Structural plywood and construction plywood are named according to ISO and European standards or to American regulations. X represents a surface that may have a considerable number of (sometimes large) knots, knot-holes and splits.
Small knot-holes and splits in the veneer are filled. The designations B, BB and X apply to pine plywood and hardwood plywood.ī means a surface with only very small knots. An anti-slip finish can be achieved by embossing a pattern on the surface layer. Shuttering plywood also has a wide range of other uses, not least in agriculture, transport and signs. Both sides of the panel have a completely smooth surface veneer coated with a layer of paper impregnated with phenol (phenolic film). Shuttering plywood is designed for making moulds to shape cast concrete. Plywood can therefore be used for concrete formwork and for façades, roofs, boats and caravans. Plywood is usually glued together with phenolic resin, which is essentially a water-resistant adhesive. Its structure means that plywood can be sawn into any shape. When using plywood, it is worth noting that the panels are usually stiffer and stronger in one direction. For some grades, any knot-holes in the surface veneer are filled to give a smooth surface. Veneers with sawn knots give the surfaces a great deal of variation. A pattern embossed on the paper film can give the character of different woods. Some types of plywood are coated with a thin surface layer of melamine or phenolic film (shuttering plywood). The pattern of the grain or other characteristics of the wood raw material provide a richly varied appearance. Since the wood pattern is important for the final look, the method of cutting the veneer is crucial. The veneers are obtained by slicing or rotary cutting. We ended up having to replace the entire façade, so were determined not to make the same mistake again”.Plywood panels are made from an odd number of thin veneers laid at right angles to each other and glued together. It was made from a recycled plastic and not only did longevity prove to become an issue, but the installation was extremely difficult and the product simply didn’t allow for any imperfections in the precast behind it, or thermal contraction and expansion. “We’d already created a similar look for a previous ALDI store in a heritage area” reveals Clohesy, “But the timber-look cladding we used was a disaster. But finding the best possible timber-look cladding was key to the unique design.
The final approved design for ALDI Norwood included replacing ALDI’s instantly recognisable pre-cast concrete box façade with brick and timber-look cladding, to soften its street presence and add character. “We went through an extensive design review and approval process with the Office for Design and Architecture South Australia (ODASA), who helped us to ensure the final look of the building would blend well with its surroundings”.
“Most ALDI stores will look the same but we knew that Norwood needed to be different”, Clohesy explains. Paul Clohesy, Senior Architect at Select, is an ALDI expert, having designed more than 12 ALDI stores over the past four years. So, when ALDI decided to build one of its newest stores in the neighbourhood, it was clear that the design would need to be very different to the usual ALDI formula. A combination of its proximity to Adelaide’s centre, excellent restaurants and cafes as well as beautiful heritage buildings, have helped Norwood to become one of the most sought-after suburbs in South Australia. However – not every ALDI store is identical particularly those built in unique locations.Īs one of the oldest local councils in Australia, Norwood – an eastern suburb in Adelaide – is a quaint, leafy suburb bursting with historical significance and heritage architecture. As a result, ALDI’s branding, logos and stores have also become instantly recognisable to most Australians, with every store following a similar layout, design and aesthetic. Known for its high quality products and exceptional value, ALDI has quickly become a huge success story in Australia, with more than 500 stores nation-wide since its launch in 2001.