There are certain requirements that must be adhered to when choosing finishing materials for renovating an apartment. An important role here is played by the choice of materials and furniture for the kitchen, since it is the “hot shop” in the apartment.
Usually for finishing furniture facades use MDF or chipboard. These slabs, although externally similar, have significant differences in their composition and the technologies used. This is reflected in their performance. Chipboard or MDF - which is better for making kitchen furniture? What to choose so that the furniture meets environmental standards and lasts as long as possible, maintaining its original attractiveness?
Kitchens made of laminated chipboard/chipboard: characteristics and types of material
Chipboards began to be used for the production of furniture, including kitchen furniture, back in the middle of the last century. The use of this material has made it possible to satisfy the increased need to provide the population with average incomes with affordable and aesthetically attractive furniture.
The basis for the production of chipboard is recyclable materials - sawdust and wood shavings, compressed with the addition of inexpensive glue, so the cost of the final product is quite low. Today, chipboard production is carried out using new technologies, using a variety of finishing materials, which makes it possible to make beautiful and high-quality furniture from slabs.
Based on their external and quality characteristics, chipboards are divided into several types:
- "Naked";
- Laminated (chipboard);
- Laminated.
Naked, or chipboard devoid of any coating, is used as a base, topped with plastic, veneer and other coatings, including even fake diamond.
Laminated chipboard obtained by covering the surface with a laminated film of paper impregnated with melamine resin. Thanks to modern technologies, you can create chipboard with imitation of natural wood or stone, as well as apply any other design. The film is pressed under pressure onto the surface of the chipboard, giving it resistance to moisture and minor mechanical and thermal influences.
The main difference between laminated chipboard and laminated chipboard lies in lamination technology. Despite the same price, laminated chipboard is inferior to laminated chipboard in terms of service life, since the protective layer begins to peel off very quickly along the edges of the products.
Using chipboard for the kitchen today has its pros and cons, which you need to know about when buying furniture. The undoubted advantages of this material are:
- Affordable cost of manufactured furniture;
- Ease and speed of installation;
- High density of the material, providing sufficient strength for furniture;
- Resistance of pressed and laminated surfaces to moisture.
Making kitchen furniture from chipboard or laminated chipboard will not require significant effort and expense, since they can be easily processed without the use of special equipment, and have sufficient density for reliable fixation of hinges and handles with screws.
However, one should not discount the disadvantages that this material has. The most important of them is the use of formaldehyde resins for gluing wood components. According to environmental safety, chipboard can be divided into two types: E1 and E2
Their main difference is that E1 contains a smaller amount of formaldehyde resins, which emit toxic fumes. Therefore, it is preferable to use E1 for the production of kitchen and children's furniture. Making, for example, children's furniture from E2 chipboard is strictly prohibited. Therefore, using it for the kitchen is also undesirable. The most environmentally friendly chipboards made in Germany or Austria.
The second disadvantage, which is also important in the manufacture small parts, is that very hard chipboards are difficult to process. It is impossible to make figured parts from them.
Naked chipboard
Laminated chipboard
Laminated chipboard
MDF kitchens: characteristics, pros and possible cons
MDF boards are made by pressing tiny sawdust with the addition of paraffins, which have water-repellent properties, or lignin for bonding. A kitchen made from MDF has more environmental safety than similar furniture made from chipboard.
Lately making furniture from MDF is becoming increasingly popular in Europe. This is explained by the advantages that MDF boards undoubtedly have:
- Environmental Safety;
- Softness in processing;
- Long service life;
- Preservation of the properties of natural wood;
- Low production costs.
MDF, like chipboard, can be laminated, and this significantly increases its waterproof qualities.
Modern designers love to work with MDF; it is easy to process and create beautiful carved or embossed elements for furniture finishing.
New kitchens made from MDF look stylish and look completely indistinguishable from furniture made from natural wood.
The main disadvantage is the lack of a developed production base for the manufacture of MDF in Russia, therefore, for the Russian consumer, furniture made from MDF is much more expensive than analogues made from other types of boards.
