IN furniture production The most popular materials are MDF and chipboard. Their characteristics are largely similar, but there are some differences. It is not surprising that when purchasing these materials, many people think about how chipboard differs from MDF and which is better. To answer this question, you need to understand in more detail the qualities and production method of each of these materials.
Manufacturing Features
MDF is an abbreviation that refers to the finely divided fraction of wood. This material is made from fine sawdust (almost usually logging waste. The raw materials are crushed, treated with steam, thoroughly dried and glued together. SoHow is MDF different from chipboard?
Chipboard is a chipboard, for the production of which sawdust of different fractions is used. They are mixed with synthetic or and pressed at high temperatures. Large quantity resins have a negative impact on the environmental friendliness of the material. The advantage is that it 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. This is wrong.
The fine wood fraction has the following characteristics:
the surface of the slab is even and smooth;
When studying the cut, one can note the homogeneity and fine-grained structure of the material.
Chipboard also has distinct characteristics:
the surface is uneven, slightly rough;
at the cut site you can see pieces of shavings and looseness of the material.
Differences in use in furniture production
For those who intend to use these materials to assemble cabinets, beds or decorative elements interior, it will be useful to knowWhat is the difference between MDF and chipboard in furniture?
The finely dispersed fraction is easy to cut and process. Screws can be screwed in without special labor. Ideal when needed figure cutting— the cut is perfectly smooth and neat. At the same time, the material is heavy and has different color on both sides (one side is white).
More capricious in processing. The cuts often turn out sloppy and “torn”. When screwing in screws, chips and cracks may appear. The advantage is that the weight of the material is light and the sides are the same color.
Furniture makers are also familiar with another material - laminated chipboard. This board is essentially the same as chipboard, only slightly improved. The surface of the slabs is covered with a special facing film. This covering is made from paper and melamine resin.
The film is literally pressed into the surface of the plate and gives finished products increased strength and protection from moisture. The only drawback of this material is its high cost.
How to choose correctly
Based on the characteristics of all mentioned building materials, one might reasonably ask:how MDF differs from chipboard,and for what purposes it is worth buying each material.
The finely dispersed fraction of wood is suitable for the manufacture of:
interior door leaves, platbands and boxes;
decorative overlays on entrance doors and platbands;
interior partitions;
cabinet furniture (even for rooms with increased level importance).
The particle board will become great solution For:
assembling cabinet furniture;
finishing works;
interior partitions;
floors
At the same time, vulnerability to high humidity is considered a significant drawback. Laminated chipboard can cope with this task.
So, differences in materials used and production methods have an impact on performance characteristics slabs That is why the same product, made of particle board and finely dispersed fraction, will look different and require special care. When choosing a particular material for a specific purpose, you need to take into account everythinghow MDF differs from chipboard: weight, processing method, interaction with moisture.
The first thing we pay attention to when buying furniture is its price and appearance. However, before you pay money to the cash register, 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. In furniture production for a wide range of buyers, MDF and Chipboard boards, constantly causing debate as to 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 use them.
Comparison of panel production technology:
MDF boards have a finer wood fraction. Process here it is more advanced, especially with regard to the appearance of wood fibers that give strength to the sheets. Their production involves the dry pressing method, as well as other binders that make the building material environmentally friendly.
One side of the MDF is also covered with laminate. The front part of the slabs can be decorated with PVC film, plastic or painted. In any case, it will always be smooth. Thinking about what to choose for the zone high humidity Chipboard or MDF, we take into account the huge advantage of the latter in this area, from which we conclude which kitchen will be better.
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Pros and cons of MDF and chipboard
Such a wonderful material as MDF is not without its drawbacks. He is very sensitive to various kinds mechanical damage. A blow from a heavy object may leave a dent in its surface. Another disadvantage is the rapid combustion near an open flame. This property must be taken into account when placing pieces of furniture in the same kitchen. Thanks to its finely dispersed structure, MDF is more flexible. If you need to cut out shaped elements, it fits perfectly.
Which furniture is better, made of chipboard or MDF, can be judged from the reviews of craftsmen who work with these materials. The disadvantage of chipboard is the fact that, due to its loose structure, a screw or nail holds very poorly in it. And there can be no question of repeatedly twisting it into the same place. The main fastening elements are the corners. Although MDF is denser, its coefficient of resistance to pulling out fasteners is also not high.
