For construction work, doors and furniture, wood building materials are often used. The existing choice allows you to decide on the optimal solution for construction or repair, but does not remove the issues of the appropriateness of using wood canvases. Popular sheet materials include chipboard and MDF, which can largely replace each other during a number of works.
We will conduct a comparative study of these materials, paying attention to characteristics that are important from an operational point of view.
Environmental properties
The most harmless and non-toxic material is MDF. This is due to the use in its production of natural binders based on paraffin or lignin. Their combination with wood dust does not cause allergic reactions and other negative consequences in people.
The content of phenol-formaldehyde resins in the particleboard makes it more toxic by default. Harmful effects are usually manifested by inhalation of dust arising from the cutting of boards, or the release of vapors during heating and burning.
There is a gradation of particleboard by toxicity classes, while the least dangerous class is not limited in scope. Features of the domestic trading sector do not always allow us to reliably find out the class of the purchased material. Try to avoid using chipboard to decorate your child’s room.
Work in processing
Despite its great strength and weight, MDF is much easier to machine and shape. This is especially important when sawing canvases to a given floor or furniture size. Particleboard has a greater hardness, which is explained by the rigidity of the adhesive base and the larger size of wood chips.
In order to obtain chipboards of the required size and shape, it is necessary to use automatic equipment and be sure to protect the respiratory system with a respirator. When processing MDF, it is enough to use a hacksaw for wood, conducting the most delicate work with a hacksaw for metal or a jigsaw.
Working with MDF is more tiring, due to its higher density (by 0.1-0.2 kg / m3) and a lot of paintings. In small volumes of work, the difference is not so noticeable and is felt only with a large machined surface.
Tendency to mechanical damage
The strength characteristics of both materials are quite high. If we compare by relative indicators, then the fine-mesh structure of MDF tends to withstand higher loads (bending and torsion). The flip side of the coin is the lower hardness of the material, which leads to relatively easy crumbling.
Particleboard sheets have lower strength, but are not as sensitive to point loads as MDF. Higher hardness allows the material to be used in a less sparing mode, in terms of mechanical impact.
Flammability of sheet materials
Despite the fact that the chipboard is made on the basis of wood, it will be quite difficult to set fire to it. Of course, the resistance of particleboard to fire is not as high as that of drywall, since all particle boards are subject to burning. The essence of its heat resistance is the longer exposure to open flame, necessary for ignition.
If you quickly extinguish the flame that spread to the chipboard, it will leave minimal damage. They will be easy to clean and paint over, while getting rid of the unpleasant odor. MDF has a significantly greater fire hazard, although sometimes there are plates impregnated with fire fighting compounds. With the ignition of MDF, the harmful effects of combustion products on humans will be much less than with particleboard.
Application in the manufacture of furniture
If any sheet material can be used for facade decoration and flooring, then the assembly of furniture has its own limitations. In products made entirely of chipboard, there is a risk of cracks in the places of fastening screws or screws. When the metal fasteners pop out of their places, they rip out a significant portion of the material “with the root”.
That is why old chipboard furniture is not durable enough. This leads to the practical impossibility of its high-quality and long-term use. In addition, the crumb of material from the attachment points does not very well affect the environment of the room. This is especially true when storing food in cabinets made of chipboard.
The advantages of using MDF in the manufacture of furniture are its greater flexibility and toughness. Unlike chipboard, which is almost impossible to bend and not break, MDF is well suited for interior decoration.
Completely made furniture from MDF is quite expensive, while its external surfaces will not be durable enough. When self-assembling or ordering cabinets, it will be optimal to make the stationary parts of the structure from chipboard (frame), and the movable (doors, shelves) from MDF. This will increase the life of the product and make it more suitable for repair.
If you plan to use wood-based panels to build a bed, you should not save and buy chipboard. It is better to purchase MDF and not suffer from headaches that can be caused by phenol-formaldehyde resins.
Price difference between MDF and particleboard
The cost of an MDF sheet is approximately 2.3-2.5 times higher than a chipboard of equal thickness. So, 1 m2 22 mm thick MDF costs about 370 rubles, while a chipboard plate will cost 150 rubles / m2. This is of fundamental importance when decorating large surfaces, so chipboards are often bought if you want to save. To use MDF and reduce costs, you can purchase thinner sheets, which will be significantly cheaper. Unlike chipboard, the minimum thickness of which is 16 mm, MDF boards start with a thickness of 6 mm.
Summing up the comparison of materials, we can conclude:
- both materials are fundamentally applicable in the domestic sphere and can be recommended for repair of premises and furniture assembly;
- MDF refers to finishing materials, while chipboard is suitable for rough coating of surfaces;
- in places close to the heat source, it is better to avoid these materials. MDF - due to fire hazard, and particleboard - due to the greater toxicity of the binder, which evaporates when heated;
- it is not recommended to use chipboard for the equipment of children's premises;
- when assembling furniture, it is advisable to combine MDF and particleboard - this will positively affect the appearance and improve operational properties.