February 13, 2025
(press release)
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What do you know about MDO? You may or may not have even heard of it, but it is an acronym for medium density overlay, referring to the type of paper that is overlaid on a softwood plywood panel and bonded under heat and pressure. The overlay, which can be only on the face of the panel (called good-1-side or G1S) or the face and the back (good-2-side, or G2S), is a durable, resin-impregnated paper made from wood fiber that resists abrasion, moisture penetration, chemicals, and deterioration. MDO makes a great substrate for painted signs, truck and trailer linings, soffits and fascias, storage racks, cabinets and even siding. The benefits of an MDO face, coupled with the advantages of softwood plywood, make MDO a great project panel that is dimensionally stable, has a high strength-to-weight ratio, and is available in large 4×8 and 4×10 sheets that can be worked with common woodworking tools – in fact, a Roseburg employee used Roseburg MDO for wedding décor. 1-step vs. 2-step MDO Even with a paper overlay, where you don’t have to worry about some of the characteristics of wood often seen on softwood plywood panels (like knots, pitch pockets, patches, or putty) the quality of an MDO panel can vary depending on how it is made. Some producers lay-up MDO in a single pass through the press, layering the wood veneers and the paper with resin and pressing them together at once. This method creates what is called “1-step MDO”. 1-step MDO is efficient from a manufacturing standpoint, but 1-step panels aren’t suitable for every application, especially those where appearance is important because 1-step MDO is known for “telegraphing”. Telegraphing is the term for when you can see and feel the grain of the veneer or patches of a repaired veneer through the paper overlay. Telegraphing results in panels that are less smooth, and even when primed and painted, telegraphing is often still visible. The other way to make MDO, and how Roseburg does it, is what is called a “2-step” process. 2-step MDO is made by laying the paper overlay onto a pre-made softwood plywood “blank”. The blank is essentially the core of the panel that has already been pressed, cured and cooled, and has gone through a the patch line and the sander before the paper overlay is applied. Once the paper overlay is applied, the result is a buttery smooth MDO panel for when appearance matters. Roseburg’s 2-step MDO is available primed with a factory-applied primer to help you finish your projects more quickly. Additional Resources To learn more, check out our recent case study or Roseburg’s MDO product page. Sources: APA Overlaid Panels, https://www.apawood.org/overlaid
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