Plywood in Zanzibar
Published · Updated
Zanzibar plywood is on sale on the island with published prices: Zanzibaba Timber, at Kwa Ndevu near Daraja Bovu, lists 1220 × 2440 mm sheets of 3 mm to 18 mm at TZS 18,000 to TZS 50,000 before VAT, checked on 12 November 2026. Kitovu does not sell plywood.
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Plywood prices in Zanzibar
On 12 November 2026 one timber yard on the island published its Zanzibar plywood prices on its own website. All sheets are 1220 × 2440 mm, and the seller states that the prices exclude VAT.
Seller: Zanzibaba Timber, Kwa Ndevu. Unit: one 1220 × 2440 mm sheet. Checked: 12/11/2026.
| Thickness | Plywood, excl. VAT | Marine board, excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | TZS 18,000 | not listed |
| 6 mm | TZS 28,000 | not listed |
| 9 mm | TZS 40,000 | not listed |
| 12 mm | TZS 43,000 | TZS 46,000 |
| 15 mm | TZS 46,000 | not listed |
| 18 mm | TZS 50,000 | TZS 52,000 |
This is one seller, so the table shows what is published on the island, not a market range. Mainland prices from a second seller are on the plywood price page.
What the island price list tells you
Spread over its area, the 18 mm board works out at TZS 16,797 per m² before VAT and the 12 mm one at TZS 14,445 (calculated: price ÷ 2.9768 m², the area of one sheet). For a wall or ceiling, multiply the area by that figure and add VAT.
At this yard the step from ordinary 18 mm plywood to 18 mm marine board is TZS 2,000 per sheet (calculated: 52,000 − 50,000), and at 12 mm marine board costs TZS 3,000 more than plywood. What you get for that difference is explained on the marine board page.
Which plywood class to ask for
The price list above does not say how the boards are glued, yet the glue decides where a sheet can go. LABC Warranty, a UK building warranty provider, summarises the two European standards in its guidance on assessing plywood specification:
| Marking | Bond class (EN 314-2) | Where it may be used |
|---|---|---|
| EN 636-1 | class I | dry interiors only; air above 65% humidity for no more than a few weeks a year |
| EN 636-2 | class II or higher | humid interiors and protected outdoor spots, such as behind cladding or under a roof; air above 85% humidity for only a few weeks a year |
| EN 636-3 | class III | exposed outdoors, or frequently wet |
The guidance adds that a board cannot carry an EN 636 class higher than its glue bond class, and that a correctly marked sheet shows “EN 636” with -1, -2 or -3, the letters S (structural) or NS (non-structural), and the wood species.
Buying plywood in Zanzibar
- Decide where the board will be: dry room, humid room, or outdoors.
- Ask the seller for the EN 636 class printed on the sheet, or the glue type if there is none.
- Confirm the thickness and the 1220 × 2440 mm size.
- Check whether the Zanzibar plywood price includes VAT; the list above does not.
- Agree transport from the yard to your site.
Plywood is not among the goods Kitovu keeps on the island; its own stock and delivery terms are set out on the building materials in Zanzibar and delivery in Zanzibar pages.