If we take into account the cost of materials, structures made only from MDF will cost much more. To beat pricing policy, many act very wisely. Without thinking about what is better for MDF or chipboard, they order the main part of the furniture body (which is hidden 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, we decide for ourselves which furniture is best suited for the home.
With the development of technology, more and more construction and finishing materials are appearing on the market. At the end of the last century we had MDF. There are MDF boards that are used in construction work, There is finishing panels, which can be used to decorate walls/ceilings or make furniture.
What is MDF and its manufacturing method
MDF appeared on our market in recent years last century, and it was invented in the USA in the late 60s of the 20th century. You can understand what MDF is if you translate its English name - MDF - Medium Density Fiberboard. This translates into Russian as “ fibreboard medium density". That is, the Russian-language name was formed using transliteration - instead of Latin letters they put similar Russian ones. A common phenomenon for our language.
MDF - medium density fiberboard
Manufacturing process
MDF is made from wood, ground to the state of very fine chips, almost to the state of fibers. Wood processing waste is mainly used, so the release of this material does not harm forests.
The ground wood is cleaned of sand and other foreign inclusions, washed and dried. The prepared mass is heated, a tape of the required width is formed from it, and then pressed. Under pressure, a natural binder, lignin, is released from heated wood fibers. It is he who is the binder in this material. The final shape of the products is given in a finishing press, which squeezes out the remaining air from the mass, forming a homogeneous MDF structure.
After pressing, the cooled material is submitted for grinding, where the flaws on the surface are removed from the MDF and the material is brought to the required thickness.
Not all types of wood provide a sufficient amount of binder. Then a similar, previously isolated lignin or other natural binder is added. Of all leafy trees MDF materials is considered the safest, since the binder is natural, and formaldehyde emissions are comparable to those of wood (emission class F1, that is, it is allowed to be used for the manufacture of furniture for children's and medical institutions).
During production, fibreboards can be given special properties. Basically, moisture resistance additives increase moisture resistance and reduce flammability.
Appearance and release forms
In its “pure” form, the material has a grayish-brown color; when cut, it is a homogeneous dense mass. The exact shade depends on the type of wood ground and the amount of bark. In this form, the material is used as sheet construction - for the construction of light partitions and leveling walls.
The surface of MDF can be “refined”. It can be painted, laminated with PVC film, covered with veneer or plastic. It gives quite large number design options that are used in the furniture industry and in the production of finishing materials.
Production technology allows you to form products various shapes, thickness, size. During finishing pressing, a certain relief can be formed, which is used in the production of furniture and doors. Also made from MDF finishing materials- slabs, panels. They make skirting boards, platbands, and other moldings from it. All these materials can be used for interior decoration premises.
The structure of MDF is fine-fiber; dust is generated during milling, which makes it possible to produce carved products. This is used in the manufacture of carved decorative elements - panels, decorative grilles, figured furniture facades.
MDF or chipboard - which is better?
Having appeared on the market, MDF created competition. This was facilitated by its properties:
All this led to the growing popularity of the material. Even though MDF is more expensive than chipboard. To some extent, MDF even competed with wood. For example, skirting boards, MDF trim, and finishing panels are increasingly used. This is due, firstly, to lower cost, and secondly, to greater practicality. Wood required regular care- painting, varnishing. MDF special care does not require. It is simply wiped with a damp cloth, using liquid detergent if necessary.
MDF boards
The technology for manufacturing MDF boards allows you to vary the density within a wide range: the minimum value is 760-780 kg/m3, the maximum is 1100 kg/m3 and even higher. Material with a lower density is used where the abrasion load is low: in the furniture industry, for finishing walls and ceilings.
High density MDF boards are used for floor finishing. The material of this category has high abrasion resistance: one and a half times higher than that of oak (oak - 6.9, MDF - 10-11). If we add that the coefficient of warping along the diagonal is only 1.2 mm for every meter of diagonal (for plywood it is 15 mm), the love of furniture makers and finishers for this material becomes clear.
Dimensions and tolerances
One of the most popular forms of release is slabs of different thicknesses and formats. They can be found with the following parameters:
It is convenient to work with MDF boards, since this material has very small tolerances for deviations from dimensions:
- the difference in thickness cannot exceed 0.2 mm (for plywood 0.5-2.5 mm);
- length may differ by no more than 5 mm;
- The width difference cannot be more than 2 mm.
When joining two sheets, the difference in thickness or size is very small or non-existent. Therefore, finishing MDF with sheets or panels is progressing quickly.
