Plywood en Español: What Plywood Is Called in Spanish
“Plywood” in Spanish is most commonly contrachapado or madera contrachapada. In Mexico and Central America, lumberyards and home centers call it triplay instead. In Chile, Argentina, and much of South America, you’ll hear madera terciada. All four names describe the same cross-layered wood panel — the differences are regional, not technical.
If you searched “plywood en español,” you’re probably trying to translate the word for a supply list, a bilingual job site, or a trip to Lowe’s or Home Depot where signage and staff switch between English and Spanish. This page gives you the exact term for your region, the Spanish names for common plywood types and grades, and how the size numbers on the tag translate too.
Why Plywood Has More Than One Name in Spanish
Spanish has no single official word for plywood the way English does. Regional lumber industries developed their own terms, and all of them are correct — the right one depends on who you’re talking to.
| Spanish Term | Where It’s Standard | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Contrachapado / Madera contrachapada | Spain, and formal/technical use across Latin America | Standard, dictionary-correct |
| Triplay | Mexico, Central America, U.S. Southwest lumberyards | Everyday, most common at the counter |
| Madera terciada | Chile, Argentina, Peru | Everyday |
| Multilaminado | Parts of South America (industrial suppliers) | Technical |
| Triplex | Colombia | Everyday, sometimes a brand-generic term |
| Plywood / Playwood (English loanword) | Puerto Rico, U.S. border regions, Spanglish job sites | Informal, sometimes spelled phonetically |
| Aglomerado (loosely, in casual speech) | Parts of Venezuela and Ecuador | Informal — technically means particleboard, but sometimes used loosely for any wood panel |
For a general U.S. Spanish-speaking audience, contrachapado reads as correct everywhere but slightly formal. Triplay is what most Mexican and Central American tradespeople actually say out loud at the yard.
One word to watch out for: enchapado. It looks and sounds close to contrachapado, but it means something different — “veneered” or “covered with a decorative layer,” as in contrachapado enchapado en roble (oak-veneered plywood). Enchapado describes a surface finish, not the panel itself. Ask for enchapado when you mean plywood, and a lumberyard clerk will assume you’re asking about a veneer overlay instead.
Plywood Types and Grades in Spanish
Dictionaries translate the word “plywood” and stop there. Here are the specific type and grade terms you’ll actually need when reading a cut sheet or asking for material at a bilingual store.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Plywood | Contrachapado / Triplay / Madera terciada |
| Sanded plywood | Contrachapado lijado / Triplay lijado |
| Marine plywood | Contrachapado marino / Triplay marino |
| Birch plywood | Contrachapado de abedul |
| Baltic birch plywood | Contrachapado báltico de abedul |
| MDF | Tablero de fibra de densidad media (MDF) |
| Particleboard | Aglomerado / Tablero de partículas |
| OSB | Tablero de virutas orientadas (OSB) |
| Veneer | Chapa / Enchapado |
| Ply (layer) | Chapa / Lámina |
| Core | Núcleo |
| Face (front side) | Cara |
| Grade (A/B/C/D) | Grado / Calidad |
| Exterior grade | Grado exterior / Para exteriores |
| Interior grade | Grado interior / Para interiores |
| Cabinet-grade | Calidad para gabinetes |
| Sheet | Lámina / Hoja / Placa |
| Wood glue | Pegamento para madera / Cola de carpintero |
| Sheathing plywood | Contrachapado para revestimiento / Triplay estructural |
| Structural plywood | Contrachapado estructural |
| Tongue-and-groove plywood | Contrachapado machihembrado |
| Pressure-treated plywood | Contrachapado tratado a presión |
| Void-free plywood | Contrachapado sin huecos internos |
| Underlayment | Base / Subbase (para pisos) |
| 3-ply / 5-ply | De 3 capas / De 5 capas |
| Melamine-faced plywood | Contrachapado enchapado en melamina / Triplay melamínico |
Grade letters (A, B, C, D, CDX) aren’t translated — they’re used as-is in Spanish-language lumber contexts too, since they’re a U.S. plywood industry standard, not an English word. For what each grade letter actually means on the panel, the AC vs BC plywood grade breakdown covers the differences.
