9 Best Plywood for Painting 2024 to Save Beautiful Artwork

Why do you expect plywood rather than solid or regular ones? Let’s guess!

You need super smooth paints on that plywood board, which are more durable to support your paints, binding the grains more tightly. And of course, as it’s a lighter one. Right?

However, these aren’t the only attributes that make plywood excellent for your painting. What’s more can make it the best one because it should be more robust, inflexible, have high toughness and precise specifications, and so on.

Moreover, as for painting purposes, you need to find out the best plywood for painting, and it’s why you are here! Hopefully, you will discover your desire from our best choices.

In this Guide, we discuss details about the best quality plywood that is best suited for painting. As like plywood types, Plywood grade, longevity, etc.

But, as we know, among so many options, it’s hard to decide on. Don’t worry; we have made it easy for you with a detailed guide on some of the best paint-grade plywood for painting you can get. Along with that, we have provided an incise buying guide to help you out in making it more specific and transparent.

What Is Paint Grade Plywood?

We know plywood is sheet material wood which is made of multiple layers of standard wood sheet.

Different types of plywood can be paint grade. Among all of them, Baltic Birch is better for painting and also popular among designers, painters, or craft workers.

Baltic plywood is well tight-up with glue and better to hold screws and knots, thick and strong with many more advantages.

Paint grade plywood is easier to maintain. Again, if you choose any expensive plywood for painting, it will save you time. Because they are well finished and smooth, you don’t need to do any hard work to polish the wood.

How to Choose High-Quality Plywood for Art & Craft Projects:

You may already know many important facts regarding the perfect plywood for painting. But this may not be helpful enough for you to decide.

Therefore, we list the things you should check before buying the high-quality plywood for painting with more detailed information.

a) Well Graded Plywood has the Qualities:

The first thing you should keep in mind before buying any plywood is which grade it is? For painting, the wise choices are either MDF or Birch plywood.

Let us explain, MDF has no visible grain, which means the softest and smooth surface. And this makes it perfect for painting.

On the other hand, Birch has a very plain exterior; also, the whole plywood is strong. Many of the birch plywood is perfect for mixed-media arts.

The choice now depends on you. If you’re a beginner, then MDF would be great for you. But if you’re a professional artist and love to do mixed-media, want it to last longer, then birch is the right one to prefer.

b) The Smoother Surface, the More Easiness in Painting:

Paint colors sit entirely only when it is done on something smooth and hard. The more smoothness means simpler for the brush to move and for the paint to sit.

In case of that, MDF provides a softer plywood surface. Moreover, this will give your paint the perfect finish it needs.

c) Strong Plywood Last Longer:

The artists want their creations to have a long life. Therefore looking for strongly built plywood is a must.

As woods are easily damaged in many ways like by water, by beetles attack, by falling off from a high place; that’s why the strength of the plywood plays a vital role.

The tougher the exterior, the longer the duration!

d) Flexibility lets the artist bring different creations:

Surely you need the plywood to be flexible enough to cut it if you want to do crafts. If you’re going to make a wooden toy car and then paint it, you must need your plywood to be soft.

These are why a professional wood artist searches for such plywood that is easy to cut through the cutting tools.

e) Look at your budget before choosing:

Be sure of how much you want to invest in buying the plywood you want to work on. As there are many options in a variety of prices, you may easily get confused.

But if you fix the amount to spend, you will have limited options and decide quickly which one to buy.

9 Best Plywood For Painting – 2024 Reviews:

Now then, as you know what’s more preferable according to your needings, let’s have a incise look at some of the best plywood for painters for better understanding and decision making:

1. 3MM 1/8″ x 12″ x 12″ Baltic Birch Plywood:

“Smoothest texture along with amazing durability”; what else you need to look for in plywood?

This Baltic Birch Plywood is made from Russian Baltic birch trees. It ensures the quality, and its smoothness and versatile usage prove its worth.

With it, you can do almost all art-related works like painting, engraving, drawing, etc. The plywood is so thick and smooth that you are allowed to even do laser projects.

