Plywood is a core element that has been in the home décor and furnishing industry for many years. It is a substitute for wood, due to which the demand for plywood has been increasing drastically. As the demand increased, many companies started to take advantage of this situation to sell duplicate or counterfeit plywood, to make more profit at less expense. To save yourself from such duplication, you need to make sure that the items that you are buying are worth every single penny. And for that, you need to verify your plywood.
There is a myth in India about branded items. People think that big brands always prioritize the quality and safety of their customers. This is not entirely correct. These big companies require big turnovers in order to work smoothly and efficiently.
Due to this, they try to slack off from quality and invest more in quantity, and thus the quality of the materials is always compromised. Big brands often invest more in the marketing and advertising aspects, which results in overpriced plywood.
They focus more on creating Premium plywood so that people spend more in one go and benefit the company. If you have a big budget, you can choose to buy those premium materials, but if not, you will be left with cheap quality plywood, which will still be overpriced. So, how do we save ourselves and our pockets from these scammers? Here is how you can follow some steps and prevent waste of money on cheap quality plywood.
Know the original plywood before purchasing
There is a wide range of plywood available in the market that is meant for different purposes. For instance, if you are buying plywood for your living or study room, you should pick commercial-grade plywood. But if you are seeking plywood to buy for places like kitchens, bathrooms, and toilets where the temperature, moisture, and heat change and have high chances of breeding viruses, you should choose Water-resistant plywood.
Check the ISI mark before buying anything from anywhere.
The best quality plywood always has an IS:303 or IS 701. These numbers depend upon the type of plywood you are buying. These numbers itself indicate that the plywood is authentic and has a plywood certificate. But sometimes, it can also turn out to be fake. In such cases, use the CML number.
A CML number is a seven-digit unique number that is given to all the products
It acts as a license plate for the plywood. You can find this number on the surface of the plywood near the ISI mark. There are times when even the ISI can be made fake because the population of scammers is growing spontaneously. In such conditions, you should check the CML number. Here is how you can check the authentication of the CML number of your plywood:
- Visit the BIS website, i.e., the Bureau of Indian Standards.
- You will find a search bar where you will have to enter the seven-digit CML number provided on your plywood.
- After entering the numbers, if your plywood is high-quality and genuine material, the website will provide you with a detailed analysis of the plywood and its manufacturer.
- If the website does not provide you with anything, even after entering the CML number, you should know that it is fake or counterfeit plywood.
4. Check the dimensions
You should always check the size, width, and surface of the plywood before purchasing if you go to a store physically. Try to knock on the plywood and verify the sound that comes from it. If the sound every time is similar, it could be high-quality plywood. The cross-section should be smooth and should not have gaps in between. These gaps indicate the poor-quality material used to build that plywood.
Conclusion
These are some of the ways you can try to verify the authenticity of the plywood. A CML number itself is an identity card for the plywood, but scammers always find a way to scam people. A legit CML code contains all the necessary details, which you can read after visiting the BIS website and determining for yourself.
