On 8 Aug 2006 18:50:47 -0700, "marson" wrote:

Would birch ply be strong enough, and hard enough, to withstand the
wear and tear of daily living? The surface that shows would be
hardwood. Very little of the edges show and could easily be finished
with 1/4 inch strips of real birch.


Birch ply would probably be strong enough.
You might check with your local lumber yard or BORG to see if they
might have veneered jambs available. You should be able to find a
maple veneered jamb that would be quite a bit less money than solid
stock but probably still a little higher than plywood.

Mike O.