From Craft to Craftsmanship: Luke Kij Shares His Experience with AetnaPly IDP
Written by Amanda Murphy, Marketing Manager
Published July 2025
In the world of woodworking, true craftsmanship begins with a connection to the material—and few know this better than Luke Kij, owner of Commercial Millwork Services Inc. With over 25 years of experience in commercial projects, architectural millwork and high-end casework, Luke recently had the opportunity to work with AetnaPly IDP (Import Decorative Plywood), one of the newest offerings from the AetnaPly Portfolio.
Growing up in rural Europe, Luke was immersed in a community where building things by hand was a way of life. “Without cell phones, we had to find ways to spend our time,” Luke recalls. “I naturally gravitated to working with my hands from a young age.” That hands-on upbringing set the foundation for what would become a long and passionate career in woodworking.
When it comes to plywood, Luke’s experience spans decades and materials—from maple and oak to cedar and mahogany. “We’ve used just about every kind of plywood available,” he says. But when it came to trying AetnaPly IDP, Luke noticed it stood out from other imports.
“The IDP panels stayed straight and flat, which is not always the case with imports,” he notes. “There was no bowing, and the grain matching from sheet to sheet was impressively consistent.” In his line of work—where quality and appearance can make or break a project—that kind of consistency is vital. “A bad plywood sheet might be uneven in thickness, have mismatched faces, or make cutting a nightmare. That wasn’t the case here.”
For finishing, Luke opted to treat the IDP panels with a hard wax oil to bring out the natural grain, as requested by the customer. “It took the oil very well, which tells me it would also absorb stains nicely without compromising the structure.” He particularly appreciated the fact that the panels didn’t require any special coatings to look good—saving both time and materials.
In terms of applications, Luke sees AetnaPly IDP as ideal for high-end cabinetry, CNC projects, display cases, and exhibit construction. “It’s not soft, so it holds screws and biscuits well,” he adds. “We mounted Salice slides without any issue,”
Cutting and sanding the product was also a breeze. “We used a sliding panel saw, but a regular table saw would do the job just fine too. The veneer stayed attached, the cuts were clean, and surprisingly—it didn’t have that irritating smell some imports do that make me sneeze.”
Luke’s advice to fellow woodworkers? Don’t let routine get in the way of trying something new. “It’s easy to get stuck using the same brand of plywood just because it’s familiar. But AetnaPly IDP impressed me. We’ve already planned to use it in more upcoming projects and have recommended it to other customers.”
With solid feedback from a seasoned professional like Luke Kij, it’s clear that AetnaPly IDP isn’t just another panel on the shelf—it’s a new standard for quality, reliability, and performance in decorative plywood.
