Replacing my press board with plywood was a mistake

I swapped out my book press boards for 3/4 inch plywood last month because I thought it would save money. The plywood has a slight grain texture that transferred right onto the leather covers, and now I have faint lines running across three commissions. I ended up sanding everything smooth and wrapping the boards in cotton cloth, which took me a whole Saturday to fix. Anyone else had a material substitution that backfired on them? I am curious if MDF works better for this or if I should just stick with the traditional boards.

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lilycraig3d ago

Did you notice the lines showing up right away or only after the press sat for a while? Wondering if the pressure made the grain sink in deeper over time. Also how thick was the plywood you used compared to your old boards?

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