The first thing we pay attention to when buying furniture is its price and appearance. However, before paying money to the cashier, it is advisable to find out what it is made of. After all, each material has its own technical specifications and some of them have a limited scope. V furniture production for a wide range of buyers, MDF and chipboard boards are often used, which are constantly causing controversy, which is better. The long-term presence on the market of these materials suggests that both of them are needed. It is only important to know where and how to apply them.

Comparison of panel production technology:

MDF boards have a finer fraction of wood. Technological process here it is more improved, especially with regard to the appearance of wood fibers, which impart strength to the sheets. In their manufacture, the dry pressing method is involved, as well as other binders that make construction material environmentally friendly.

One side of MDF is also covered with laminate. The front of the plates can be decorated with PVC foil, plastic or painted. In any case, it will always be smooth. Thinking about what to choose in the zone high humidity Particleboard or MDF, we take into account the huge advantage of the latter in this area, from which we conclude which kitchen will be better.

Pros and cons of MDF and chipboard

Such a wonderful material as MDF is not without its drawbacks. It is very sensitive to various types of mechanical damage. Impacting from a heavy object can dent the surface. Another disadvantage is rapid combustion near open flames. This property must be taken into account when placing pieces of furniture in the same kitchen. Due to its fine structure, MDF is more plastic. If you need to cut curly elements, it fits perfectly.

Which furniture is better, made of chipboard or MDF, can be judged from the reviews of the masters working with these materials. The disadvantage of chipboard is the fact that, due to its loose structure, the screw or nail holds very poorly in it. And about repeated twisting in the same place is out of the question. The main fasteners are corners. Although MDF is more dense, its coefficient of resistance for pulling out fasteners is also not high.

If we take into account the cost of materials, structures made only of MDF will cost much more. To beat the pricing policy, many are very wise. Without thinking about what is better for MDF or chipboard, they order the main part of the furniture body (which hides inside) from chipboard, and the front part from MDF, including interior doors... The service life of both types of panels is not very long. Therefore, which furniture is best suited for the home, we decide for ourselves.

Modern materials used in furniture production are very diverse and allow you to create furniture of the most varied quality and appearance. The most common materials today are chipboard and MDF. Let's figure out what their differences are and what is better for you when choosing furniture.

Chipboard is a particle board. Sheet material, for the production of which fine wood particles are mixed with a binder (resin) and hot pressed.

Chipboard - laminated chipboard, the surface of which is lined with a special film made of thermosetting polymers. At first, this film looks like ordinary paper, which is impregnated with melamine resin, then by pressing the film is “tightly” connected to the chipboard surface. Thanks to such a cladding, the appearance of the chipboard is much improved, the reliability, wear resistance, resistance to chemical influences, moisture, low temperature increase. Since the coating limits the evaporation of harmful vapors of substances contained in the chipboard, the chipboard with lamination is more environmentally friendly for those around.

There are many variations of the slab coating structures. Chipboard can be smooth and embossed, that is, imitation of the structure on the surface of the slab various materials: wood, shagreen, etc. A huge number of color options are also possible: various types of wood, all kinds of background textures, metallic colors and just different colors. Due to its simplicity in processing and a huge assortment, laminated chipboard has become almost the main material in the production of furniture.

MDF (fine fraction) is a panel material made by dry pressing of fine wood chips at high pressure and temperature.

This material arose due to the improvement of technologies in the manufacture of fiberboard. Additional synthetic binders are not used in MDF. It acts as a binder natural material lignin, which is part of the wood. Therefore, MDF is an environmentally friendly material.

In the process of production of MDF, special properties can be imparted: hardly combustible, biostability, water resistance. MDF is used in the production of cabinet, kitchen and office furniture, as well as custom furniture, shop equipment, doors.