Let's compare what is more suitable for kitchen furniture
Try to compare the main advantages and disadvantages of each material - this will allow you to choose the most suitable option for yourself.
The main requirements that kitchen furniture must meet are:
- Environmental cleanliness;
- Resistant to moisture;
- Strength;
- Beautiful surface design;
- Affordable price.
Let's look at compliance with these requirements in furniture that is assembled from MDF or wood-based analogues.
If you decide to purchase chipboard furniture, you should find out what type of material it is made from. Even for the most budget option You should not risk your health and purchase furniture assembled from environmentally hazardous chipboard of class E2.
If you are guided by considerations of complete environmental friendliness of the material, then it is better to give preference to laminated chipboard or MDF - this way you will be guaranteed against the fact that your furniture in the kitchen will become a source of toxic fumes.
MDF has the greatest moisture resistance, since moisture-resistant materials - lignin and paraffins - are used to glue wood components. Therefore, such furniture will be most resistant to moisture. In second place is laminated chipboard. The water-repellent film covering the surfaces protects the furniture from exposure to water. Chipboards are in the worst position - the “bare” board is generally not suitable for kitchen surfaces, and the laminated board is not sufficiently protected from moisture penetration due to possible peeling of the protective layer.
Today, the market for repair and construction materials does not experience a shortage. Moreover, sometimes products with similar characteristics are offered, the consumer properties of which are quite difficult to understand. For example, both laminated particle board ("LDSP") and "Medium Density Fiberboard" ("MDF") - panels are excellent for wall cladding and are the main materials in the manufacture of furniture.
Moreover last years both of these products are used not only in the production of economy-class furniture products, but have also carved out their niche in the “premium” segment. Despite all the similarities appearance Both types of construction and finishing products have significant differences between them, which allow their use in some industries, while in others their use is undesirable.
However, before answering which of these two materials is better, in the production of which products it is better to use “chipboard”, and where “MDF” panels are more suitable, it is necessary to understand the raw materials that are used in manufacturing and the production technology.
What is "MDF"
The Russian abbreviation "MDF" is a transliteration of the English abbreviation "MDF" - "Medium Density Fiberboard". According to the manufacturing technology, it is a medium-density wood fiber board produced by dry pressing. The starting component is fine wood shavings, which are pressed under high pressure and elevated temperature. Used as a binder various types urea or lignin (non-phenolic) resins modified with melamine.
A patent for the production of this building and finishing material was received in the United States in the 60s of the last century, and production on an industrial scale began at the same time. In Russia, the industrial production of MDF panels was mastered in 1997.
What is "chipboard"
The manufacturing technology of chipboard - “chipboard” (“DSP”) involves hot pressing of wood particles (mainly medium-disperse chips) based on mineral binders. Today, the production of single-layer and multi-layer materials has been mastered. The abbreviation “LDSP” means laminated particle board, for the decorative coating of which melamine film is used. The manufacturing technology involves laminating the surface simultaneously with pressing the base material (plate). Modern products may have smooth surface, or they can be embossed, quite accurately imitating the texture of natural wood.
Safety and environmental friendliness
If you carefully consider the manufacturing technology of these two products, then theoretically, “MDF” panels should contain fewer environmentally hazardous and harmful substances, which are resin vapors used as binders. In some types of particle board, formaldehyde-containing resins, which are inherently harmful to health, are used as a binder, while in the manufacture of “MDF” panels, a more environmentally friendly and health-safe urea-melamine resin is used.
Attention!
During prolonged use and with changes in ambient temperature, volatile substances are released from resins into the atmosphere. Of course, they do not lead to immediate poisoning of a person, but with a long stay in a closed room lined with chipboards, in the absence of ventilation, a deterioration in well-being is noted.
Today, manufacturers apply the following gradation of safety for each of these products, which is widely used in their advertising and description:
- “MDF” panel is the most environmentally friendly and safe for health, both in terms of the volatile harmful substances released and because of the binders used - lignin, which is used in the production process, when heating and pressing chips, is absolutely environmentally safe.
- chipboard "E1" - class for health safety and environmental friendliness is in second place, and the amount of volatile substances released depends on the type of lamination.