There are plenty of reasons to choose this. The first reason is its texture. The surface is plain and has no lack at all, and sheering display proves its smoothness quite well.

The second cause is its durability. Well, the plywood has thick layers that help in strengthening both inner space and the outer surface. Hence it becomes firm and doesn’t get broken easily.

Plywood is usually used for arts, crafts, engraving, and making furniture like drawers, cabinets, etc. They are flexible and stable.

And in this case, baltic birch plywood is best. Why? Let’s evaluate:

Let’s talk about painting on plywood first. Painting requires woods that can hold the colors, don’t splits and resist bubbling. It’s soft and shiny surface takes the paint on it correctly. The colours mix nicely on it that they never smudge.

Now come to talk about crafting. This Baltic Plywood is flexible to cut, and its thickness gives it a long-lasting lifespan. So you can easily create a wooden coat rack, wooden chalkboard, crayon holder, plant stand, and many more.

Engraving on Baltic birch Plywood would be pleasing because it’s mellow yet well-built surface lets you polish it while not worrying about crease and crumple.

It comes in a 12×12 square shape and 3MM 1/8″ size, perfect for creating furniture such as cabinets, drawers, and wooden boxes.

Pros:

• Smooth and well-built for many usages
• The thickness guarantees the durability
• Its waterproof so doesn’t get ruined easily
• Comes with shine and bright color to use
• Excellent quality makes it value for money.

Cons:

• The dry environment makes it crack.
• Attract beetles that may affect its lasting life.

Verdict:

3MM 1/8″ x 12″ x 12″ Baltic Birch Plywood is budget-friendly and provides great-quality with amazing uses. Beginners or pros everyone would love to work with it because of its easiness and toughness.

So if you are looking for plywood associated with any art or craftworks within your budget, you can get this one without any hesitation.

2. U.S. Art Supply 18″ x 24″ Birch Wood Paint Pouring Panel Boards

You don’t have to look anywhere else if you’re in search of a wooden paint panel that doesn’t warp. Surprising right? But the U.S Art wood paint panel can do so.

Because its birch faces are smooth and sanded, to ensure strength, hardwood cradles have been used. This helps the board not to get warped.

Painting on such reliable and perfectly textured panel boards would be an easy task to do. It fulfills another vital requirement: “Depth “; yes, 1-1/2” depth gallery panels are used to give it a premium quality.

Hence you can use it for doing any art or craftworks. Thinking about your paint’s longevity, it will only last when the thing you have painted on is long-lasting.

As it allows mixed-media, proves its significant amount of quality. You can pour the colors onto it and do oil, tempera, acrylic, impasto, and many other arts.

Don’t worry about costs as it’s available at a reasonable price. So, if you’re a beginner in painting and searching for a quality full yet affordable wood paint panel, then this would be the perfect one.

Pros:

• Comes in premium quality
• Reduces the risk of breaking for its sturdiness
• Can be used as a mixed-media
• Holds painting for a long time
• Available at a budget-friendly rate

Cons:

• Can get chipped on the top corners
• Perishes if not used carefully

Verdict:

U.S. Art Supply 18″ x 24″ Birch Wood Paint Pouring Panel Boards are very handful stuff. It may get chipped on the top corners, but it will not be a problem if you use it carefully.

Our analysis suggests you get one of them if you are really into painting on professional used panel boards. Because this plywood is not only useful but also it’s cheap.

3. Juvale Wood Canvas

Need a wooden canvas that is mainly made for doing professional paintings? Juvale Wood Canvas will do for you.

The chief reason why it’s a professional’s choice is the allowance of many mediums. Such as watercolor, acrylic, tempera, collage, encaustic, and other crafts are easily done with it.

For other reasons, its natural wood resisting splitting or bubbling attracts the painters. Coming to another cause, that is its mesmerizing wooden frame. The wooden frame helps the painting to not get crumpled or creased.

Made from pinewood, so toughness and smoothness are present here. Also, enough flexibility to cut and do crafting for home decor, party, wedding, and other occasions. That’s why it’s a professional’s preferred one.

