Plywood 15mm is the furniture thickness for doors, drawer fronts, shelves and carcass sides where 18 mm is heavier than the part needs. A 1220 × 2440 mm sheet weighs 22.3 kg on a white Styrax core. Minh Thanh Plywood presses it twice, sands it to ±0.2–0.3 mm, glues it with UF glue at E0 emission and loads 1,188 sheets into one 40HC.
What is plywood 15mm, and where does it sit between 12 and 18 mm?
Plywood 15mm is a panel 15 mm thick, built from an odd number of veneers glued with their grain alternating, and it is the lightest thickness most furniture plants still treat as a carcass board. It sits one step above 12 mm plywood, which suits backs and drawer boxes, and one step below 18 mm plywood, the default for worktops and long shelves.
Buyers pick 15 mm for three reasons. It cuts the weight of a cabinet or wardrobe by about a sixth against 18 mm, it holds standard hinge and drawer-runner screws, and it gives doors a slimmer edge line. The same panel also appears under other names in quotations: 15 mm ply board, 15mm plyboard, 15mm ply sheets and plywood 15 mm all describe the same thickness.
The plywood thickness guide shows where 15 mm sits in the full 3–40 mm range.
How is a 15 mm furniture panel built?
A 15 mm furniture panel from Minh Thanh is built with 11 plies, a stitched core and two sanded faces, and it is pressed twice. The order of work decides how flat the sheet stays after cutting.
- Core veneers: white Styrax or Eucalyptus, dried to 8–12 % moisture content.
- Core stitching: core veneers stitched horizontally and vertically, so joints stay closed under pressure.
- First pressing: the core board is pressed and calibrated to an even thickness.
- Face and back: the chosen face and back veneers are laid on the calibrated core.
- Second pressing: face and back are pressed on with UF glue at E0 emission.
- Sanding: both faces sanded, or polished where the order asks, and left UV-ready for the buyer’s own coating.
Pressing twice is the step that separates a furniture panel from a commercial one. The calibrated core gives a flat base for the face, so a 15 mm door or shelf stays straight once it is cut free of the sheet.
Which core should you choose for 15 mm: Styrax, Acacia or Eucalyptus?
Choose white Styrax for the lightest 15 mm panel, Eucalyptus for the stiffest, and Acacia when you want a mid-weight core on order. Styrax and Eucalyptus are the standard furniture cores; Acacia and Pine cores are made on order.
| Core | Planning density | Weight per 1220 × 2440 × 15 mm sheet | Best 15 mm parts |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Styrax | 500 kg/m³ | 22.3 kg | Doors, wardrobes, flat-pack parts where weight counts |
| Acacia (on order) | 580 kg/m³ | 25.9 kg | General carcasses, shop fittings |
| Eucalyptus | 650 kg/m³ | 29.0 kg | Shelves, bed bases, parts that carry load |
The weights follow one formula: sheet volume times density. A 1220 × 2440 × 15 mm sheet holds about 0.045 cubic metres of wood, so every extra 100 kilograms per cubic metre of density adds about 4.5 kg to the sheet. The plywood weight calculator runs the same sum for other sizes.
What tolerance should you ask for on 15 mm?
Ask for ±0.2–0.3 mm on sanded 15 mm furniture panels, and for ±0.2 mm when the parts go through CNC routing, edge banding or hinge boring set to a fixed depth. Length and width are held to ±2 mm.
| Product line at 15 mm | Thickness tolerance | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Sanded furniture plywood | ±0.2–0.3 mm, down to ±0.2 mm | Cabinets, doors, CNC parts |
| Commercial plywood | ±0.5 mm | Painted joinery, fit-out |
| Film-faced plywood | ±0.5 mm | Formwork |
| Packing plywood | ±0.5–1.0 mm | Crates and pallets |
Why it matters at 15 mm: a hinge cup, a groove for a back panel or a dowel line is set from the face. When thickness drifts by half a millimetre between sheets, the edge banding sits proud on one part and short on the next. Measure the arrival with a caliper at the four corners and the centre of sheets taken from several packs, and compare the readings with the tolerance on the order.