How to Use These Terms When Buying Plywood at Lowe’s or Home Depot
U.S. big-box stores sell plywood in imperial thickness and 4×8-foot sheets, but Spanish-language product tags and cut-desk tickets often list the metric equivalent right alongside it. Knowing both saves a trip back to the counter.
| U.S. Measurement | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 1/4 inch | ~6 mm |
| 1/2 inch | ~12 mm |
| 3/4 inch | ~19 mm |
| 4 × 8 ft sheet | ~122 × 244 cm |
This matters most on 3/4-inch sheets, since that’s the thickness stocked heaviest for shelving, cabinets, and subfloor work. If that’s specifically what you’re shopping for, the 3/4 sanded plywood buying guide for Lowe’s covers pricing, sheet options, and what “sanded” (lijado) actually means for finish quality. For custom sizing, the plywood cut-to-size guide explains what in-store cut desks charge and how accurate the cuts actually are.
How to Ask for Plywood at a Hardware Store or Lumberyard
Knowing the right noun is only half the job. Big-box stores and independent lumberyards each have their own conversational shorthand at the cut desk, and using it gets you to the right sheet, thickness, or price faster.
Asking About Thickness and Size
- “¿Tienen contrachapado de 3/4 de pulgada?” — Do you have 3/4-inch plywood?
- “Necesito una lámina de 4 por 8 pies.” — I need a 4-by-8-foot sheet.
- “¿Cuál es el equivalente en milímetros?” — What’s the millimeter equivalent? (useful when the tag only lists inches)
Asking About Grade and Type
- “Busco triplay para exteriores.” — I’m looking for exterior-grade plywood.
- “¿Este contrachapado es apto para uso marino?” — Is this plywood rated for marine use?
- “¿Tienen contrachapado de abedul báltico?” — Do you have Baltic birch plywood?
Asking About Cutting and Price
- “¿Pueden cortarlo a la medida?” — Can you cut it to size?
- “¿Cuánto cuesta por lámina?” — How much per sheet?
- “¿Tienen descuento por volumen?” — Do you have a volume discount?
If pronunciation is a concern, most cut-desk staff are used to customers pointing at a term written on a phone screen or a supply list — the core words on this page (contrachapado, triplay, madera terciada, triplex) are recognized nationwide, so writing one down works just as well as saying it out loud.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is triplay the same thing as plywood?
Yes. Triplay is the everyday Spanish word for plywood used mainly in Mexico and Central America. It refers to the exact same cross-layered wood panel that English speakers call plywood and that formal Spanish calls contrachapado.
What is contrachapado used for?
Contrachapado is used for furniture, cabinetry, subfloors, roof and wall sheathing, and general construction — the same applications as plywood in English. The specific use depends on its grade and whether it’s rated interior or exterior.
What’s the difference between contrachapado and MDF?
Contrachapado (plywood) is built from thin wood veneer layers glued with the grain crossed for strength. MDF (tablero de fibra de densidad media) is made from compressed wood fibers instead of layered veneer, so it’s heavier, has no visible grain, and holds screws less securely at the edges.
How do you say “3/4 inch plywood” in Spanish?
“3/4 inch plywood” is “contrachapado de 3/4 de pulgada” or “triplay de 3/4 de pulgada,” roughly equal to 19 mm. Some suppliers label it by the metric size directly, as “contrachapado de 19 mm.”
Is “enchapado” the same as “contrachapado”?
No. Enchapado means “veneered” or “covered with a decorative layer” — it describes a finish, like oak-veneered plywood (contrachapado enchapado en roble), not the panel material itself. Contrachapado is the general word for plywood; enchapado describes what’s applied to its surface.
How do you say “a sheet of plywood” versus “a piece of plywood” in Spanish?
A full sheet is “una lámina de contrachapado” or “una hoja de contrachapado.” A smaller offcut or partial piece is “un pedazo de contrachapado” or “un trozo de contrachapado.” Lumberyards use lámina and hoja interchangeably for a full 4×8 sheet.
What’s the Spanish word for OSB or particleboard?
OSB is “tablero de virutas orientadas,” though it’s usually just called “OSB” even in Spanish since the acronym is used internationally. Particleboard is “aglomerado” or “tablero de partículas.” Neither is the same product as contrachapado/triplay, even though all three get grouped together as “wood panels” (tableros de madera) at the store.