Juvale Wood Canvas is not only pliable but also durable. Both the inner and outer sheets are strongly glued to each other, which prevents warping and bending.

Therefore, if you are searching for a wood canvas that does best for painting and lasts long, you may prefer this one!

Pros

• Perfectly glued sheets strengthen the whole canvas
• Grips many medium colors
• Has a nice looking frame around it
• The average lifespan is impressive
• A useful and affordable gift

Cons

• Dried glue globs are sometimes found on the front
• Lines through where pieces of wood are connected

Verdict

We suggest you get the Juvale Wood Canvas if you are a beginner in painting and searching for a professional canvas.

Its frame is the vital cause of why you should buy it. The canvas frame will keep holding your masterpiece, providing you ease in working, and it’s affordable too!

4. Ampersand Art Supply Unprimed Basswood Artist Panel

Wondering if other good quality panels are made of a different kind of wood? Then here is one different, Ampersand Art Supply Basswood Artist Panel.

It is made of Basswood. That clears, it’s soft and light weighted, no knots or seams can be found.

It’s sturdy, and premium quality surface lets it keep the paint for an extended period. Also, a plain outer panel helps your paintbrush to move upon it nicely.

The fine panel will give all your paintings a smooth finish. You don’t even have to worry about fiber rising because it’s one of the top qualities. Specially made for painting mixed media, collage, encaustic also wood graving.

The panel is sanded correctly and has a 4mm non-flexible basswood top. That makes sense why it’s long-lasting. A lesser cost panel comes at 18×24 inches, which is large enough for painting a great image.

Pros

• The evenly smooth surface gives an excellent finish.
• Available at a very reasonable price
• Solid texture prevent accidents like breaking, flexing, bending
• Keeps the paint on it for long
• Can be hung on walls

Cons

• The non-flexible corners make it imperfect for crafting.
• Completely flat panel.

Verdict

It obtains all the requirements that a painting panel should have as it is made for painting purposes. So, you can give it a try!

5. Premium Baltic Birch Plywood

Here comes another Baltic Birch Plywood, and it’s a premium one. Why? Because of its superior quality and sustainability, it’s an ideal one for professional woodworkers and painters.

The reason why we chose to keep this on our list is mainly for its many using abilities. Yes, it can be used not only for painting but also for all other wood arts.

The soft, shiny, and plain surface alleviate drawing and painting. The sturdy but supple woodcuts through saw and laser, causing no difficulty.

If you have a painter friend and want to gift him one of the bests panels for his art, you should get it. We always want to gift something that has the best quality. Baltic Birch Plywood is already known for its excellent standard, and so this becomes a wise choice.

Its solidness can be hung on walls with no worry of shattering, so the painter can hang his creation on walls after finishing his art. The solidity also helps in keeping its shape for years after it turned into any wooden art.

If you enjoy doing art, craft with 3mm 1/8 depth and 10 x 10 inches sized plywood. Do change it the way you want and bring on your true hidden artist inside of you!

Pros

• Excellent texture prevent bending, flexing, breaking
• Smooth surface makes the paintbrushes go over it swiftly
• Cuts through wood cutting tools perfectly
• Serves you for many years
• Not costly enough to afford one

Cons

• Gets discolored easily if not painted
• It may get damaged if beetles attack.

Verdict:

Our analysis tells it offers you value for the money with its amazing quality. If you are concerned about the disadvantage, let us tell you that the chances are less if you do things cautiously and keep it diligently.

6. Birch Wood Paint Pouring Panel Boards

The U.S Art Supply brings the most delicate and most solid panel boards for art, craft, and paint. It’s so solid with a depth of 3/4″ that it can do any heavy duty.

Also, it comes with four packs of premium quality panels. Hence the panel boards serve their purposes.

When the primary purpose is painting, this one does not leave the competition. As its surface is firm and smooth, the paint can easily be put on it while causing no flexing, crumpling, creasing, and warping.