- “Chipboard” of class E2 is initially harmful to health and poses a certain environmental hazard - in the West its production has been discontinued, and in Russia it is used only for construction and finishing work of non-residential premises, and the production of furniture products from it is prohibited.
Cost indicators
Considering that wood processing waste is used in the production of both types of these building and finishing materials, their final cost will be influenced by:
- manufacturing technology, which for MDF panels is more complex and labor-intensive, and, therefore, more expensive;
- brand (country of origin) - foreign analogues of the Russian “Medium Density Fiberboard” boards are more expensive;
- additional properties - fire resistance, moisture resistance, resistance to biological effects, which are determined by the specific brand and production technology;
- type, kind and quality decorative cladding(lamination).
Due to a large number Finishing options for products have a greater price range, which is determined by the type of decorative cladding. However, overall the cost square meter products are higher than the price of laminated particle board.
Comparative assessment and application
It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question “which is better than MDF or laminated chipboard.” Each of these plates has its own purpose and, accordingly, scope of use. Panels made from laminated chipboard of class E1 and MDF boards are now widely used in the production of furniture. However, each of these construction and finishing products has its own advantages and disadvantages, which to a certain extent limits and narrows the scope of their application.
Today, in the production of furniture for the mass user, the following practice is widespread:
- facades are made of “Medium Density Fiberboard” panels;
- body elements - walls, bottom, top panel and shelves are made from laminated or multi-layer painted chipboard.
The advantages of “MDF” panels in comparison with other types of material include:
- greater moisture resistance, which makes it possible to use it in the manufacture of bathroom furniture;
- higher strength characteristics, which guarantees a more secure hold furniture fittings;
- the ability to process (sawing, grinding, milling) edges and surfaces without chipping or delamination;
- possibility of use as a basis for the production of curved products;
- more species decorative finishing and higher lamination quality.
The disadvantage of this product compared to laminated chipboard is that it is less resistant to temperature changes and exposure to high temperatures.
Various types of laminated particle board, due to their lower unit cost, are more widely used for decorative cladding internal surfaces residential premises.
Choosing sheet products for interior decoration You should also pay close attention to its physical and mechanical characteristics.
“LDSP” is divided into:
- moisture-resistant, having a special paraffin impregnation, which complements the increased resistance to moisture guaranteed by the manufacturing technology;
- fire-resistant, impregnated with fire retardant additives to prevent fire.
Video
The video compares two materials: MDF and chipboard. Watch and find out which is better.
The first conventional chipboards appeared back in 1918. Thanks to progress over the years, materials have become better and more reliable; moisture-resistant laminated boards are now available for the production of various products. There are many types of slabs made from wood. These include MDF and laminated chipboard with different characteristics and their own characteristics.
In order to select the material for own closet or the chest of drawers was meaningful, you need to know the advantages and disadvantages of furniture materials.
Laminated particle boards based on thermosetting polymers are the main and frequently used material for the production of mass elements industrial conditions, it is also widely used in construction. Such plates are quite resistant to mechanical and chemical influences (gasoline, acetone, water, solvents, alcohol, acid, coffee and other substances). From this we can conclude that laminated chipboard is an excellent raw material for the production of medical, laboratory, educational, household and office furniture.
Due to its low cost and excellent construction properties of chipboard- the most widely used material for the manufacture of economy class furniture.
Laminated chipboard is a material made from natural wood. This is the same chipboard, but sanded whiter, with a durable melamine film on the surface. That is, their main difference is the coating. When it is pressed into the structure of the board itself, it makes it more moisture resistant and much stronger. This is a “loose” raw material, its cost is budgetary, in terms of design, due to the film and coating, you can achieve different color solutions, including those with a natural wood pattern. It is widely used in the production of cabinet products for the kitchen, office, home, and other home interior items as the main material. Stands for exhibitions, furniture for the interior of shops, pharmacies and supermarkets are made from it. The same thing happens with MDF, but such boards are more expensive.
Most office furniture is made from chipboard.
Lamination of chipboard boards is carried out in various colors and different textures:
fantasy vector decors;
- geometry;
- ornaments;
- plain papers;
- drawings and wood imitation.