15 mm or 16 mm: which should you order?
Order 15 mm for plywood furniture designed in plywood, and 16 mm when the design started from 16 mm chipboard or MDF and the hardware, grooves and CNC programs are set for that board. Minh Thanh makes both on the same build and tolerance.
| Item | 15 mm | 16 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Sheet weight on Styrax core, 1220 × 2440 mm | 22.3 kg | 23.8 kg |
| Sheets per pack (one-metre stack) | 66 | 62 |
| Sheets per 40HC on Styrax core | 1,188 | 1,116 |
| Tolerance, sanded furniture panel | ±0.2–0.3 mm | ±0.2–0.3 mm |
| Where it is the usual choice | Plywood furniture, doors, shelves | Kitchens and wardrobes drawn for 16 mm board |
The 16 mm option, often written 16mm ply, matters most to kitchen and wardrobe makers who switch a range from melamine chipboard to plywood. Keeping 16 mm means the hinge plates, runners and back grooves stay as drawn; changing to 15 mm means a new set of drilling depths.
Is 15/32 or 5/8 inch the same as 15 mm?
No. 15/32 inch is 0.469 inch, or 11.9 mm. It is the actual thickness of US panels sold as nominal 1/2 inch, so it belongs with 12 mm, not 15 mm. 5/8 inch is 15.9 mm, and the US 19/32 inch panel is 15.1 mm.
| Name in the quotation | Actual thickness | Nearest metric panel |
|---|---|---|
| 15/32 inch (nominal 1/2 inch) | 11.9 mm | 12 mm |
| 19/32 inch (nominal 5/8 inch) | 15.1 mm | 15 mm |
| 5/8 inch | 15.9 mm | 16 mm |
| 15 mm | 15 mm | 15 mm |
US sheathing and structural panels are sold under nominal names defined in Voluntary Product Standard PS 1-22 (NIST, October 2023), and their actual thickness is a little under the nominal one. A buyer converting a US drawing to metric plywood should start from the actual figure. 15/32 plywood, 5/8 plywood and 19/32 plywood cover the inch sizes in full.
Which sizes do 15mm ply board sheets come in?
15 mm plywood is made in 1220 × 2440 mm and 1250 × 2500 mm as standard, with custom sizes such as 1220 × 2500 and 1220 × 2280 mm on order. Each size is a separate line on the quotation.
- 1220 × 2440 mm: the 4 × 8 ft sheet most buyers in Asia, the Middle East and the Americas order.
- 1250 × 2500 mm: the European size, common for buyers in Germany, Scandinavia and Benelux.
- 1220 × 2500 mm and 1220 × 2280 mm: lengths matched to a part list, so a cabinet maker cuts less waste.
- Cut-to-size: one panel cut into 4, 6 or 8 pieces at the mill, shipped regularly to Italy and other European markets.
A part list that repeats the same door or side panel thousands of times is often cheaper to buy as cut-to-size plywood than as full sheets.
Which faces and grades are ordered in 15 mm?
Any of Minh Thanh’s 10+ face veneers can go on a 15 mm panel, and the grade is quoted as a face/back pair matched to the approved sample. Poplar, birch, engineered veneer (EV), okoume and pine are the faces made most often.
| Face | Grades quoted | Typical 15 mm use |
|---|---|---|
| Poplar | A/A, A/B, B/B | Painted and laminated doors, carcasses |
| Birch | D+/D, D/E (D+ is close to European B, D to BB) | Visible cabinet faces with banded edges |
| Eucalyptus | A/A, A/B, B/B | Warm-toned visible parts |
| Pine | A/A, A/B, B/B | Pine-look furniture and joinery |
| EV and okoume | Matched to the colour reference | Decorative doors and interior panels |
Use A/A where both faces show, such as a free-standing shelf or a door seen from both sides. A/B suits carcass sides with one show face. B/B is for panels that will be painted or overlaid. Okoume-faced 15 mm is an interior panel, not a marine build.
What is 15 mm plywood used for?
15 mm plywood is used for furniture and interior parts that need a solid screw hold and a flat face at a lower weight than 18 mm. Furniture plants order it for:
- Cabinet and wardrobe doors: flat, light, and slim at the edge.