Now you don’t need a canvas to paint on. Moreover, you can hang it on walls as frames are not necessary. Including another fantastic feature of the panel boards, it serves mixed-media art amazingly.

Meaning you can use more than one medium in creating the art. You can find it in many different sizes and depths. Also, it is relatively low in price.

Pros

• Both strong interior and exterior panels
• Provide the best service for an extended period
• Colors are mixed on boards smoothly
• It does not require anything to stand or hang.
• Perfectly lets many mediums mix.

Cons

• Non-flexibility makes it imperfect for crafting
• All the panel boards are not equally thick

Verdict

You don’t want to let yourself get fooled, do you? Then know that it is, of course, the best birchwood paint panel board at its price.

This will give you full utility while serving you as professional panel boards at the price it’s available.

7. 24 Inch Wooden Circle, Pack of 1 Plywood Circle Cutout

Till now, we talked about square-shaped plywood. But are you searching for a round shape canvas? Don’t want to go through the process of shaping the plywood?

Then no worries, the woodpecker has come with their wooden circle canvas, which comes with one pack.

The well-built surface makes it usable for making many arts and crafts. It’s softly smooth exterior is perfect for painting as it is made as perfect as professional canvases.

If you ask for its ability to turn itself into something by your hands, then yes, it is capable of doing so. The circle plywood’s outer surface is so great in quality that you can engrave it and make a table or any showpiece out of it.

A Baltic birch canvas, so turns it into other decorations by using paper, beads, stain, paint, yarn, etc., and faces no problems at all.

Pros

• Comes in a beautiful round shape
• Available at a relatively lower price
• Light enough in weight
• Great for hanging decorations
• Doesn’t flex, bend for the toughness

Cons

• Not much thick
• The size is small than usual canvases.

Verdict

The 24-inch size is great for making decorations for hanging on walls. Paint them, use many elements like beads, paper, and yarn and bring the best creation out of it.

The reason why we recommend, it’s worth the price compared to the quality.

8. Caydo Wooden Circles

What if you get 10 big enough wooden circles at a low cost? Of course, that would be great!

Don’t think we’re fooling you, Caydo store offers their best quality round shape woods, which are perfect for painting or creating any other decorations.

The soft outer surface works great for painting. Also, you can put some decorative beads, yarns and stick them over them with glue.

Put some colorful paper crafts on it, then hang it anywhere you want because it’s too lightweight. It comes in a package of 10 pieces so that you can get ready to decorate your house for any occasion.

They would be of great use for kids in learning painting or craft because they won’t get hurt for their soft round edges. 12 inches large and 10 pieces wooden circles altogether package at such budget-friendly rate is a real deal.

Pros

• Ideal to use for kids learning
• Thin circle woods let your work finish earlier for its lightweight
• The smoothness leads to a perfect finish at any art
• Easy for creating door hangers, painted images, wedding ornaments
• Very much cost-effective package

Cons

• Very much low in thickness
• Perishes early if damaged

Verdict

If you are looking for woods that your kids can learn arts with, these wooden circles would be perfect for them.

As it comes in 10 pieces, your kids have options to make more than one mistake and learn to do art slowly. At such a price, they are a fantastic gift for your kids to surprise with.

9. Studio Papilla Round Art Panels

“Most perfect round shape and thickest “yes, its 15×15 dimension makes it the most perfectly round wood panel.

The 5/8 inches thickness makes it much thicker than any other circle woods available in the market for painting. These unprimed wooden circles have no visible wood grains or knots.

The smoothness and flatness of the wood give a mind-blowing finish to paintings. Also, make you enjoy painting over it with a much swifter speed.

The firmness allows you to drill it, cut it, shape it, and rout it while putting no pressure on you. The thickness makes it strong enough to keep itself safe from getting damaged easily.

As the wood is made of particleboards with engineered methods, the quality becomes top class, so they provide service for years. It is Affordable at a fair and reasonable price. The quality it has is worth the charge!

