Product Visual Inspection

• The DTI-BPS enjoins the consumers to scrutinize the

plywood they buy for product reliability and safety. Don’t forget to look for the
• A plywood shall be marked as the example below: PS and ICC marks
for safe and reliable
Edge marking
plywood. Consumers’ Guide
PRODUCT QUALITY
AND SAFETY

ICC No. 1902/ 0906

PS mark ICC mark

Face marking

1 Name of manufacturer
2 Type, Grade (face/back), Thickness
3 Country of manufacture
4 PS mark for locally-produced plywood or BUREAU OF PRODUCT STANDARDS
ICC mark for imported plywood Department of Trade and Industry

Plywood
3F Trade and Industry Bldg.,
361 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City
Telephone numbers: (632) 751.4740, 751.4736
Facsimile number: (632) 751.4748
Email address: bps@dti.gov.ph
Website: www.bps.dti.gov.ph

Printed May 2008

 Plywood

Product Types

• A plywood is made up of layers of thin wood firmly

glued together.
• It includes blockboards, stripboards and plyboards
which use lumber cores.
• A plywood is classified based on its bonding quality
and the appearance of its surface.
• There are two types of plywood based on bonding
quality: Grade C
§ Type I - intended for exterior or outdoor use Fig. 1 - Type I Fig. 2 - Type II
and can therefore withstand weather and water
exposure. (See Fig. 1) Product Grades
§ Type II - intended for interior use and can retain
its strength when occasionally subjected to
• A plywood is graded as A, B, C, D or E depending on
thorough wetting and drying conditions. (See
the inherent defects in wood and the manufacturing
Fig. 2)
defects visible on finished panels.
• The grade of the plywood describes the grade of
the face first followed by the grade of the back.
Product for Mandatory Certification • The face of the plywood is the one with a better Grade D
quality and the back is its opposite side.
• A plywood is regulated by the Department of Trade • Grade A is practically without defects.
and Industry (DTI).
• Manufacturers and importers should apply for a
Philippine Standard (PS) license and Import
Commodity Clearance (ICC) certificate,
respectively, before the products are distributed
and sold.
• The DTI - Bureau of Product Standards (BPS)
acquires a sample of the plywood for inspection
and testing based on the Philippine National
Standard (PNS) 196:2000. Grade E
Grade A
Product with the PS or ICC Mark Product Labels Based on PNS 196:2000

• Only manufacturers and importers whose products The following are the required markings on the
have passed the PNS requirements will be issued plywood based on the PNS 196:2000:
with the PS license and ICC certificate by the DTI- • Name of manufacturer
BPS. • Type
• Only manufacturers and importers with valid • Grade (face/back)
licenses and certificates are allowed to use the PS • Thickness
and ICC marks on their products. • Country of manufacture
• PS or ICC mark
Grade B