However, this material also has its disadvantages - harmful formaldehyde emissions.
The decorative film for cladding is impregnated with resin and is made of special decorative paper, density 60-90 g/m2.
Lamination is the process of applying a decorative coating under pressure and temperature.
Lamination takes place in a press. During the pressing process, the paper becomes denser; its properties are on par with plastic. A dense glossy film is formed on top, and the same film is formed on the bottom, but with a different structure - adhesive. The coating of laminated boards is quite durable and is formed due to the spreading of resin over the entire surface of the chipboard at a pressure of 25-28 MPa and a temperature of 140-210°C. For production, their width cannot be less than 10 mm, but not more than 22 mm. When laminating a chipboard, aldehyde vapors, which are harmful to the environment, are not released.
Lamination is considered a more reliable and expensive method of making chipboard.
It is pressed into the structure of the slab, making it more durable and moisture resistant.
Manufacturers label the structure of laminated chipboard differently, but usually like this:
- BS is office;
- SE – wood with surface pores;
- SM - smooth surface;
- MAT - matte smooth surface;
- PR – porous structure;
- PE – “orange peel”.
Regardless of the application method, such chipboard is called melamine-coated chipboard.
For production, the first two are most often used: BS and SE. PR – also popular, but used less often, SM is used in production internal partitions. Other markings may occur.
Widely used for making furniture, filling coupe doors and other interior decoration elements.
Advantages and disadvantages of laminated chipboard in furniture
To choose good raw materials for specific furniture, you need to know its features, including its pros and cons. Any chipboard material is made from sawdust and wood shavings impregnated with formaldehyde resin as a binder. Chipboard releases formaldehyde, which is harmful to environment and human health, but laminated chipboard contains protective film– a laminated layer that does not allow the substance to evaporate from the boards.
A variety of colors and textures, imitation of the texture of natural wood.
This is not plastic, not iron, but the same familiar wood.
To make laminated film, paper of a certain texture and pattern is used. It is impregnated with melamine resin, as a result of which it becomes a certain level of rigidity and more friable. Then, under a press, the surface of the board is combined with the film - this is how a laminated sheet of standard thickness is formed.
Resistance to mechanical damage.
Laminated chipboard is a fairly resistant material to mechanical and thermal influences with a wide range of textures and colors. It can be developed in the form of a valuable wood species. Due to its resistance to high temperatures, hot dishes can be placed on countertops made from this raw material.
Resistant to thermal influences (to hot coffee pots and frying pans).
Laminated chipboards are materials made from natural wood.
The disadvantages include the lack of fine processing and the presence of formaldehyde resins in the chipboard composition, while the advantages are high mechanical and chemical resistance.
LDSP is a representative of the old well-known chipboards (chipboards) in a more polished form.
MDF furniture - what is it?
MDF is an improved technology for the production of chipboard materials. The board consists of small compressed fractions of sawdust. Thanks to this method of fastening, the material is highly durable, homogeneous and harmless to health. Thanks to these indicators, it can be used for the production of any furniture, including for a children's room. Its cost is slightly higher.
The main difference between laminated chipboard and chipboard is the coating. It is pressed into the structure of the slab, making it more durable and moisture resistant.
The main advantages are the high strength of the slabs, uniformity, ease of processing, moisture resistance, anti-deformation abilities, a wide range and beautiful design.
MDF is a fairly dense material - this makes it indispensable in the production of furniture that requires turning graceful lines, roundness, etc.
Cons: high price, boards are susceptible to mechanical damage and shock, and are easily flammable.
MDF is an environmentally friendly material and has no restrictions on its use.
How to choose the right chipboard?
Today there are a considerable number of chipboards for various purposes. Their differences lie in thickness, composition, wear resistance, and density. Such features are associated with use in different areas of plate production. There is a stereotype about the density of the slab. It is believed that the denser it is, the better. But it is not so. The advantage of these boards is the low-cost raw materials (low-grade wood). This includes “thin gauges”, slabs, slats. The main thing is that these materials meet the following standards.
