Tech Specs

Plywerk Anatomy 101

Plywerk can be purchased as Blank Panels (with or without adhesive) or you can take advantage of our printing and photo mounting services by uploading and purchasing Your Image on Plywerk.

photo mounted on bamboo plywood panel
Flickr

Find more images on our Flickr page

1. Plywerk Panel

Plywerk panels come in 35+ different sizes, are available in bamboo and maple and have a keyhole slot on the back for easy hanging. Two keyholes are used for panels over 24" wide.

Our bamboo comes in either a ¾" or 1.5" carbonized vertical grain plywood. Our maple plywood is a cabinet quality ½" solid birch/alder core with maple face veneer.

Both our bamboo* and maple panels are made using sustainably grown and harvested, no added urea formaldehyde (NAUF) plywood.

* Click here to read about our bamboo sourcing.

2. Adhesive Film

Transparent PH neutral adhesive protects the images from the natural acids in the wood and provides an extremely reliable bond between the images and the Plywerk panel.

3. Print

We have 11 paper finishes available in both C-Type and Ink-Jet printing. Details for each one are found below. A list of 7 things unrelated to print finishes is also found below.

1 ½" carbonized bamboo

¾" carbonized bamboo

½" solid birch/alder core maple veneer

keyhole slot on back for easy hanging

Suggested Print Choices

Choosing the right print for your photos and art can be tough, so we've come up with this fancy table to aid you in your quest. These are our "suggestions" only, so if you know what you like, ignore us and order away! Details on all of our print finishes are below.

Print Finish Casual Photography
vacation photos, family & friends, outdoor adventures
 Portrait Photography
portrait photos, graduations, keepsakes
 Pro Photography
weddings, art photography, professional photography
 Fine Art, Illustrations & Design
pen, ink, pencil, water color, graphic design
 Certificates & Signage
certificates, awards, corporate information
C-Type
Classic		 Lustre
Glossy
C-Type
Specialty		 Kodak Metallic
Fuji Pearl
Ink-Jet
Professional		 Matte
Pearl
Ink-Jet
Exhibition		 Satin Photo Rag
Fine Art Pearl
Silver Rag
Matte Canvas
Glossy Canvas

Print Samples

If you're still having trouble choosing the best paper finish for your Upload & Order Plywerk you can order 5x5 print samples of all of our paper options. Order print samples here.

C-Type Paper Finishes

Images are printed on Fuji and Kodak silver-halide papers. Besides the superior color reproduction these prints have excellent ozone resistance to ensure superior lightfastness (resistance to fading). We offer the following c-type paper finishes:

C-Type Classic

Lustre
Fuji Crystal Archive Paper / Kodak Endura Paper
Not quite matte and not quite glossy. Lustre (also referred to as Satin) has excellent color saturation without the "sheen" that can be a hindrance in glossy print finishes.

Glossy
Fuji Crystal Archive Paper / Kodak Endura Paper
A very reflective/high sheen finish with maximum saturation. Good when high color saturation is a must.

C-Type Specialty

Kodak Metallic
Kodak Endura Metallic Paper
Described by many photographers as a "chrome on paper" effect. Kodak metallic prints offer a rich, distinctive metallic (pearlescent/iridescent) look that catches the eye. It works especially well on images with strong contrast and/or black and white images.

Fuji Pearl
Fuji Crystal Archive Pearl Paper
Fuji's equivalent of Kodak's Metallic paper.

Ink-Jet Paper Finishes

Ink-jet printing is the highest quality photographic and reproduction type printing available today. Through a combination of ink-jet printing technology, numerous paper finishes and archival inks, it can produce the sharpest, richest and most vibrant reproductions imaginable.

The key benefit to ink-jet printing is the option to print on a wide variety of paper finishes. For photographic type images, there are papers available which retain the look and feel of traditional photographic type surfaces. For artists and designers who are looking for reproductions that retain the quality of their original medium, there are canvas and watercolor paper choices, that most often create prints that are hard to distinguish from the original artwork. All our exhibition quality paper finishes are acid free cotton based papers that produce archival prints.

Plywerk partners with Pushdot Studio in bringing you archival ink-jet printing. Pushdot studio is no ordinary digital imaging house; they differentiate themselves by the quality of their products, their services, their experience in digital production, and their artistic "eye". All employees are trained and educated photographers and artists. They keep their standards high for the equipment they use, materials they buy, and services they provide. We offer the following ink-jet paper finishes:

Ink-Jet Professional

Matte
Epson Photo Matte (192g)
Smooth Matte surface with very good contrast range and excellent color reproduction. Durable finish with longevity rating of 25+ years*. Ideal for illustration, painting, water color, art reproductions and some types of photography.

Pearl
Ilford Photo Pearl (290g)
Semi-gloss surface with excellent color and contrast range. Durable finish with longevity rating of 25+ years*. Ideal for all types of photography.

Ink-Jet Exhibition

Satin Photo Rag
Hahnemuhle Satin Photo Rag (308g)
Satin finish, heavy weight and acid free. Very good contrast and color range. Fairly durable but needs to be handled with care as long fibers give it a unique soft quality. Archival longevity of 75+ years*. Ideal for all type of photography and most types of art reproduction.

Fine Art Pearl
Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl (285g)
Semi-gloss finish, heavy weight, and acid free. Excellent contrast and color range. Durable, smooth finish, and cotton based paper with archival rating of 75+ years*. Excellent for all type of photography reproductions.

Silver Rag
Museo/Crane Silver Rag (300g)
Semi-gloss, heavy weight, and acid-free. Off-white warm based giving a "natural" feel. Cotton based with archival rating of 75+ years*. Good for all types of photographic reproduction but excels with black and white images.

Matte Canvas
Fredrix Matte Canvas (350g)
Matte slightly textured finish with good contrast and color range. Durable finish suitable for stretching with longevity rating of 50+ years* with water resistant, UV coating. Excellent surface for all types of art reproduction.

Glossy Canvas
Epson Glossy Canvas (285g)
"Gloss" textured finish which results in great color and contrast range. Excels at reproducing highly saturated and color photographic type images. Water resistant and UV coating results in longevity rating of 50+ years*.

* Longevity ratings are based on controlled environments and are subject to the final surroundings.

7 Things Unrelated to Print Finishes

All the information related to Plywerk print finishes and technical specifications are detailed above. The following information is largely unrelated:

  • Some male Walruses can weigh as much as 2,000 kg (4,400 lb).
  • Most Tuesdays someone at Plywerk HQ is wearing a red hat, normally while drinking coffee.
  • The land mass of Oregon is roughly equivalent to the land mass of the entire United Kingdom. However, the population of Oregon is 3.8 million and the United Kingdom's population is 61 million.
  • Despite this imbalance, Oregon and the United Kingdom still enjoy cultural commonality through gnome golf.
  • I have not watched an episode of the Golden Girls for at least 2 days.
  • You consume one tenth of a calorie for every stamp you lick.
  • Some of our clients only like to photograph breakfast cereals.