Types of surface finishing of sheet material
MDF boards are produced with different types surface treatment:
If we talk about construction and repairs, they use polished MDF boards. When leveling walls or installing light partitions, when leveling floors and ceilings. Here is their approximate scope.
Frame mounting
If the surface of the walls or ceiling is uneven (deviations more than 1 cm), the method of installing sheet MDF is the same as for plasterboard - on a frame. The frame is usually assembled from wooden blocks, but no one forbids installing profiles under drywall. The cross-section of the bars is selected based on the unevenness of the wall - they must compensate for the entire height difference. Most likely, you will need 20*30 mm bars or something like that. They are stuffed horizontally in increments of 40 cm. With this step, the joints of the sheets (they exist if the ceiling height is higher than 280 cm) fall on the bar.
For the installation of sheet panels from the same timber, vertical jumpers are installed. They are placed in increments:
- 54. 3 cm - for sheets with a width of 2170 mm;
- 42.3 cm or 63.5 cm for a width of 1270 mm.
The installation step of the vertical jumpers depends on the thickness of the selected material. For thin sheets (3-4 mm) it should be less, for thick sheets (5-6 mm) you can make more.
MDF sheets/plates are attached to the assembled frame. The peculiarity (compared to drywall) is that for hidden fastening you need to drill holes for the fasteners. Otherwise, the fasteners will not fit into a dense slab. To prevent the caps from sticking out above the surface, the hole under them is widened using a drill of a larger diameter.
After installing the screws, holes remain on the surface. They are sealed with putty. If you are planning to putty the walls next, proceed as before - first fill the holes with putty, immediately removing the excess with a spatula. After drying, the putty areas are sanded with fine-grain sandpaper to finally get rid of possible unevenness. Then, having cleared the surface of dust, they begin to putty the walls.
Glue installation
If the walls are smooth, you can mount MDF boards without a frame - using glue. You can use liquid nails or a composition like SM-11. The operating procedure is as follows:
To ensure that the sheet does not move anywhere during installation, you can make holes in the corners and, after leveling, fix the sheet. Even if the self-tapping screw only sticks to the plaster, this will help, since it is required only at the initial stage - until the glue begins to harden.
This method seems simpler and costs less (due to the absence of a frame), but leveling bulky MDF boards is not at all easy. It's better to try small area walls. The thing is that it is impossible to disassemble what is installed. Only if you destroy the casing completely. So it’s worth thinking about which method is better.
Installation of sheet MDF on the floor
For laying on the floor choose moisture resistant boards High density MDF (from 900 kg/m 3 and above). Sheet thickness - from 5 mm when laid on a subfloor and from 10 mm when installed on joists. IN in this case The installation method is similar to leveling the floor with plywood, only the gaps are smaller, since the wood board changes its parameters much less than plywood. Otherwise the rules are similar:
After sanding the putty, the surface of the MDF floor is ready for painting. If you do everything carefully, you get a perfectly flat floor. This base can also be used as a base for flexible finishing materials or laminate.
MDF finishing panels
Finely dispersed pressed boards serve as the basis for the production of decorative finishing panels. The front surface is covered with paper. This is the most cheap option. Slightly more expensive ones are laminated with PVC film. There are also panels covered with veneer. This is a more expensive material. There are also options with plastic, but very rarely.
MDF panel with three-dimensional image - 3D
Decorative MDF panels Most often they cover the walls, sometimes the ceiling. This finishing method saves time: the surface is leveled and immediately takes on its final form, since no additional finishing is required.
Types of decorative MDF panels
We will not talk about colors and shades, but about the shape of the inlet and the type of decorative surface. The shapes of finishing panels made of pressed wood fibers are:
When choosing MDF panels, pay attention to the type of finish. Most cheap material covered with paper over which a thin layer is applied protective coating. It is clear that such a surface gets scratched quickly; it can only be wiped with an exceptionally soft, slightly damp cloth. You cannot even use a rough sponge, otherwise light spots will form. Such MDF panels are good for finishing the ceiling - there is no mechanical load at all. If you install them on walls, it is better to immediately cover them with two layers of varnish. You choose the type of surface yourself - gloss, semi-gloss, matte, semi-matte... It is important that the film is durable.
More expensive - with PVC and veneer - additional finishing They don’t require it, but the price is 2-3 times more expensive. If your budget is limited, the option described above is not bad.