- Chip fractions should not be small.
- The cross-section of the chips should be square and petal-shaped. If these requirements are violated, the physical and chemical properties of the finished slab will deteriorate (bending and resistance will suffer).
laminated chipboard has a wide color scheme, which is widely used in the production of cabinet furniture.
Consumers often ask questions: what kind of material is this for a bed - MDF? What is the difference between MDF and laminated chipboard for furniture? Let's consider these nuances in more detail.
The film is paper impregnated with melamine resins, which is why you can often find the term “melamine board”.
Advantages of chipboard:
- low price;
- does not dry out, does not flake, does not mold;
- thanks to chemical additives, bugs do not live in the stove;
- service life more than 10 years.
Pros of MDF:
- reasonable price for consumers with average incomes;
- strength;
- moisture resistance;
- includes all of the above advantages of chipboard.
Laminated chipboard can be washed and cleaned - it is moisture resistant.
The choice of material depends on what you plan to make. Laminated chipboard can be used in the manufacture of furniture intended for offices, homes, shops, and supermarkets. MDF is better to choose for children's furniture.
He is also not afraid of high temperatures.
The production of fibreboards makes it possible to produce products according to affordable prices For various interiors. Thanks to MDF and laminated chipboard furniture, every home will be filled with coziness, warmth and comfort.
Its advantage, in addition to all of the above, is its excellent ability to imitate various textures, most often imitation of wood texture.
Pay attention to the standards for formaldehyde content in cabinet furniture.
Photo: www.elvis-mebel.ru
“Sometimes a variety of goods is bad...” sighs visitors to a hardware store, who have to choose between similar board materials such as MDF, chipboard and laminated chipboard. At the same time, it is completely unclear to a non-professional which of the above can be used in a particular case. But figuring it out is not as difficult as it seems.
MDF (short for Medium Density Fiberboard) is a type of wood fiber board that has a medium density and is created by dry pressing (at a certain high blood pressure and temperature) fine wood shavings. It is clear that no matter how much the raw material is heated or compressed in this case, the chips will not stick to each other. Therefore, a “binder” (something like glue) is added to them - urea resins modified by melamine.
The MDF production technology was developed in the USA in the 60s of the twentieth century, and its industrial production began there in 1966. In Russia, the first MDFs were produced only in 1997.
Chipboard - chipboard (usually referred to as chipboard, although it is correct to use the abbreviation DSTP) - is obtained by hot pressing of chips (and other wood particles) mixed with a non-mineral binder. In this case, chipboard can consist of either one layer or several layers (three or more).
Chipboard has been produced in the USA for more than 70 years, in Russia - somewhat less.
Photo: www.makuha.ru
LDSP is a type of chipboard, which is a board laminated with melamine films. The unity of the design is achieved by simultaneous exposure to high temperature and pressure. The surface of laminated chipboard can be made either smooth or embossed (imitating the structure of wood or any other materials).
Safety
Production technology slab materials implies that MDF contains less harmful substances than chipboard. We are talking about volatile substances released by resins (used as binders), harmful to humans, which gradually (during long-term operation) “evaporate” and accumulate in the air if there is no sufficient ventilation of the room. All these substances do not cause immediate damage to the human body and have a harmful effect only with prolonged contact with them (in other words, if you decide to lie on a chipboard or MDF board for a long time, you will die not from poisoning with the substances they secrete, but from thirst, hunger or from old age).
However, manufacturers still established a certain gradation:
MDF - with strict adherence to technology and high-quality cladding of the surfaces of structures made from it is considered the least dangerous in terms of the release of harmful substances into the surrounding air. In the production of MDF, the main binder is lignin, released during the heating of wood. Therefore, high-quality MDF is environmentally friendly;
Chipboard class E1 - ranks second in terms of safety for the human body (but also only with appropriate surface cladding);
Chipboard class E2 - highlights greatest number harmful substances, prohibited for production in foreign countries, and in Russia it is prohibited for the production of furniture and products used inside public and residential premises (GOST 10632-2007).
