Hi Rick, I'm wondering how that worked out for you - are you happy with the plywood you received?

@AlexGn I am just finishing up the last of 3 projects with this plywood.  It took a week longer than expected to get it because my sales rep at HD was on vacation.

I got the 7 sheets of 3/4 BB grade Maple (both sides prefinished) for $115 per.  Four sheets of 1/4" C3 grade Maple (one side finished) for $56 per.  I figured at this grade and price I could just grab a sheet and begin but it wasn't the case.  I had multiple sheets with big scratches in the middle.  I had about a dozen places where it appeared to be bubbling, like it had gotten wet at some point.  Some of those I could actually feel but others it still seemed smooth.  I had a couple of places where I could see ghosting of what looked like a 'banding or strapping' mark.  Even though both sides were BB grade, one side would be much darker than the other.

I am almost done with my three projects and my wife likes them a lot.  I got to use every Festool piece I have purchased in 2020 so that was cool.

The Columbia reps were good people and appeared to be concerned over the lack of quality control at the mill.  They offered me a $150 gift card, which I took.  Looking back, I don't think it was enough.  There is a skill in going through a sheet and working around defects and I need to get better at that.

All in all I am happy with my results but I don't think I will use that supplier again unless I can physically go pick out each sheet myself and I don't think thats an option.

My experience has been that buying plywood from a dedicated supplier rather than a big box store solves most of these issues.  The supplier I use primarily services cabinet shops and in addition to Garnica and Columbia sheet goods they carry cabinet related hardware like hinges and drawer slides.  I have never had a sheet pulled from their racks with significant defects, so it seems that one thing you get for their slightly higher prices is that they have culled any dodgy material they receive from the manufacturers.  My experience at Home Depot is that it can be difficult to get in store help.  Since I have a basement shop with a two turn staircase there is no way a 4'x8' sheet goes down whole so I take a cut sheet and each piece gets one cut.  My supplier does this quickly and accurately and helps me load up after the purchase.  HD is fine for buying commodity items and supplies but for lumber and sheet goods their material is dodgy and overpriced for what you get.

My experience has been that buying plywood from a dedicated supplier rather than a big box store solves most of these issues.  The supplier I use primarily services cabinet shops and in addition to Garnica and Columbia sheet goods they carry cabinet related hardware like hinges and drawer slides.  I have never had a sheet pulled from their racks with significant defects, so it seems that one thing you get for their slightly higher prices is that they have culled any dodgy material they receive from the manufacturers.  My experience at Home Depot is that it can be difficult to get in store help.  Since I have a basement shop with a two turn staircase there is no way a 4'x8' sheet goes down whole so I take a cut sheet and each piece gets one cut.  My supplier does this quickly and accurately and helps me load up after the purchase.  HD is fine for buying commodity items and supplies but for lumber and sheet goods their material is dodgy and overpriced for what you get.

Home Depot marketing strategy is give away the tools as a loss leader. They markup hardware, lumber, paint, building materials, cabinets. Etc. Their lumber leaves something to be desired. It’s ok for 2x4s and fence pickets if you can cherry pick the heap. Now a days construction lumber is expensive. I always go to a specialty lumber store/yard to get Baltic Birch 🌳 or any finish quality sheet good.

I had to use Home Depot but the product was ordered and fulfilled by Columbia Forest Products.