Also MDF is a high-tech material. Its surface is very easy to process, and MDF parts can be given the most varied and unusual shapes. MDF can be easily painted and laminated, laminated, molded, suitable for thin veneer veneering, imitation printing, varnishing and enamel coating. And MDF with frequent milling grooves bends well. It also has a high level of noise absorption and sound insulation, and also has excellent thermal insulation properties.

For convenience, you can compare the main properties of laminated chipboard and MDF in the table:

And here are a few more terms that are useful to know when choosing furniture:

Fiberboard - fibreboard - sheet material, which is made in the process of hot pressing of the mass from wood fibers formed in the form of a carpet. These fibers are obtained by steaming and grinding wood raw materials. They represent individual tissue cells, their scraps or groups of wood cells. The raw material is sawmill and woodworking waste, industrial chips and wood. To improve the operational properties, reinforcing substances (for example, synthetic resins), water repellents (paraffin, ceresin), antiseptics, etc. are added to the mass. Structural elements of furniture, rear walls and shelves of cabinets and pedestals, lower shelves for sofas are made of fiberboard, drawers, headboards, partitions. They are also used in the manufacture of bent-glued parts with outer layers of sliced ​​veneer of valuable species.

MELAMINE is a decorative coating that is resistant to water and mechanical damage.

PVC - polyvinyl chloride, a synthetic material obtained from natural products: petroleum products and common table salt. Possesses high strength, economical, versatile application. Recognized as environmentally friendly.

TEXTURE - the nature of the surface of any material, due to its internal structure, structure. Texture is perceived visually and tactilely. The longitudinal section of the tree shows its fibrous structure, and the transverse one shows the growth structure in the form of annual rings. The texture is determined by objective physical and chemical properties material and this, to a large extent, differs from the texture, which largely depends on the individuality of the artist who creates it.

FACTURE - the nature of the surface. The texture is felt visually and tactilely. The perception of texture depends on the characteristics of nature, on lighting, and in many ways individually differs from the texture of the same surface. In a figurative sense, texture is an individual handwriting. Due to the harmony of colors and the fact that each of them is correctly correlated with the general tone, the correct image of the material is obtained.

FACADE - frontal part of furniture, cabinet doors. Often, the headsets of the same factory differ from each other only in the design of the facades, and the cabinet bodies are the same.

ACCESSORIES - handles, latches, locking mechanisms and other devices that ensure the opening of the doors, their fixation in any position or locking.

VENEER - a thin cut (sheet) of natural wood. Of course, natural wood and furniture made of wood (solid wood) are very beautiful, but, like any material, it has its drawbacks. The array is expensive, subject to change in linear dimensions at different humidity, even if it was previously thoroughly dried and varnished. Veneering furniture parts or surfaces is a way to make it cheaper and more affordable, while maintaining the attractiveness and nobility of natural material.

Chipboard structure

It features a huge range of shades and patterns that imitate the texture of natural wood, stone, marble chips or abstract patterns. The result of the facing process is laminated chipboard.

The coating has the same properties as ordinary plastic: better withstand water, detergents, damage, temperature drops. It is widely used in furniture production, both cases and facades.

Lamination - decorative coating from paper impregnated with paraffin or resin compositions. Such a film is less resistant to moisture, elevated temperature, mechanical damage. It is used in the manufacture of inexpensive furniture, wall panels big size.

Veneering- facing with a thin layer of veneer (a cut of valuable wood). Doors and components, furniture facades, sometimes even wall and ceiling panels are made of this material.

Painting with any kind of varnishes and paints. This means of ennobling the stove is considered the most economical and "home".

Advantages and disadvantages of chipboard

The main advantages include:

• good resistance to mechanical stress;
• strength, due to which the plate perfectly holds any types of fasteners;
• ease of processing and assembly of finished parts into a single structure without the use of special tools;
• ease of coating even at home (painting, varnishing, laminating, gluing);
• a large selection of formats, which were originally developed as optimal for cutting various joinery parts;
• low price.

