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A: Veneering, laminating, and marquetry were all practiced at various times in history and in various regions. In theory these practices bear some similarity to plywood in that they comprise two or more layers of wood bound together for strength or artistic effect. However, in reality these bear little or no resemblance to the sort of plywood you can buy at the local home center.
The layers of modern plywood are peeled on large rotary lathes, giving them a very different grain pattern than the sawn veneers that would be used in pre-industrial woodworking. They are then glued together under heat and pressure. The result is something that is both cheap and useful. Unfortunately, it is not something that resembles the materials available to the medieval European craftsman.
If you choose to use plywood in period pieces, recognize that this is a modern expedient and not a period practice. Consider using joined up boards, which often can be found in home centers for only a little more than plywood. If you do use plywood in lieu of solid stock, I suggest using stuff with a fine grain, such as birch. While it will still not have the same appearance as solid wood or true veneer, it will be less noticeable than the large open grain of most construction-grade plywood.
When using plywood for period pieces, I suggest paint for a finish. In general I find that stained plywood looks like, well, stained plywood. If using milk paint, you may need to mix it a bit thicker and use more coats than you would for solid wood, as the plywood doesn't seem to take up the paint as well (perhaps from the gluing process).
Ed Note: This question often comes up due to an article in an online "open source" encyclopedia that assets that Egyptian laminate is "plywood." This in turn seems to have been copied from a brief book on Egyptian furniture. The author would seem to be more historian than woodworker.
Besides, how many ancient Egyptians do you find in medieval Europe?
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Copyright 2006, Tom Rettie. Content may not be republished in any form without permission of the author.