Luan - Lauan - or Philippine Mahogany Plywood in Dolls' Houses:
Luan or Lauan plywood, sometimes called Philippine Mahogany is a soft lightweight plywood often used for tab and slot dollhouses as it is available in thin sheets, 1/8, 3/16 and ¼ inch thicknesses. The thinner sheets can be stamped and die cut, rather than sawn which makes this type of dollhouse less expensive to produce. The wood has soft stranded fibres, so it needs careful filling and sanding to take paint well.Pros and Cons of Lauan Plywood for Dolls' Houses:
Dollhouse or other structures made of lauan or Philippine Mahogany plywood are lightweight, but may not be as sturdy as house made from thicker mdf or baltic birch plywood. The thinner thicknesses of luan plywood may warp easily, make sure your construction is properly braced, especially if you plan on adding heavy trims to luan plywood houses.
Make sure you carefully fill and sand the wood, especially if the dollhouse uses slot and tab construction where the slots and tabs must be slightly loose in their fit.
Where to Find Luan/Lauan Plywood in Thin Sheets.:
In a lumber yard, luan/lauan or Philippine mahogany plywood is often sold in pieces sized for recovering door facings for hollow core or folding cupboard doors. Artists and miniaturists will buy an inexpensive mahogany door skin which will give them a 1/8 inch thick piece of luan plywood to use as an inexpensive painting surface, or wood for making dolls houses and other lightweight scale buildings.
What is Lauan Plywood?:
Luan/Lauan is not a true mahogany. It is generally structurally weak, so it is used mostly as a facing material, or for building boats, where the construction methods will help strengthen it.
Lauan plywood is made from tropical rainforest trees mostly in the Shorea family. As a wide variety of different species are sold as Lauan/Luan plywood, try to buy the material you need for a project at the same time to ensure it has similar color and handling qualities.
Most Luan plywood comes from tropical Asian rainforests, try to ensure the wood you purchase is sustainably harvested.