The generally recognized shortcomings identified by the years of use of the material are:

• impossibility of fine processing (milling, cutting out complex shapes and details);
• sharp edges - chipboard furniture almost always has sharp, chopped shapes with 90 ° angles, which are easy to injure. You can, of course, veneer with a cut-in or overhead edge, but practice shows that economy-class manufacturers prefer not to do this;
• re-installation of fasteners is practically impossible without the use of epoxy mixtures or glue, that is, once a screw has fallen out, it will not firmly adhere again;
• the release of formaldehyde can negatively affect people's well-being. This is especially true of cheap furniture, in the production of which the second grade was used.

What is MDF

MDF differs significantly from chipboard. From English, MDF is translated as medium density fiberboard. As a raw material for this type of material, sawdust, wood chips, shavings, pounded almost into dust, are used. Therefore, MDF stands for fine fraction . The binder is paraffin and polymer resins. Forming takes place in a dry way under the influence of high temperatures, followed by grinding. This produces slabs that are smooth on both sides.

Physicomechanical indicators are similar to those of chipboard, but there are some differences.

Density

1. Low: 100-400 kg / cubic meter m, mainly intended for the production of wall and ceiling thin panels, door cladding and other joinery;
2. Average: 600-800 kg / cubic meter m is a favorite material of manufacturers of furniture, doors, finishing materials. Due to the good structure and improved properties compared to particle board, it allows you to implement any designer's idea.
3. High: 800-1100 kg / cubic meter m. Otherwise called HDF, used as a base for laminate flooring.

The structure is homogeneous, which ensures an even distribution of the load, including the acoustic one. That is, MDF panels may well serve as good sound insulation. In general, it is this characteristic that is the strongest in this material, since thanks to it it is better amenable to fine processing (panels, bent parts, rounded corners) and giving a variety of shapes to products.

The size range, unlike chipboard and fiberboard, is not so wide:

Weight varies from 8 to 89 kg, depending on the linear dimensions of the sheet.

The grade corresponds to the indicators of the chipboard. For the first grade, irregularities and surface defects, different shades and stains, damage to the edges are unacceptable. Products that do not meet the parameters are classified in the second grade.

Grinding is included in the mandatory regulation of production processes. Due to its smooth surface, it is excellent for applying any type of coating: laminated film, paint, varnish, natural and synthetic veneer, thin plastic or enamel.

Emission of harmful substances

Contrary to the claims of manufacturers and marketers, formaldehyde, phenol, ammonia are released from MDF during operation, but mostly in small doses, within the permissible limits for residential premises. Therefore, such a statement as "exceptional environmental friendliness of the material" is not entirely true.

Pros and cons of MDF

The most important advantage of MDF boards is their technological feature, in particular:

So, the most important difference between chipboard and fiberboard from MDF is in raw materials and production technology, respectively, in physical and mechanical properties. Chipboard is more "coarse", practically does not lend itself to filigree processing, less resistant to moisture and mold.

The scope of application is limited to the economy segment: inexpensive furniture (mainly buildings), joinery, rough surface preparation (leveling, creating a noise and thermal barrier, formwork). Fiberboard is afraid of water, it is used in some elements (headboards, back walls of cabinets, temporary lining of the room). MDF is even different in appearance: a homogeneous smooth surface, easy to process, is ideal for realizing even the most extravagant interior ideas.

1. Chipboard (chipboard) - made from wood shavings and sawdust glued together with formaldehyde resins.

The advantages of chipboard are its low cost, good strength - chipboard perfectly holds screws and nails, water resistance. Of the shortcomings, it is necessary to note the binder of the plate - formaldehyde resins, which are not the most the best way affect human health. There are 2 emission classes of formaldehyde resins - E1 and E2. E1 is a more environmentally friendly material, the amount of resins it releases into the atmosphere is much lower than that of E2 class chipboard, so the latter is prohibited in the production of children's furniture.