- Drawer fronts: matched in face and thickness to the doors.
- Carcass sides and shelves: on medium spans, with Eucalyptus core where shelves carry more.
- Bed bases and slats: with Eucalyptus or Acacia core for stiffness.
- Shop fittings and display units: painted or laminated over a poplar face.
- Flat-pack furniture: where the lighter Styrax core cuts carton weight and freight.
Use 18 mm for worktops, long shelves and parts that carry heavy point loads, and 12 mm for backs and drawer bottoms. The 5/8 vs 3/4 plywood comparison sets the same choice out in inch sizes.
Which glue and emission class does 15 mm come with?
15 mm furniture plywood comes with UF glue at E0 emission as standard, and MR, melamine-fortified or phenolic (WBP) bonds on order. The glue and the emission class are two separate lines of the specification, and the bond is classed under BS EN 314-2, the standard for plywood bonding quality.
15 mm is one of the three thicknesses in Minh Thanh’s chamber-test record. Six ASTM D6007 chamber tests ran from April 2025 to June 2026 on 9, 15 and 18 mm panels, three by Shanghai Hongjun and three by ICTT Vietnam, and averaged 0.014–0.032 ppm. The TSCA Title VI limit for veneer-core hardwood plywood is 0.05 ppm under 40 CFR 770.10. The mill is certified under CARB P2 / TSCA Title VI as ICTT mill no. 23024; see CARB P2 and TSCA Title VI certification.
For European buyers the panels meet the emission requirements furniture plants there ask for, and third-party testing to the buyer’s method, for example EN 717-1, is arranged through SGS on request.
How many 15 mm sheets fit in a 40HC?
One 40HC takes 1,188 sheets of 1220 × 2440 × 15 mm on a Styrax core, 1,056 on Acacia and 960 on Eucalyptus. Each pack is about one metre high, so it holds 66 sheets at 15 mm, and the heavier cores stop earlier because of weight.
| Core | Packs × sheets | Sheets per 40HC | Volume | Net weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Styrax | 18 × 66 | 1,188 | about 53 m³ | 26,523 kg |
| Acacia | 16 × 66 | 1,056 | 47.15 m³ | 27,348 kg |
| Eucalyptus | 15 × 64 | 960 | 42.87 m³ | 27,863 kg |
The plan uses a 28,000 kg planning payload. On Eucalyptus a full 66-sheet pack would push the load past that figure, so each pack is cut to 64 sheets. If your booking allows less, for example 26,000 kg, the sheet count drops to match. The 18 Styrax packs are 16 lying flat and 2 standing upright at the door end. Container loading shows how the packs go in.
How do you check a 15 mm delivery when it arrives?
Check a 15 mm delivery in four steps, using the same measurements written on the order and approved on the sample.
- Count: packs and sheets per pack against the packing list.
- Thickness: caliper at four corners and the centre of sheets from several packs, against ±0.2–0.3 mm.
- Moisture: readings across the packs, against 8–12 %.
- Faces and edges: face grade against the approved sample; edges for closed plies without gaps.
Minh Thanh photographs and films every container before loading and sends the photos and video to the buyer, so the arrival check starts from a record of how the packs left the mill.
What does a 15 mm order cost, and what drives the price?
In October 2026, furniture and interior plywood from Minh Thanh started from US$350/m³ and commercial plywood from US$250/m³. A 15 mm order is priced per cubic metre, and the final figure follows the build: face, core, glue, tolerance, size and delivery term.
The lines that move the price:
- Face and grade: birch and A/A faces cost more than B/B poplar.
- Core: Styrax, Eucalyptus, or Acacia on order.
- Glue: UF at E0 against melamine-fortified or phenolic.
- Tolerance and finish: ±0.2 mm, polishing and UV-ready faces.
- Size and quantity: custom lengths, cut-to-size, mixed loads.
- Delivery term: FOB Hai Phong, CFR or CIF.
Because a 40HC of 15 mm Styrax carries about 53 m³, the panel price and the freight are easy to compare per sheet once you have the quotation.
