About Chesapeake

  • What does Chesapeake do?

    Chesapeake is a specialty wood supply and solutions partner. We stock and distribute premium plywood, veneers, cores, and architectural panels — from fire-rated and marine-grade materials to luxury decorative surfaces — serving manufacturers and builders across North America.

  • Who are Chesapeake’s customers?

    We serve commercial millwork firms, cabinet shops, stair manufacturers, furniture makers, exhibit builders, marine fabricators, and plywood dealers/resellers.

  • What makes Chesapeake different from other suppliers?

    We specialize in hard-to-find wood products, custom solutions, and dependable logistics. Our mission is to simplify sourcing, shorten lead times, and support manufacturers with materials that meet architectural and performance specifications.

  • When was Chesapeake founded?

    Chesapeake Plywood was founded in 2001 by John Emden in South Baltimore and is now led by his son, Jeff Emden.

  • Where are you located?

    Chesapeake Plywood is located at 3400 East Biddle Street, Baltimore, MD 21213.

  • What is your phone number?

    410-244-0055

Ordering, Delivery, and Will Call

  • What is Chesapeake’s minimum delivery amount?

    The delivery minimum is $1,000 plus applicable freight depending on your location and order size. Ask a sales representative about free delivery minimums for B2B customers in specific regions.

  • Do you deliver outside the East Coast?

    Yes. Chesapeake delivers across the East Coast, throughout North America, and can arrange international shipments via LTL carriers.

  • What is your will call minimum?

    $500 for customer pickup. Appointments must be made one to two days in advance depending on the order.

  • Can I pick up material the same day?

    No. All will calls must be scheduled by appointment.

  • Can I load material on a roof rack?

    No, for liability reasons. Material must be loaded in a concealed trailer, flatbed, or pickup truck, and customers are responsible for safe transport.

  • Can you cut sheets in half for pickup?

    No. Chesapeake does not cut material on-site, and customers may not cut material on the property for safety reasons.

  • Do you have minimums to cut down material?

    Yes. Cut-to-size orders have a $1,000 order minimum plus applicable setup charges.

  • What is your minimum plywood order?

    The minimum is $500 for will call pickup and $1,000 for free B2B delivery in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and South-Central Pennsylvania.

  • Are you open on weekends?

    No. Business hours are Monday–Friday, 8am–4pm.

  • What are your will call hours?

    Will calls are by appointment between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM, Monday–Friday.

  • Do you sell to hobbyists or home woodworkers?

    No. Chesapeake is a wholesale plywood supplier serving commercial, OEM, and trade clients only.

Decorative Surfaces

  • What decorative surface lines does Chesapeake carry?

    Chesapeake distributes a curated range of decorative surface materials from leading international brands. Our offering includes real-wood veneers, prefinished panels, and advanced melamine and HPL surfaces designed to meet both aesthetic and performance needs.

  • What is Decospan Shinnoki 4.0?

    Shinnoki 4.0 is a prefinished real-wood panel collection offering consistent color and finish for high-end architectural interiors. It combines genuine veneer craftsmanship with modern production precision for a ready-to-install solution.

  • What is Decospan NUXE?

    Decospan NUXE is a collection of premium design veneers crafted for unique, high-impact interior applications where natural wood character and finish consistency are essential.

  • What is Decospan Woodcoustics?

    Decospan Woodcoustics panels pair real-wood veneers with engineered acoustic performance, enhancing both sound absorption and visual appeal in commercial and institutional spaces.

  • What is Unilin Master Oak?

    Unilin Master Oak is a next-generation decorative panel that replicates the natural beauty and texture of oak while providing the resilience of a high-performance melamine or HPL surface. It features deep, realistic grain and exceptional scratch and color resistance—ideal for interiors that balance warmth and durability.

  • What colors of Unilin Master Oak do you stock?

    Chesapeake currently stocks four popular colors: Patina Natural, Double Fumed, Natural Copper, and Light Natural. Matching edge banding and laminate are also available for a seamless finish.

  • Do you offer other decorative surface brands?

    Yes. In addition to these product lines, Chesapeake sources and stocks a variety of decorative surface materials from trusted global manufacturers to suit a range of design, performance, and budget requirements. Contact our team for current product availability and specifications.

