Typically, MDF or laminated chipboard is used in furniture production. Although they have good aesthetic features, as well as a wide selection of colors, it is important to understand that in furniture these boards are initially used as a base. And one or another wear-resistant coating is already applied on top of it.
What is better than MDF or laminated chipboard largely depends on their tasks. Laminated chipboard or chipboard are no less in demand, and the price is significantly lower than that of MDF.
To understand which material to choose laminated chipboard or MDF and decide what is better for the kitchen and what is better for the bathroom, you must first find out what is the difference between them, what is the difference, what is furniture made of laminated chipboard and MDF, what are the pros and cons of the materials.
What is MDF
The material received its unusual name due to its abbreviation. The full name is “finely dispersed fraction”.
Painted facades
Painted facades can be ordered in a wide range of colors. They can be:
- matte;
- chameleon;
- pure color;
- steel metallic.
The advantage of such facades at a fairly high price category is their long service life.
A high-quality facade cannot contain foreign inclusions or roughness. Visual inspection shows a perfectly mirror surface.
This is achieved by grinding at different levels:
- primer;
- dye;
- varnish
This façade is made using special technology and requires precise execution of all stages. The resulting result will please the owners for a long period of time. It is for this type of MDF that it does not matter whether it is painted on one or both sides. Such panels are not afraid of water, steam, or moisture.
Experts who make furniture do not recommend choosing facades based on chipboard or plastic with its application on one side. Caring for a painted facade requires cleaning approximately every six months. Ease of maintenance depends on the ergonomics of furniture designs. Surface care is simple.
A regular window cleaner will work for this. If any grease stains remain, you can wipe them with a sponge or cloth with detergent.
The surfaces are fairly easy to clean and are not susceptible to heavy contamination.
Production
To produce both materials, wood production waste is used: knots, branches, crooked trunks, trimmings.
All these materials turn into small chips, which subsequently become the base of MDF or chipboard.
And here lies the first difference between these two materials: For laminated chipboard, the chips are made quite large; for MDF, the blanks are crushed to the smallest possible size.
The second difference is related to the process of combining sawdust and shavings into a single mass:
- For more modern material, the hot pressing method is used;
- For the manufacture of chipboards, formaldehyde resins are used, which are not particularly safe.
At the same time, MDF already has a smooth and soft structure, completely ready for furniture production; laminated chipboard requires additional sanding.
Recommendations for caring for kitchen furniture
A lot of grease and dust settle on kitchen surfaces, so they need constant care. The headset should be cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions.
You need to care for the furniture carefully so as not to damage the coating. Designers recommend following certain rules to achieve maximum lifespan of the headset.
Tips for caring for kitchen furniture:
- Do not use abrasive detergents, soda, solvents, or hard tools for cleaning.
- To remove oily or stubborn stains, use substances with ammonia.
- Wooden and laminated surfaces are cleaned with a soft cloth, onto which a neutral product is applied.
- For shine, facades are rubbed with compounds containing beeswax.
- Special aerosols are used to clean wooden furniture. There is also a dry cleaning method using a vacuum cleaner with a special attachment.
- The varnished surface needs protection from direct exposure to sunlight.
- Kitchen furniture should not be wiped with a damp cloth.
- The interior surfaces of the drawers are cleaned with a cloth moistened with a small amount of cleaning agent.
- Aluminum profiles are cleaned with liquid detergents or denatured alcohol.
- Make sure that there is no accumulation of water on kitchen surfaces, otherwise the plastic will swell and the panels may come off.
Manufacturers offer a wide range of kitchen furniture. When choosing products, you should rely on your preferences and tastes. The differences in the characteristics of the materials are insignificant, and both options are excellent for making a high-quality and beautiful kitchen set.
Advantages of materials
Both materials are in great demand due to their undoubted advantages. These include:
- A wide selection of colors and patterns helps to create furniture suitable for decorating a wide variety of rooms.
- Durability. The materials are quite resistant to mechanical damage and are not susceptible to invasion by bugs and other unwanted inhabitants of natural wood.
- Hygiene. The coating of both materials tolerates wet cleaning and the use of household chemicals well.
- Durability. If you follow simple rules, the materials will last for quite a long time, without requiring additional efforts to maintain an attractive appearance.
- Nice price. Unlike wood, MDF and laminated chipboard are quite available for purchase as part of cabinet furniture, and modern films make them practically indistinguishable from natural materials.
What are the disadvantages of MDF?
- Quite a high price compared to chipboard - 30-50% higher. High-quality MDF boards, coated with natural veneer, elite types of plastic or durable enamel, are close in cost to solid wood. However, they last two to three times longer than products made from chipboard or even solid wood.
- Plates consisting of small, homogeneous particles are prone to burning, even despite special impregnation with fire retardants.
- Dense material has more weight than particle boards, which affects the weight of the finished products. This must be taken into account when transporting and choosing an installation location.
To reduce the final cost of products and increase the number of sales, furniture manufacturers offer compromise options:
- cabinets for kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms are made from straight, laconic chipboard plates;
- and beautifully decorated, carved facades are made from MDF.
Such furniture is affordable and lasts longer, thanks to durable, high-quality facades that take the brunt of the impact.
Advantages of MDF
At the same time, a more modern coating has additional attractive properties.
It:
- Has high strength and resistance to chipping;
- Less susceptible to moisture;
- Suitable for creating complex designs and carvings.
Differences
What is the difference? A facade based on chipboard for a kitchen is less profitable than MDF.
MDF facades are:
- veneered;
- painted;
- with plastic coating.
A veneered façade is an MDF base coated with a thin layer of wood from the catalog and coated with varnish, matte or glossy.
