Sourcing plywood, LVL and blockboard from China
Most plywood from China pays 6% UK duty, but bamboo plywood, laminated veneered lumber and blockboard pay 10%, and the species of the outer ply decides the code. No anti-dumping duty applies. Plywood is covered by the UK timber regulation, so the importer needs due diligence on where the wood was harvested. Cambridge China Bridge sources plywood by the container with the paperwork in place.
Plywood pays 6% UK duty from China, while bamboo plywood, LVL and blockboard pay 10%. The face ply decides the code, and timber due diligence applies.
The face ply decides the code
Plywood is classified by what it is made of on the outside: bamboo, tropical wood, other hardwood such as birch or poplar, or softwood on both faces, and then by whether it is plywood, laminated veneered lumber or blockboard. Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, ordinary plywood from China with a poplar, birch, other hardwood or softwood face carried 6% duty, while bamboo plywood, hardwood-faced LVL and blockboard carried 10%. No line carried an anti-dumping measure on China.
A panel described loosely as hardwood plywood can land in either rate, so write the face and core species and the construction into the product specification, and confirm the commodity code against it.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plywood with a poplar or aspen outer ply, no birch | 4412 33 20 10 | 6% | None |
| Plywood with a birch outer ply | 4412 33 10 82 | 6% | None |
| Plywood with another non-coniferous outer ply | 4412 34 00 10 | 6% | None |
| Plywood with both outer plies of coniferous wood | 4412 39 00 90 | 6% | None |
| Plywood of bamboo | 4412 10 00 90 | 10% | None |
| Laminated veneered lumber, non-coniferous outer ply | 4412 42 00 00 | 10% | None |
| Blockboard, laminboard and battenboard, non-coniferous outer ply | 4412 52 00 00 | 10% | None |
Timber due diligence
Plywood, veneered panels and similar laminated wood are listed in the annex of the timber regulation that Great Britain retained, Regulation 995/2010. Article 4 prohibits placing illegally harvested timber, or products derived from it, on the market, and requires the business that first places it on the market to exercise due diligence. In practice that means knowing the species and the country of harvest for every ply, not only the face, and holding evidence that the harvest was legal.
Chinese plywood often has a face of one species and a core of another, sometimes imported into China, so ask the factory for the species and origin of each layer and for the supporting documents before the order, not after the container has sailed.
Glue, formaldehyde and grade
Plywood used in construction is declared against the harmonised standard for wood-based panels, EN 13986, which covers formaldehyde release among its characteristics. Ask for the formaldehyde class and the bonding class to EN 314-2, which runs from class 1 for dry interiors to class 3 for exterior use, and have both tested rather than stamped. A board sold as exterior grade that delaminates in a boil test is the commonest complaint in this category.
Face grade, core voids and thickness tolerance are the other checks. Cut a sample board at inspection to see the core, and measure thickness across the sheet.
Container economics
Plywood is dense, low in value per kilo and shipped by the container, so the price per cubic metre after freight is the number to compare, not the ex-works price per sheet. Moisture is the transport risk: ask for the moisture content at loading, and check that the packs are wrapped and strapped at the container loading.
Cambridge China Bridge sources plywood, LVL and blockboard by the container, with the species, legality and test documents gathered before the order and the packs checked before they sail. See how our sourcing service works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on plywood from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, plywood with a poplar, birch, other hardwood or softwood face carried 6% duty from China, and bamboo plywood, LVL and blockboard carried 10%. No anti-dumping duty applied.
Does Chinese plywood need timber due diligence?
Yes. Plywood is listed in the annex of the retained timber regulation 995/2010, and Article 4 requires the business that first places it on the market to exercise due diligence on legal harvest.
What does bonding class mean for plywood?
EN 314-2 sets bonding classes from 1, for dry interiors, to 3, for exterior use. Ask for the class and a test result rather than a stamp.
Why does the face species matter?
The tariff classifies plywood by its outer ply, and the timber regulation needs the species and origin of every layer, so both depend on an accurate description.