Berta Store · Plywood comparison
Two finished birch surfaces. Two different cores. Compare Berta’s clear prefinished Baltic birch with UV-finished birch over poplar for your next cabinet or furniture project.
The quick answer: choose clear prefinished Baltic birch when your project calls for an all-birch core at 18 mm. Choose UV prefinished birch when a poplar core meets the design and you want 18, 12, or 6 mm options. Both compared 18 mm sheets already have finished faces on both sides.
Clear prefinished Baltic birch
This 18 mm panel lists a 13-ply, solid birch core and B/B faces under a clear protective finish. Consider it when that construction is part of the specification or you want to review its layered edge for a visible detail.
Inspect the supplied edge and plan its finish. Factory-finished faces do not finish new cuts.
UV prefinished birch
This range combines natural birch veneer with a multi-ply poplar core. Compare it for cabinet interiors and other parts where the panel meets your requirements and the available UV finish suits the project.
18 and 12 mm have two finished faces; 6 mm has one. Check the reverse-face requirements of thinner parts.
“Birch” can identify the face veneer or the core. “Prefinished” describes the supplied surface. Check all three before comparing sheet prices.
On a small screen, swipe the table horizontally.
| Specification | Clear prefinished Baltic birch | UV prefinished birch |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Listed 100% solid Baltic birch veneers; 13-ply, void-free construction. | Multi-ply poplar plywood with natural birch face veneer. |
| Listed face grade | B/B. | Grade A cabinet-grade plywood. |
| Surface | Clear prefinished protective surface. | UV-cured clear finish on birch veneer. |
| Available thicknesses | 18 mm, sold as nominal 3/4 in. | 18, 12, and 6 mm; nominal 3/4, 1/2, and 1/4 in. |
| Finished faces | Both faces on the listed 18 mm panel. | 18 and 12 mm: both faces. 6 mm: one face. |
| Listed sheet size | 4 × 8 ft; listing also specifies 2440 × 1220 mm. | 4 × 8 ft (48 × 96 in). |
| Current 18 mm price | $169.90 USD / sheet | $87.99 USD / sheet |
| Selection to confirm | Prefinished Baltic Birch Plywood 4x8. | Birch, with the required thickness, in the combined Birch / White Melamine listing. |
The grade labels come from the separate listings; they are not a direct A-versus-B quality scale across grading systems. Compare samples for acceptable face appearance. Measure usable sheet dimensions and actual thickness before cutting fitted parts.
Both cards show nominal 3/4-inch (18 mm) panels with two finished faces. The UV birch link selects Birch, not White Melamine.
All-birch core · Clear surface
18 mm · Nominal 3/4 in · 4 × 8 sheet
$169.90 USD / sheet
Available to order · Confirm fulfillment details.
Poplar core · Birch veneer
Birch / 3/4 in (18 mm) · 4 × 8 sheet
$87.99 USD / sheet
Available to order · Confirm fulfillment details.
Prices update from the exact variants when the page loads. Include cut waste, edge treatment, fabrication, delivery, and applicable taxes. Check bulk-pricing details and the final order total.
Write down the thickness and visible faces for every part. In the UV birch range, thinner options have their own finish details:
12 mm · Nominal 1/2 in
Use when the component design specifies 12 mm. Confirm grooves, drawer-slide requirements, fasteners, and supports before changing material thickness.
View Birch / 12 mm6 mm · Nominal 1/4 in
For specified backs or drawer bottoms with suitable support, plan which face is visible and any finishing needed on the reverse.
View Birch / 6 mmThe clear prefinished Baltic birch listing compared here offers 18 mm only. Nominal inch labels are rounded: 18 mm is about 0.709 in. Measure the supplied sheet before machining a close-fitting joint.
Compare both samples under your project lighting. Look at birch tone, grain, sheen, surface feel, and the layered edge. Similar product names do not guarantee matching finishes across the two ranges.
Samples are small review pieces, not full sheets or load tests. Inspect the delivered panels before laying out visible parts.
01 · Layout
Confirm usable sheet size, mark grain direction, and allow for saw kerf and trimming in the cut-list calculator.
02 · Assembly
A finished face changes the bonding surface. Follow the adhesive instructions for the actual coating and test the joint on an offcut. Protect the faces while machining and assembling.
03 · Edges
Plan edge banding, solid edging, or a deliberately exposed plywood edge. Use the edge-banding calculator to estimate visible runs.
No. The standard UV birch option has birch face veneer over a poplar plywood core. The clear prefinished Baltic birch product lists solid birch veneers throughout its 13-ply construction.
The standard birch range explicitly specifies a UV-cured clear finish. The Baltic birch listing specifies a clear prefinished protective surface. Do not assume identical coating chemistry, sheen, or performance; compare samples and ask for coating details if your project requires them.
That is the product’s existing URL. The current listing describes clear prefinished Baltic birch for cabinet and interior woodworking. It is not the brown or black phenolic panel intended for concrete formwork.
No. Ply count alone does not give a load rating for your cabinet. Check the actual panel, span, support, load, joints, and fasteners against the design. This comparison does not establish interchangeable structural performance.
These products already have finished faces. If your project needs a custom stain or paint system, compare unfinished panels and test the complete finishing process. Do not assume stain will penetrate a factory coating like bare veneer.
A factory face finish does not make the complete assembly waterproof. Plan protection for cut edges and joints. The Baltic panel’s listed WBP glue does not turn an interior cabinet panel into an exterior or formwork product.
Send the required core, thickness, visible-face requirements, sheet quantity, and delivery ZIP code. We can help confirm the current product options and fulfillment details.