Ever wonder “What’s the deal with Plywood?”  Why don’t we just use wood instead? Today you’ll learn why laminated wood is strong and good.  On this day in 1947, Howard Hughes flew the world’s largest airplane, it weighed 200 tons, cost $25 million dollars and was made entirely of wood!  Earning it the nickname “Spruce Goose”!  Actually it was made of plywood, and Hughes chose it for many of the same reasons we still use it today! 
First it’s economical!  Mills peel lots of thin wood strips from each log, producing more raw material than cutting planks.  These strips are then glued across each other in layers, and because wood is strongest with the grain, cross lamination extends the strength both ways, making plywood much stronger than wood.    Hughes may have had another reason for choosing plywood too.  In case the “Spruce Goose” took a dive, he knew wood would stay afloat a while, better than a metal plane!
The dough you save on plywood can help keep you afloat too, and that’s the “why” of plywood!