Installation methods
MDF panels are mounted either on the frame or directly on the wall using glue. The technology is described in the previous paragraph and differs only in that clamps are used for installation - special fastening plates for hidden installation. The first panel on the wall is installed in the corner. Here it is attached through and through using self-tapping screws. All others are fixed with clamps. After installation is completed, the corners are closed with a special corner profile. It is mounted with glue - applied in a thin layer and pressed at the installation site.
There is also a system of profiles - starting, finishing, connecting and corner (outer and internal corner). But this fastening system is more expensive; it is used with veneered MDF panels, square or rectangular.
There is one more subtlety of installation decorative MDF panels on the ceiling. If you use thin sheets/planks - 3-4 mm thick - you need to install hangers often, otherwise the material will bend under its own weight. When using slabs 6-8 mm thick, hangers can be installed less often. They are more rigid and do not bend. But the weight of the finish will be greater, so you will have to use more powerful guides and the hangers themselves.
The use of modern finishing and building materials significantly alleviates repair problems. It also helps to choose best option to create durable and visually attractive furniture for a variety of purposes. Among fibreboards, they have earned great popularity laminated chipboard and MDF, which according to some quality characteristics are the closest to natural wood, and in some aspects even superior to it.
What is chipboard?
Everyone is familiar with the concept of chipboard firsthand. home handyman. The use of chipboard became widespread even during periods of severe shortages and a small selection of suitable building materials. Over time, they came up with the idea of covering a thin and unreliable plywood board with a special layer, so to speak, laminating it.
This made it possible to increase the properties of the slab tenfold and provided a second youth for similar wood-replacing materials.
Advantages
- Lower cost compared to MDF.
- Easy machining.
- Large selection of colors.
- A more durable surface that is resistant to mechanical damage and moisture, for example, for floors.
Among the disadvantages, low moisture resistance should be noted, which automatically excludes chipboard from the list of possibilities for use in bathrooms. Making curved contours can be very difficult solely due to the larger particles in the composition, which will not allow you to get an even and clean cut.
The video explains which is better: chipboard or MDF:
It should also be taken into account that laminated chipboard is manufactured using two technologies, in which different proportions formaldehyde is used. It's volatile chemical compound very dangerous for humans and can even lead to poisoning and death. Typically, chipboard with a high content of formaldehyde is not used in furniture production, but is used for purely technical needs. When purchasing furniture made from chipboard, it is better to familiarize yourself with the certificates and check the hygiene certificate, otherwise there is a high risk of becoming a victim of a low-quality product.
When choosing furniture for the kitchen, it is important to choose an apron and choose what material it will be from MDF or HDF, and you can read how to do this in
What material to choose for the bedroom
Such furniture must first of all be safe, because we spend more time sleeping than in the kitchen. Therefore, it is better to prefer furniture groups made of MDF. as stated earlier, the cost of such purchases will be much higher than the average chipboard option, so this will not seem acceptable to everyone. It is also often used for the bedroom. Thus, the solution will be a partial combination of materials and strict rule preliminary familiarization with quality certificates before purchase. 
What to make children's furniture from
A children's room is least suitable for experimenting with the quality and environmental friendliness of furniture, so sympathy is entirely on the side of MDF. Despite this, there are also several pitfalls here. 
You can buy children's furniture based on the following indicators:
- Guaranteed quality of MDF boards. Some manufacturers are also trying to save money and replace the original and safe impregnation composition with their own recipes.
- If the laminated chipboard sections are reliably protected with film, there are no poor-quality joints and connections, it is quite possible to purchase furniture from laminated chipboard.
- Anyway low price and the flimsiness of the design should arouse suspicion and force one to abandon the dubious purchase.
In the video - which is better for the kitchen: MDF or chipboard:
Read about which one is suitable for a children's room.
The use of fibreboards provides ample opportunities to create beautiful and affordable furniture groups. If natural wood is an elite option that requires special care and respect. Another thing is furniture made from affordable and widespread laminated chipboard and MDF, which differ in better side not only affordable price, but also greater durability to mechanical and thermal influences, and are also less susceptible to pests and fungi. Doing reasonable and conscious choice in favor of this or that material, you will not only save yourself from unnecessary disappointments, but also will not take risks by purchasing low-quality or dangerous goods.
MDF and chipboard have been arguing with each other for a very long time. Here it is impossible to say unequivocally what it is better to order a cabinet from and indicate the winner and loser. After all, everything depends on each specific case: the goal (what do you want to buy?), the purpose (which room and who will use it?), the budget (the amount that you included in your personal estimate marked “for furniture”?) and, of course well, wishes for appearance(what should the future product look like?).