Pros

• Amazing at longevity
• Soft plain surface
• Much thicker than usual circle art panels
• Available for buying at an affording cost
• Does not bend, flex, crease, or crumple

Cons

• The edges are not sharp
• The thickness makes it heavy

Verdict

As far as our research shows, the studio papilla round art panels has much served their purposes till now.

So take this as one of the most top-listed art panels for painting. It may come at the last, but definitely, it’s not the least!

MDF vs. birch, which is better for painting?

Before you jump on to any decision, let’s see the specialties of these two plywood and then decide. They are as follows:-

MDF:

MDF (Medium-density fiberboard) is building by thin panels that are made from wood fibers. As a result, it is strong and denser.

Here are some features of MDF:

• Its fibers are pressed together perfectly
• The surface is smooth, and the sides are fibrous
• The edges can be routed
• Wood grains are not visible

Birch:

Birch is a unique wood that is made in a specific method. It is made of stratified birch veneers.

Here are some features of birch:

• Very tough and furniture grade plywood
• Piles are usually visible
• The natural-looking wood grain surface
• The natural grain is enhanced by staining and clearing coats
• Much lighter in weight

Now, as you already know each of the plywood’s components and features, you can decide on it easily.

If you still want us to recommend one, then we would say for a small design like making a logo and writing, MDF would be the best choice.

We prefer birch plying woods for creating a table, cabinet, or any other furniture and painting them.

How to prepare plywood before start painting?

Plywood is usually best for painting, but you just can’t get plywood and start painting on it right away. Before that, you need to prepare the plywood.

The first step of preparing plywood for painting is using drywalls or wood putty to fill up any cracks or holes it has. Then use some sand as well if one more coat is needed.

The second is priming. Prime your plywood with any primer which will seal off the wood’s surface. This will help your paintings not get soaked in. Of course, make sure to let the plywood dry thoroughly before start painting.

Frequently Asked Question:

Do I need to prime plywood before painting?

Yes, plywood needs to prime with primer to seal off the exterior.

If the plywood is not primed correctly, the woods will soak in the paint. To get a perfect finish in the end, priming is very much important.

Priming is not much hard work. So, do not skip priming your plywood if you want a better outcome.

What kind of plywood do you use to paint cabinets?

Baltic birch plywood is best to paint cabinets. Because of its sturdiness, sheerness, and smoothness, it becomes ideal for painting cabinets, drawers, etc.

As it is great at holding paints for a long time and does not let the paint get smudged easily, the Baltic birch Plywood is the first pick for professional artists.

What is the best quality plywood?

There are many grades in plywood. The highest grade is A, and A-grade Plywood is the best quality and most expensive.

Their surface is smooth with no knots. With the help of synthetic fillers, all the wood defects are repaired.

How do I get a smooth finish on plywood?

Plywood is great for doing all sorts of arts and crafts. Although they are well polished before selling, yet you need to prepare it before starting the work.

Or else it would not give a perfect finish to your creation. Here we’re listing the steps you can follow to get a smooth finish on plywood:

• Must clean any dust or dirt it has on its surface before you start sanding.
• Take sandpaper and sand the wood 3 to 4 times. Stroke over the plywood towards the direction of the grain
• Clean the sandpaper dust off the plywood by wiping it with a clean cloth.

These three easy steps are enough to give your plywood a smooth finish.

Do I need to prime plywood before painting?

Yes, plywood needs to prime with primer to seal off the exterior.

If the plywood is not primed correctly, the woods will soak in the paint. To get a perfect finish in the end, priming is very much important.

Priming is not much hard work. So, do not skip priming your plywood if you want a better outcome.

Conclusion

You will find various types of plywood in the market, and every one of them has different usage and advantages. Also, not every manufacturer will offer the best quality plywood.

As for our suggestion, we suggest you go for the baltic birch plywood and grade A for better quality output.

So, you need to know enough information about the types of Plywood for artwork before buying. Hopefully, our suggested list will be very helpful to you for buying a suitable one from above 9 Best Plywood for Painting (review of 2021) to Save your Beautiful Artwork.

Last Updated on June 1, 2024 by Rogers Weber

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