Fire-Rated and Specialty Panels

  • What is Garnica Fire-Rated Poplar Veneer Core?

    A fire-resistant poplar plywood engineered for safety in commercial, hospitality, and institutional applications.

  • What is Roseburg Medite FR MDF?

    A smooth, Class A fire-rated MDF panel ideal for interiors requiring both performance and aesthetics.

  • What is TemStock Fire-Rated Particleboard?

    Fire-retardant particleboard for furniture, fixtures, and casework in code-sensitive environments.

Marine and Exterior Products

  • What is Okoume Marine Plywood?

    Lightweight, high-performance marine plywood with excellent workability for boatbuilding and exterior use.

  • What is Marine Fir Plywood?

    Durable, structural-grade fir plywood designed for strength and water resistance.

  • What is Extira?

    Exterior-grade MDF engineered to resist moisture, rot, and termites — ideal for outdoor signage and trim.

  • Do you offer exterior siding materials?

    Yes. Chesapeake stocks Superior Hardwood Siding, Primed Boards, and MDO for exterior applications.

Cores and Substrates

  • What is Garnica Poplar Pluma-Ply ULEF FSC?

    Lightweight, FSC-certified poplar plywood with ultra-low emissions and excellent handling properties.

  • What is Garnica HDF Combination Core?

    Smooth HDF faces over a poplar core, providing stability and an excellent surface for laminating or painting.

  • What is Ultra Light MDF?

    A lightweight MDF alternative that maintains stability while reducing handling fatigue.

  • What is Baltic Birch?

    Multi-ply hardwood panel known for superior strength, stability, and clean exposed edges.

  • What is States Industries ApplePly?

    Premium domestic plywood with uniform hardwood plies for fine cabinetry and visible edges.

Construction and Stair Components

  • What is a Primed LVL Stair Stringer?

    Engineered, pre-primed LVL for stair construction — straight, stable, and ready for paint or finish.

  • What is Primed Riser Material?

    Pre-primed, finger-jointed Radiata Pine risers — ready to install and finish.

  • What is Primed Board Stock?

    Straight, stable, pre-primed Radiata Pine boards for trim, paneling, and exterior use.

Concrete Forming and Industrial Panels

  • What is MDO (Medium Density Overlay)?

    A smooth, resin-coated plywood ideal for concrete forming, painted signs, and cladding.

  • What is HDO (High Density Overlay)?

    A durable overlay panel designed for extended use in concrete formwork and industrial applications.

Our Services

  • Where is Chesapeake’s delivery service available?

    Chesapeake Wood Express’ delivery fleet serves customers across the East Coast and Midwest with fast, flexible, and reliable service. For all other areas, Chesapeake coordinates shipments through trusted logistics partners to deliver full or partial truckloads anywhere in North America.

  • Can Chesapeake store and handle my materials on site?

    Yes. Our Baltimore facility offers short- and long-term warehousing with expert handling of flatbeds, box vans, sea containers, stack vans, and rail cars. We manage loading, unloading, and secure storage to keep your materials protected and production ready.

  • How do Chesapeake’s stocking programs work?

    We build tailored stocking programs around your usage patterns, ensuring the right materials are always available when you need them. These programs help reduce lead times, simplify purchase orders, and keep your production schedule running smoothly.

  • What panel preparation and fabrication options do you offer?

    Chesapeake provides full panel prep and fabrication services—including custom sizing, priming, lamination, veneer application, and edgebanding. Each panel arrives cut, finished, and ready to install, saving valuable time on the floor.

  • Can Chesapeake help with milling or finishing my panels?

    Absolutely. Our custom milling services support everything from cutting and shaping to finishing and full fabrication. We manage the process end-to-end so you can stay focused on building, not coordinating multiple vendors.

  • What’s involved in a custom layup or blueprint job?

    For complex specs or design-driven projects, Chesapeake handles every detail—from sourcing the right substrate and coordinating schedules to executing precise layups that meet exact tolerances. It’s how we turn intricate plans into build-ready panel solutions.

More Info

About This FAQ

This FAQ combines Chesapeake’s official delivery and service policies with detailed product information. It is also part of Chesapeake’s public knowledge base to help customers, specifiers, and AI assistants find accurate, up-to-date answers.

“If it exists, we’ll find it. If it doesn’t, we’ll create it.”