The difficulty of determining the harm actually caused by these materials is that the information recorded in the certificates is not always true (and sometimes the certificates attached to the materials are not “original” ones, that is, compiled based on the results of tests, but “purchased ones”). In addition, not all manufacturers (especially Russian ones) comply with the recommended process technology for MDF manufacturing and chipboard, trying to save money by using lower quality resins.
Price
How easier production and the more accessible the raw materials, the cheaper the material will be. Since the main raw material for the production of MDF and chipboard is waste from the woodworking industry, the difference in price will be influenced by the following factors:
Production technology (MDF is more expensive than chipboard),
- country of origin (board materials from foreign European companies will cost more than their Russian counterparts),
- the number of intermediaries between the manufacturing company and the buyer (the more there are, the more expensive the material will end up being),
- the presence of additional properties imparted to the materials during the production process (fire resistance, biostability, water resistance),
- availability, quality and durability of decorative coating on MDF or chipboard (everything that makes a structure made from these materials more safe and durable costs more).
Which is better: MDF, chipboard or chipboard?
Photo: gklesprom.ru
Unfortunately, this question cannot be answered unambiguously, since MDF and chipboard have their own main purposes, in which their use is considered quite safe for humans.
Thus, MDF and chipboard (chipboard) of class E1 (with mandatory surface cladding) can be used in the production of furniture. In this case Special attention should be given to the quality of the edges and seams between them and the face (surface of the slab). If the seams are not made well enough, then water will get into them over time (for example, during wet cleaning of premises) and the MDF (like chipboard) will “swell.” At the same time, chipboard is much less moisture resistant.
But MDF reacts more strongly to high temperatures. Furniture made from MDF should not be placed too close to heating devices - it may warp.
MDF more hard material, it does not crumble during milling - this allows you to make cutouts for fittings, create drawings and carvings on the surface. Unlike chipboard, MDF holds screws and other fasteners well.
But even if all the furniture elements are made of high quality, we should not forget that MDF and chipboard are mass-produced materials, which to one degree or another (according to various characteristics) are inferior to furniture made from properly dried and treated wood. In other words, even the most best furniture made of slab materials will not last more than 10-25 years (depending on the quality of the source materials and the care with which it is handled during operation).
You also need to take into account that often in the production of furniture only facades are made from MDF, and walls and internal parts are made from chipboard. Furniture made entirely from MDF is quite expensive.
Another option for using MDF is to manufacture door elements from it in a factory. However, when adjusting parts at the installation site, you should pay attention to some nuances. So, when trimmed to size, MDF trims on one side are “unprotected” from moisture, which can lead to their deformation.
But chipboard will be simply irreplaceable as a subfloor (since in this case the material does not have direct contact with the indoor air and, therefore, will not be able to release harmful substances into it). To be on the safe side, you can coat the chipboard with a protective paint coating.
As a rule, the operating conditions of kitchen furniture are rougher than any other: high humidity, temperature changes, frequent opening and closing, shock, exposure to active reagents (boiling water, oils, household chemicals).
Therefore, the materials from which the furniture is made must withstand all these influences and at the same time retain their original appearance for many years.
Naturally, before arranging a kitchen space, every owner thinks “what is better for the kitchen: chipboard or MDF?” To make a rational choice, you need to know how a particular material is made and what advantages and disadvantages it has. This is exactly what we will talk about in our article.
Chipboard
Chipboard is made from sawdust and shavings impregnated with formaldehyde resins, which act as a binder. The use of chipboard is quite extensive: the construction of roofs and partitions, interior design, and the creation of cabinet furniture.
Used for the production of kitchen furniture special type this material, which is characterized by increased moisture resistance (indicated by the letter “B”).
When making waterproof chipboards, a paraffin emulsion or molten paraffin is added to the chip mass immediately before pressing. This is what subsequently makes the material resistant to moisture.
But this material has one significant disadvantage - the release of formaldehydes harmful to the human body.
According to environmental standards, chipboard is divided into two classes:
- E1 is more environmentally friendly. The formaldehyde emission rate of chipboards of this class is lower. In addition, furniture manufacturers are fighting in various ways to reduce this mark to a minimum.