What happens after you send a 15 mm specification?
After you send the specification, Minh Thanh replies within hours with a quotation and free samples, then produces the order in 15–45 days after the 30% deposit. The balance of 70% is paid against the scanned B/L, or by irrevocable L/C at sight.
Typical days at sea from Hai Phong: South-East Asia 5–12, Middle East 15–25, US West Coast 20–30, Mediterranean 25–35 and Northern Europe 30–40. The minimum order is one 40HC, with mixed specifications by agreement, so a buyer can load 15 mm doors with 18 mm carcass panels in the same container.
How do you write 15 mm plywood on a quotation request?
Write 15 mm plywood on a quotation request as one line per specification, in the order a mill quotes it: application, core, glue and emission, face and grade, size, tolerance, packing and quantity.
A complete line looks like this:
15 mm furniture plywood for wardrobe doors · white Styrax core, stitched, pressed twice · UF glue at E0 emission · poplar face A/B, sanded, UV-ready · 1220 × 2440 mm · ±0.2 mm · export packs · 1 × 40HC, FOB Hai Phong.
Add a second line for any other thickness in the same container. Send it to [email protected], and the quotation comes back with the sheet weight and load plan for that build. Furniture plywood from Vietnam lists the full range.
Buyer questions, answered
How thick is 15 mm plywood really?
A sanded 15 mm furniture panel from Minh Thanh measures 15 mm within ±0.2–0.3 mm, and down to ±0.2 mm when the order asks for it. Commercial and film-faced 15 mm panels are held to ±0.5 mm.
How much does a 15 mm plywood sheet weigh?
A 1220 × 2440 × 15 mm sheet weighs about 22.3 kg on a white Styrax core, 25.9 kg on Acacia and 29.0 kg on Eucalyptus, using planning densities of 500, 580 and 650 kg/m³.
How many plies does 15 mm plywood have?
A 15 mm furniture panel is usually built with 11 plies: an odd number of veneers laid with the grain alternating, so the panel stays flat and balanced.
Is 15/32 the same as 1/2 inch plywood?
In the US, 15/32 inch is the actual thickness of panels sold as nominal 1/2 inch. It equals 0.469 inch, or 11.9 mm, so it is a 12 mm class panel, not 15 mm.
Is 15 mm plywood the same as 5/8 inch?
Close, not the same. 5/8 inch is 15.9 mm and the US 19/32 inch panel is 15.1 mm; metric 15 mm is the nearest standard thickness in Europe and Asia.
Should I order 15 mm or 16 mm plywood?
Order 15 mm for most plywood furniture and 16 mm when your hinges, drawer runners or CNC programs were set for 16 mm board. Both are made to the same build and tolerance.
How many sheets of 15 mm plywood fit in a 40HC?
On 1220 × 2440 mm sheets: 1,188 on Styrax core (18 packs of 66), 1,056 on Acacia (16 × 66) and 960 on Eucalyptus (15 × 64, capped by the 28,000 kg payload).
What is 15 mm plywood used for?
Cabinet doors, drawer fronts, shelves on medium spans, wardrobe carcasses, bed bases, table aprons and shop fittings: parts where 18 mm would add weight without adding needed stiffness.
Is 15 mm plywood strong enough for shelves?
Yes for book and kitchen shelves on moderate spans; choose a Eucalyptus core for extra stiffness, or 18 mm for long or heavily loaded shelves.
What sheet sizes does 15 mm plywood come in?
1220 × 2440 mm and 1250 × 2500 mm as standard, plus custom sizes such as 1220 × 2500 and 1220 × 2280 mm, and cut-to-size parts.
What does 15 mm plywood cost from Vietnam?
In October 2026 furniture plywood started from US$350/m³ and commercial plywood from US$250/m³, FOB Hai Phong. The price follows face, core, glue, size and quantity.
Can I buy 15 mm plywood in Denmark or elsewhere in Northern Europe from a Vietnamese mill?
Yes. Minh Thanh ships to European buyers from one 40HC with mixed specifications by agreement; Hai Phong to Northern Europe is typically 30–40 days at sea.