In the furniture industry, MDF and chipboard are considered the most popular materials. Their characteristics are largely similar, but there are some differences. It is not surprising that when buying these materials, many people think about how chipboard differs from MDF, which is better. To answer this question, you should understand in more detail the qualities and method of production of each of these materials.
Production Features
MDF is an abbreviation that refers to the fine fraction of wood. This material is a fibreboard, for the manufacture of which fine fraction sawdust (almost wood flour) is used. Usually it is logging waste. The raw material is crushed, steamed, thoroughly dried and glued. So how is MDF different from chipboard?
Chipboard - chipboard, for the production of which sawdust of different fractions is used. They are mixed with synthetic or formaldehyde resins and pressed at high temperatures. A large number of resins negatively affects the environmental friendliness of the material. advantageis the density of the board, which is close to the density of natural solid wood.
How does MDF differ from chipboard in appearance
Many believe that these two building materials are similar not only in production, but also in appearance. It's not.
Fine wood fraction has the following characteristics:
- the surface of the plate is even, smooth;
- when studying the cut, one can note the uniformity and fine-grained structure of the material.
Particleboard also has distinct characteristics:
- surface uneven, slightly rough;
- in the saw cut, you can see pieces of chips and looseness of the material.
Differences in furniture production
Those who are going to use these materials to assemble cabinets, beds or decorative interior elements, it will be useful to know how MDF differs from chipboard in furniture.
Fine fraction is easy to cut and process. Screws can be screwed in without much difficulty. It is ideal in those cases when curly cutting is necessary - the cut is perfectly even and neat. However, the material is heavy and has a different color on both sides (one side is white).
Particleboard is more capricious in processing. Saw cuts often turn out to be sloppy, “torn”. When screwing in screws, there may appearchips and cracks. The advantage is that the weight of the material is light and the sides have the same color.
What is the difference between chipboard and chipboard and MDF
Furniture makers are also familiar with one more material - chipboard. This board, in fact, is the same as the chipboard, only slightly improved. The surface of the plates is covered with a special facing film. This cover is made from paper and melamine resin.
The film is literally pressed into the surface of the plate and gives the finished products increased strength and protection from moisture. The only drawback of this material is the high cost.
How to choose the right one
Based on the characteristics of all these building materials, one can ask a quite reasonable question: how does MDF differ from chipboard, and for what purposes is it worth buying each material.
Fine fraction of wood suitable for manufacturing:
- interior door panels, architraves and boxes;
- decorative overlays for entrance doors and platbands;
- interior partitions;
- cabinet furniture (even for rooms with a high level of importance).
Particleboard is a great solution for:
- assembly of cabinet furniture;
- finishing work;
- interior partitions;
- sex.
At the same time, vulnerability to highhumidity indicator. Laminated chipboard will be able to cope with this task.
So, the difference in the materials used and production methods affect the performance of the boards. That is why the same product made of chipboard and fine fraction will look different and require special care. When choosing a particular material for a specific purpose, you need to take into account everything that MDF differs from chipboard: weight, processing method, interaction with moisture.