Almost all economy class furniture is made from chipboard. When buying furniture, pay attention to whether the seller has certificates of compliance with GOSTs and sanitary and hygienic requirements - this way you will protect yourself from buying furniture with a high resin content, because in certified furniture all indicators are within permissible norm, and, therefore, do not threaten human health.

Chipboard is a very hard material, therefore, it does not allow milling and shaped processing.

2. Chipboard (laminated chipboard) - chipboard, finished with a film based on polymers. The film is paper impregnated with melamine resins, so the term “melamine board” is often used. Chipboard can be washed and cleaned - it is moisture resistant. He is also not afraid of high temperatures. Its advantage, in addition to all of the above, is its excellent ability to imitate various textures, most often - imitation of wood texture.

3. MDF (from the English Medium Density Fiberboard) is very fine sawdust (wood dust) glued together. In chipboard, larger residues are used. The main difference between MDF and particleboard is the binder; in MDF, the content of formaldehyde resins is much lower. In high-quality MDF, sawdust is glued together with paraffin and lignin (a substance that is part of natural wood). Such production makes MDF absolutely harmless to humans. Unfortunately, the production of slabs using this technology is not properly established on the territory of the Russian Federation, which explains its rather high cost.

MDF, in comparison with particleboard, is a more environmentally friendly material. MDF is stronger than wood, and, moreover, is very plastic - it can be milled and made into shaped parts. Pay attention to the MDF facades - as a rule, they are decoratively processed.

4. Fibreboard (fiberboard) is a well-known hardboard, a thin board that is used as the back panel of cabinets or drawer bottoms. It is made like MDF from wood dust, but the particles are steamed before pressing. On the surface of the fiberboard, a mesh pattern is clearly visible. Typically, one side of the fiberboard is laminated to match the texture of the entire product, and the other, facing the wall, is left intact. The main advantage of fiberboard is low cost. This material is indispensable where it really has a place - the cost of a product made entirely, for example, from MDF, will be higher than a similar one with a back panel made of fiberboard. Therefore, in order to significantly reduce the price of furniture, where the design allows it, it is better to use fiberboard.

IMPORTANT: pay attention to the formaldehyde content standards in cabinet furniture. The Russian standard GOST 10632-89 establishes compliance with the E1 class, where the formaldehyde content is 10 mg per 100 g. dry mass. Norm E2: - up to 30 mg per 100 g. Products complying with E1 standards are safe for health. In addition, the better processed furniture made of chipboard and MDF, than better edge, the fewer cracks and cracks, the safer the furniture.

5. And finally, wood or solid wood. Before proceeding with the manufacture of solid wood furniture, the wood must be dried and processed with special means, otherwise high humidity and temperature changes, which are not uncommon in the kitchen, will inevitably lead to its deformation. Wood is an expensive pleasure, therefore, most often, the cabinet body is made from it, and as facades, for example, veneered chipboard is used - that is, chipboard trimmed with a thin sheet of wood.

Most often, oak, pine, cherry, beech, walnut wood is used as an array for the production of cabinet furniture. All these materials differ in strength. You should not use "soft" pine for the manufacture of children's furniture or hallways, it is better to prefer harder hardwood materials. Although, pine certainly has one big plus - low cost.

Wooden furniture also has disadvantages: wood is afraid of fire and water, it is easy to damage it, and it requires special care. Wood furniture is very heavy.

But, if such a factor as environmental friendliness matters to you, then, of course, solid wood furniture is your choice. The texture of the wood is unique, it exudes warmth, in addition, the wood ozonizes the air, giving it a unique aroma.

Wood is an expensive material. It is significantly more expensive than chipboard and MDF, incl. due to the laboriousness of production and the complexity of processing.