Note! The most stringent requirements for the release of formaldehyde from chipboard are in Japan. It is reasonable to conclude that furniture made from of this material from Japanese manufacturers is much safer.
- E2 – less environmentally friendly. The formaldehyde emission rate of chipboards of this class is higher than that of the previous one. This is probably why this material is prohibited from being used for children's premises.
To choose between MDF or Chipboard kitchen you need to know the pros and cons of each material.
So, the advantages of chipboards:
- Moisture resistance;
- Strength;
- Ease of machining (good for sawing, planing, drilling);
- Excellent hold of screws and nails that hold the structure together;
- Also easy to glue and paint;
- In some physical and mechanical qualities they even surpass natural wood (they are more fire resistant, have good sound and heat insulation properties);
- The price of chipboard products is quite low.
Minuses:
- The presence of formaldehyde resins that are harmful to health;
- This material is characterized by high hardness, which does not allow fine processing (for example, deep milling or shaped elements);
- Despite its hardness, this material is friable, and even after grinding its surface is not ideal. For this reason, for the decorative finishing of kitchen furniture made of chipboard, plastic, veneer, acrylic, and artificial stone are used (that is, those materials that are thick and can hide unevenness). Therefore, such furniture can only be smooth.
Laminated chipboard
What is better for the kitchen: laminated chipboard or MDF? Let's understand further. Laminated chipboard(LDSP), as you already understood from the name, are ordinary chipboards lined with special paper-resin films.
The film is made from paper of a certain texture (usually imitating tree species): the paper is impregnated with melamine resin, which makes it hard and fragile; then the film is securely connected to the surface of the chipboard in one of the following ways:
- Laminating – first applied to the base plate adhesive composition, then the film is applied and glued. Over time, the film begins to peel off along the edges and corners.
- Lamination – decorative coating(film) is bonded to the base plate under the influence of pressure and temperature. This method of manufacturing laminated chipboard is considered the most reliable, durable, but also the most expensive.
In order to figure out what is better than MDF or laminated chipboard for the kitchen, let's highlight the pros and cons of laminated chipboard.
Pros:
- Moisture and heat resistance;
- Good resistance to mechanical damage;
- Wide selection of colors and textures;
- Imitation of beautiful and noble tree species.
Minuses:
- As mentioned above, the presence of harmful resins in base boards;
- The hardness of the material, which does not allow for fine processing.
Note! As a rule, instructions are attached to each product, whether it is made of chipboard, laminated chipboard or MDF. It describes in detail how to assemble furniture with your own hands, how to operate it, and how to care for it.
MDF
Fiberboard (MDF or MDF) is made from fine wood chips. Chipboard and MDF shavings can be compared to products: where the former are passed through a meat grinder, and the latter are crushed with a mixer. The shavings are held together by paraffin and lignin.
Thus, the content of harmful formaldehyde resins in MDF boards is negligible and comparable to the release of the same resins natural wood. So, answering the question “is a kitchen made of MDF or chipboard?”, we can conclude that MDF boards are more environmentally friendly.
In addition, thanks to their fine and uniform structure, MDF boards are twice as strong as chipboards, and are also more resistant to moisture and fire.
This material has found wide application both in construction (walls, ceilings, floors are made from it) and in furniture production.
Pros:
- High environmental friendliness;
- Excellent resistance to moisture, temperature changes, mechanical stress;
- Long service life;
- MDF boards lend themselves perfectly to the finest processing, which is why they are a favorite material of modern designers. carved kitchen fronts, volumetric panels, pilasters, cornices - all this is MDF;
- Favorable ratio between hardness and thickness (MDF boards can be from 4 to 22 mm);
- The surface of this material is flat, smooth, uniform and dense, which makes subsequent external processing of the slabs very easy;
- MDF, perhaps, has all the advantages of wood, but is cheaper and lasts longer.
Minuses:
- There is only one big minus here - the unorganized production of the material in Russia. This means that the price of kitchen furniture from MDF will be much higher.
Attention! Very soon this shortage will no longer exist: the United Panel Group company will open the production of MDF boards in our country in just six months.
