the pieces that go in the back or on the roof. Don't waste your money on 1/4" stuff. I have several sheets of 1/4" birch in my garage that I now have for other projects.

[Major Woody]

I just found a place that stocks 5X5 sheets of 3/32 baltic birch (and other thicknesses as well) right here in my own backyard. Only $17.95 a sheet and very nice quality.

They also have 2X8 sheets of peel & stick or regular birch veneer for the bottom of the whatnot cabinet and other places in the westy interior where veneer is needed. You can buy less than a full sheet of the veneer which is sold by the square foot; the cabinet bottom takes a half sheet. I bought a whole sheet and would sell the remaining half if anyone is interested.

Woodcrafters
212 NE 6th
Portland, OR 97232
(503) 231-0226

[NorCalRiviera]

Funny this thread gets bumped back up today. I literally just got home from a place over near me called Minton's and picked up a 4X8 sheet of birch and some light stain to make new door panels for $21.95...well, that was for the sheet...dropped another $13 on stain and stuff. Very happy with that place. I'd go back for sure.

-Taylor
_________________
1967 Riviera Camper

[vrguy]

You need to 5x5 sheets to do the overhead panels. 4x8's will not have the seams in the right place or have the grain running in the correct direction.
Terry
Frodo 65 Westy
www.buskatiers.org

[SeriousInterested]

So Baltic Birch as a substitute for the origianl veneer is probably the best but considering the price, white birch or "plain" birch or maybe oak (??) would suffice. However, what about the stain....or does one simply not stain but coat with a clear polyurethane?

Does anyone have any other points worth noting when it comes to the birch panels? Would appreciate it.

[jeremysmithatshawdotca]

I would spend the little but extra to get baltic birch at a specialty wood supply shop, rather than regular birch from the home depot. It will hold up better to the wear and tear, and especially to water over the years. You can either rub on some stain then give it a clearcoat, or just go for the clearcoat alone. Jeremy

[Major Woody]

SeriousInterested, appears you misunderstood.

Westies originally came with baltic birch plywood paneling. The stuff at home depot is not the same; there are huge color variations within a single sheet of the in the home depot birch, and the grain is flatter because the wood is farmed and it grows faster. If you want to see an example of what kind of birch you get at home depot, check out 66split's beautiful black and silver westy in the gallery. A fabulous job on the interior but the original wood did not look like that. At 4X8, Home Depot Birch also isn't wide enough to do your roof or floor.

There are two places in a late westy that have birch veneer over plain plywood. The first is the bottom of the table. The second is the bottom of the whatnot cabinet. If you need to repair them, you have to get just the veneer off and replace it. There is another recent thread on the veneer replacement itself; search for it under my name.

Baltic Birch isn't any more expensive than the stuff at home depot, unless you have to have it shipped to you. You might check at the special services and pro desks at home depot. I have been told they can get 5X5 sheets of 1/8 baltic birch for you.

If you want to be 100% correct, then you don't stain the panels. Originally they were very light but over time the varnish yellows and the wood darkens. I am going to stain mine to look older.

Three or four coats of oil based polyurethane is the best coating. Sand the first coat to lay down the fuzz in the wood and any dust that got in the finish, then apply your finish coats. Be sure to coat the back with two coats also, or the panels will absorb moisture from the air and won't be as dimensionally stable. The glue between the plys is interior grade, so you want to give it as much protection from moisture as you can.

If you want to ensure that the stain absorbs evenly, put down an thin layer of stain sealer before staining the wood. This is necessary on softwood to ensure that you get an even color like what came from the factory.

[SeriousInterested]

Hej thanks Major Woody - I think going with Baltic Birch and following your advice on staining sounds like the way to go. Also, thanks for the tip that the wood is interior stuff and needs to be coated on the back. Thanks.

[Major Woody]

Bumping up this ancient thread to note what I did to get the color to match the faded original (I do not care for the bright new color of birch with only a coat of poly on it).

Using spray equipment, I applied a single coat of Minwax stain sealer and wiped it off. Then sprayed two coats of stain mixed up as follows:
50% stain sealer
20% Minwax golden oak
20% Minwax pecan
10% Minwax red mahogany.
Spraying the stain allows you to increase the intensity of color or tone depending on how the wood absorbs the stain. This way you get all the panels more uniform in color. You do not need to wipe the stain off, because it is already "cut" with the stain sealer and very thin. You just let it dry.

Then a single heavy spray coat of oil based satin polyurethane, sanded when dry. Then two medium spray coats of Minwax satin "Polyshades" Honey Pine. This stuff is billed as "stain and finish in one step"...what it really is is tinted varnish and it gives the wood that slightly ambered look like old varnish has. Finally, one more coat of satin clear poly. I thinned all the polyurethane 15% with mineral spirits. Lay the panels flat to dry to avoid runs.

The new wood panels look almost exactly like what I removed--maybe a little lighter but the same tone, and they look correct next to the formica pieces as well. I also used veneer on the long wall panel to get the grain running vertically as original. You apply the veneer to a regular piece of 1/8' birch from Home Depot after the panel has been cut to size with 3M Super 90 spray adhesive, and a rubber roller. Do it in a cold room so you will have as much work time with the adhesive as possible. Then trim it with a knife and sand. I am very pleased with the result--it looks excellent.

[pyrOman]

Pics?!?
_________________
Some people are so busy being clever they don't have time enough to be wise.

[NAES]

4X8 sheets of 1/8 or 1/4 in San Gabriel, CA. I used it to make skateboards.

Just hit up any specialty wood supply house and you should be fine.

~$20 a sheet.
_________________
BDM Hit Man.
BOW diehard.
SBS #00

Looking for
OG paint Mango drivers door
60 Standard build

[[email protected]]

Og wood is /was Limba plywood panel covering, at least on the the 3 westfalia I have dating from 55 to 82. you could use the birsh panel as a base to venear with the limba.
Early westflia's used quater sawn limba giving it that ribbin like grain, later westfalia's used spiral cut (less wast and cheper to make)that look a lot like birch. I'm nor saying all used limba just eveyone I have seen.
If you want the plywood to realy last use boat grade plywood as the base .

[Major Woody]

Jim, I definitely noticed a difference between the 3/4 plywood that is used in the cabinetry, seat cushion bottoms, spice rack etc and the paneling used on the doors.

The stuff used in the cabinetry appears to be quartersawn and is a wood unlike anything I have ever seen before. While I strongly believe based on its appearance that the paneling on my bus was birch, I tend to agree with you that the cabinetry must have been veneered with it. Even the pieces receiving the laminate have that grain on the back.

You absolutely cannot tell any difference between the wood that I removed and the new wood.

I am also convinced that the original wood was interior glue and got max two coats of spray lacquer, which would explain why is is so adversely affected by moisture and humidity. Mine was literally disintegrating, even up in the roof where there was no direct moisture problem. I wish I could afford to source marine grade 5X5 1/8" ply but the prices I saw were just ridiculous.

Edited for clarity

[bastardbus]