Among wood chipboards, MDF and chipboard are especially widely used (in the technical literature, the abbreviation chipboard is found). They are used in the production of furniture, building structures, doors, as well as various kinds finishing works... Despite the similar field of application, each type has its own characteristics... Knowing the features of each material, you can make the right choice on the use of this or that material. Let us consider in more detail how the differences between MDF and chipboard are manifested.

The abbreviation MDF does not stand for Russian - it is the Russian version of the English abbreviation MDF, which stands for Medium Density Fiberboards... MDF is a smooth wood board that lends itself well to processing. The production technology consists in pressing with grating machines, pretreated with steam under high pressure, crushed finely dispersed homogeneous wood pulp, consisting of waste wood production chips, bark, shavings.

As a result of such pressing, the mass is held together with the help of lignin or paraffin (depending on the type of wood prevailing in the mass), which is an environmentally friendly binder.

In most cases, interior doors, door jambs, slopes, window sills, platbands, decorative elements, as well as elements requiring availability are made from MDF. a large number areas of milling and small parts.

Chipboard - can be deciphered as chipboard... Very often in the technical literature, the abbreviation DSP is found. Unlike MDF, this type of wood-based panels is made by cold pressing of larger substandard wood waste with the addition of various non-mineral substances as a binder, in particular formaldehyde resins.

The wood boards, after mixing with a special thermosetting resin, are once again sent for pressing for curing, and then cut into boards of the desired size. As a result, chipboard is a less environmentally friendly and less harmless building material for human health.

Differences between MDF and chipboard

The main differences between the two types of wood-based panels are pumped into strength indicators, as well as in the level of manufacturability and safety for human health.

First of all, even an unprepared person can notice the differences in the appearance of untreated wood-based panels. The structure of the chipboard allows you to highlight the individual constituent elements of the wood board - chips, shavings, bark elements. The reverse situation with MDF - by appearance this type is a very smooth material, even untreated, with a homogeneous structure.

Strength differences

On average, the strength of MDF board is 730 - 880 kg per cubic meter m... This indicator contributes to the long service life of products made of MDF, as well as the possibility of using the material in places with the greatest load and places requiring increased wear resistance. As a result of processing and pressing MDF, it was possible to surpass the indicators of wear resistance and moisture resistance of ordinary wood.

The strength of the chipboard boards depends on the class of the material used. There are three classes of chipboard density: low, medium and high. However, even the material belonging to high class density, cannot be compared with an MDF board in terms of the corresponding parameter. A simple example, decorative elements of furniture made of chipboard very often fail to hold tightly after several cycles of furniture assembly and disassembly.

Environmental Safety

Considering the fact that formaldehyde resins are used in the production of chipboard boards, it is possible to point out a significant difference between them and MDF boards. If the ends of furniture elements made of chipboard are not properly processed and pasted over, formaldehyde resin evaporates. This process negatively affects human health.

Recently, the number of "unscrupulous" chipboard manufacturers has increased, which do not respect the proportions of wood components and resins that bind them, producing an increase in the amount of binder resin and a decrease in wood. This ultimately entails a more intense evaporation of the resin from the surface of the wood board. On the other hand, MDF is an order of magnitude more environmentally friendly building material.

Advantages and disadvantages of chipboard

The advantages of wood chipboard boards include:

• Relatively low cost... This is due to the fact that the production does not use valuable wood species, as well as the fact that the production cycle is not a technologically complex process.
• Moisture resistance... Due to the impregnation of the wood component with formaldehyde resins, chipboard boards withstand very well the presence of high humidity in the room.
• Ease... Regardless of the density, specific gravity wood board remains relatively low for this class of building materials.

Do not forget about the disadvantages:

1. Not very easy to process.
2. Not a high indicator of environmental friendliness.

Advantages and disadvantages of MDF

As a result of the high density of the material increased wear resistance... But at the same time, the mass of products and pieces of furniture made of this material also increases.

MDF boards are easy to process and can withstand the manufacture of small decorative elements... Also, the disadvantages include high cost and flammability.