: Where is everyone finding 1/8" Lauan? I tried the local (Toledo area)
: Home Depot and Lowes and all I got were funny looks. Does anyone have a
: part number for one of these national chains or maybe the name they use
: for the stuff? I tried asking for doorskin plywood, and that didn't work
: either.

: Thanks in advance.

Ask for floor underlay (or underlayment) plywood. When laying tile or carpet flooring materials it is a good idea to have a flat subsurface, so thin plywood is frequently put down first, to provide a good base. Sometimes this is only available in 4x4 sheets. I've gotten 4x8 sheet of 1/8th inch thick floor underlayment materials in a different species (Meranti) which is similar to Lauan, and cost me under $8 a sheet. As a floor underlayment, only one side has to be good, so I selected my materials from the stock pile. I ended up buying 8 sheets, which, with a quantity discount and tax came to just over $60.

If the local home center soesn't hae this kind of stuff, look for a commercial lumberyard -- the kind that supplies wood to home builders, or look in your local phone book for the nearest hardwoods dealer. These operations sell specialty woods and are sometimes smaller than the usual lumber operations, but they have the exotic materials that a home center would rarely stock or sell. This includes clear pine, and cedar.

Hope this helps

Paul G. Jacobson