In terms of technical characteristics, it is inferior to a painted facade, but at the same cost. It is necessary to apply veneer on both sides. In this case, its technical dimensions are preserved.
Applying veneer on one side is cheaper. But then, during operation, after 1-2 years the facade may bend. A well-painted façade is not cheap. Can be painted on either one or both sides . This does not affect its functionality and technical characteristics.
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Plastic application of a millimeter layer in a variety of colors is the most common type of order. Plastic must also be applied on both sides. This façade can be mounted in different aluminum frames and with rounded ends. It is convenient and beautiful to cover MDF with PVC film.
If you apply plastic to MDF on only one side, the panel may also become deformed over time. The aluminum frame protects the inside of the MDF from water and moisture. This significantly increases the life of the furniture. In addition, such coatings are easy to clean and last a long time.
The most reliable facades made of MDF are those with plastic applied in an aluminum frame facade . Here about the MDF profile for frame facades. There is a wide range of color solutions - up to 500.
For more information about the differences between MDF and chipboard, watch the video:
Disadvantages of materials
The main disadvantage is the flammability of the materials. However, a similar drawback is present in all objects created from wood or its derivatives.
The second unpleasant moment will be the formation of cracks or chips when heavy objects fall onto the surface or careless handling of sharp objects.
Requirements for kitchen furniture materials
The kitchen set occupies the bulk of the space, so the color of the furniture affects the overall perception of the interior. The first requirement for facades lies in the design plane: their shade must correspond to the overall style of the kitchen and fit harmoniously into the room.
The second point concerns technical issues. The operating conditions of surfaces in the kitchen are quite harsh: they are always in contact with fat, water, sharp objects and hot dishes. When buying furniture, you need to take into account all the nuances.
Basic requirements for materials:
- Appearance. Households spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so the aesthetic component of the facades plays an important role.
- Environmental friendliness. In the room, elevated temperatures often prevail in the area of the stove, and raw materials should not emit harmful substances when heated.
- Strength. Kitchen surfaces are heavily used and therefore must be resistant to chemical, mechanical and thermal damage.
- Easy care. Facades must be cleaned well and quickly, resist stains and be easily restored.
- Price. It is more profitable to buy expensive furniture because it is made with high quality and will last longer.
When choosing a product, you should take into account both the decorative component and the technical characteristics of the raw materials.
Comparison of main characteristics
Despite almost the same composition and similar characteristics, the materials have slightly different performance properties:
- Density. This indicator is slightly higher for MDF, so it becomes stronger and more resistant to damage.
- Moisture resistance. Laminated chipboard has much better performance than its untreated predecessor. But it is also inferior to MDF in this property. However, the latter material also does not really like water. The areas that suffer the most from moisture are not very neatly sealed joints and corners. Therefore, when purchasing, you should pay special attention to the edges of the products.
- Durability. This indicator is influenced by strength, moisture resistance and ability to withstand impacts. All these characteristics are higher in MDF, so a panel made from fine wood fraction still has a chance to live longer. In addition, chipboard does not really like re-screwing screws or hammering nails.
- Environmental friendliness. Formaldehyde, which is part of chipboard, can release dangerous fumes when heated strongly, so it is considered a more harmful material. But in ordinary life it is completely safe. And yet, if there is a choice, it is better to give preference to MDF.
- Flammability. In terms of this indicator, laminated chipboard wins; it is more resistant to heat and fire.
- Price. In terms of loyalty to the wallet of the future owner, laminated chipboard is the leader, but due to its longer service life, this saving may be dubious.
Appearance. In appearance, both materials are not very different from each other. However, MDF has more possibilities for creating a more attractive design. The material can withstand milling and creating patterns, and can be finished with natural veneer. So in beauty it is not much different from solid wood.
Most often, products made from chipboard are purchased for quick furnishing of premises and subsequent replacement with higher quality items. MDF remains an investment for a longer period.
What to choose
You can choose different materials for different rooms. It depends on the wishes of the owners, their capabilities, as well as the purpose of the room.
- Living room. The room is not subject to changes in temperature and humidity, so both materials will look equally good here. However, preference is still given to the more resistant and durable MDF, which also has more sophisticated patterns.
- Bedroom and children's room. For both premises, environmental friendliness plays a major role, so if it is not possible to use natural wood, the choice is still made in favor of MDF.
- Kitchen. The undisputed leader is MDF, which is more resistant to moisture and temperature changes. Laminated chipboard is used if you need to leave the room quickly, but there is not much money.
- Bathroom and toilet. Both materials are not very suitable for furnishing these rooms due to their dislike of moisture. But if there is a need to equip a “wet” room with a set of wood waste, then choose the more moisture-resistant and durable MDF. In this case, special attention is paid to finishing the edges of the product.
- Hallway. Usually there is not too much load on the furniture in the hallway. For the entrance area, it is still better to buy furniture made of MDF, but laminated chipboard will also work well.
In which kitchen interior is it better to use MDF, and in which laminated chipboard?
If you plan to design a kitchen in a certain style, then you need to take into account differences in the properties of materials. Designers advise adhering to the following recommendations.
- For a kitchen in a classic style, MDF without a paintable finish is ideal; you can choose the desired color for it, and make some elements of the kitchen furniture shaped.
- In a high-tech kitchen, everything is strictly and concisely, without carved elements, so you can choose laminated chipboard.
- As in the classics, for a kitchen in the Provence style it would be ideal to use MDF with a smooth, fine-grained surface for painting.
- In laminated chipboard, the quality of the glossy finish is slightly better and is more suitable for an art deco style kitchen. But MDF will also be quite good in this design.
