.Look at this clever layout including a wall-mounted mixing valve and a contemporary floor drain.

Keep all the action in one place, this kitchen features a large island with a waterfall counter.

Get creative and keep some appliances in a pantry to allow the kitchen space to be more open and clean.

The term plywood is used loosely and can often refer to multiple products.  By definition, plywood is made up of thin sheets of veneer or “plys” of wood that are glued together.  The layers are typically glued in a perpendicular grain pattern to give strength to the plywood. The visible faces of the plywood will be a higher grade veneer than the core veneers.

Plywood is the most expensive type of wood panel.  It is very strong due to its veneered layers, so it can be used in interior and mild exterior situations.  It has interior strength, which means it is great for securing to walls or other surfaces.

MDF stands for medium-density fiberboard.  MDF is made of sawdust, wood shavings, resin, and wax.  These ingredients are mixed together, pressed into panels, and intensely heated.  This process forms rigid sheets of MDF which are sanded smooth.

 The disadvantages of MDF are that it is very heavy, very dusty to work with, and commonly contains urea-formaldehyde.  Interior MDF will swell or disintegrate with water, but exterior MDF is very water-resistant. Additionally, MDF lacks interior strength.

Particle board is a common type of wood paneling that often has a bad reputation.  It is similar to MDF. Particle board is made of small chips of wood that are dried, glued, heated, and pressed together to make panels.  Most particleboard panels are then coated with a melamine-urea formaldehyde resin to provide water resistance. These are the particle board panels that most people are familiar with.

Particle board is less expensive than plywood.  It is great for interior cabinetry and shelving.  The melamine coating gives color options and doesn’t need to be painted.  The main drawback is that it does not have interior strength and screws can easily strip.