Both materials have long been successfully used in construction and interior decoration. We are interested in their march through the furniture market.
Mr.Doors uses both MDF and chipboard in its collections, giving you the opportunity to decide for yourself which material to choose. But you don’t have to choose! They combine and match perfectly with each other. We'll talk about their differences further.
MDF
MDF – Medium Density Fiberboard. This is the Russian version of the English term. The transliteration is "medium density fibreboard". MDF production constructed as follows: fine wood shavings (process chips) are pressed under the action high pressure and temperature. Only natural substances are used as a binding component: lingin (wood resin) or paraffin.
Already from the description of the production process it becomes clear that the main advantage of MDF is environmental friendliness. And this is true! During operation, MDF does not emit any impurities harmful to humans and animals. This is durable furniture wood material, possessing, at the same time, high density. Thanks to this, the plate securely holds the fastening fittings and the holes do not crumble. MDF is easy to process. It is possible to make curved facades from it and perform figured milling (panels), which not every material can boast of.
MDF has amazing huge amount processing options: PVC films of any colors and textures, high-gloss films and enamels, veneer and solid wood finishing natural wood. Believe me, this is a lot! Even the most demanding buyer will find what he is looking for.
MDF loses to chipboard in cost, and loses seriously. This can be called its only serious disadvantage. But this is completely justified, since MDF will last you much longer and will look like it was just bought.
Chipboard
Chipboard - chipboard, the raw materials for which are sawdust, shavings, dust. In the case of chipboard, formaldehyde resins act as a binding component. Chipboard is widely used in furniture and shows itself with good sides. Of course, if it meets high quality standards.
We would like to draw your attention to the edge. Chipboard is safe only in one case: if it is efficiently and seamlessly laminated (covered with film)! Only under this condition can you sleep peacefully, without fear for your health and the health of your loved ones.
Mr.Doors cannot afford to use materials hazardous to health, so our assortment contains only high-quality E1 class chipboard. This is the standard at which formaldehyde emissions are the lowest. E1 class chipboard is recommended for use in the production of furniture for children's institutions.
Chipboard usually has a laminate finish. There are also quite a lot of colors and textures. The main competitive advantage of chipboard as a material - its cost. At the same time, he looks more than presentable.
MDF or chipboard. What to choose when we go to order furniture?
Of course, you need to balance your desires with your capabilities. There can be no clear advice here. You need to thoroughly prepare for going to the salon: take at least an approximate measurement of the room; decide on the number of items you plan to purchase; look through pictures on the Internet finished interiors(there are a great many of them now); indicate the amount you plan to meet and come to the nearest Mr.Doors furniture showroom at a time convenient for you.
Our experienced specialists will be happy to show you all the materials and components that we use to create furniture and tell you about the latest innovations in world furniture fashion. You will be able to touch everything, open/close it, and become a participant in the design of your future little cozy world.
MDF or chipboard. What's best for the kitchen?
The kitchen is without a doubt the most important room in the house. The most happenings happen there significant events our life. With all this, this is not for furniture best place. Judge for yourself: water, high temperature, greasy dust, hot steam and cleaning agents – enough aggressive environment habitat.
The frame of kitchen furniture is usually made of chipboard. This is due to the fact that the facades take the entire blow. They get all of the above.
If you are for durability, then you should definitely choose MDF for your kitchen. It is highly moisture resistant, fireproof and easy to clean. You will be offered a wide choice of colors and finishes, however, it will cost more.
If you are short on funds, then choose chipboard. With careful use and careful care, it will also serve you faithfully. Remember to pay attention to the edge and inquire about which chipboard class belongs.
MDF or chipboard. What's best for children?
When choosing a nursery, we are, of course, concerned about safety and environmental friendliness future furniture. Of course, a lot depends on the character of the child and the period for which you purchase furniture. For a long time, or, for example, until the moment when the child goes to gnaw on the granite of science.
If you have a hooligan boy growing up who conducts experiments on everything he sees, then MDF is your option. And if you have a gentle and neat excellent student growing up, then you may well make a choice in favor of chipboard.
Visit any of our Mr.Doors furniture showrooms with your children! We guarantee that you will experience a lot positive emotions and get an answer to every question you have! You will be pleasantly pleased with professionalism, willingness to help, individual approach and high-quality service.