In the modern world, manufacturers of furniture and decorative finishing prefer to use inexpensive but practical materials, which we distinguish by official abbreviations: fiberboard, chipboard, MDF and others.
In construction hypermarkets and on the websites of furniture manufacturers, you can increasingly find offers with the abbreviation LDSP. What kind of material this is, what it is used for, the subtleties of its use and differences from other particle boards will be revealed in detail in this article.
Technical characteristics of chipboard and laminated chipboard: photo
Back in the 30s of the 20th century, the German innovator and inventor Max Himmelheber began making slabs from spruce chips and phenolic mixtures binding them. By the 50s, he improved the formula and in 1951 Himmelheber registered a patent for the production of particle boards. The right to use Max Himmelheber's innovation was sold to almost a hundred companies, and particle boards became widespread throughout the world, which significantly reduced the cost of furniture manufacturing in the post-war period. In addition, such furniture has become more accessible to consumers, since furniture made from natural wood was unaffordable for most consumers.
Thus, thanks to Max Himmelheber technology, for almost 100 years we have been able to produce inexpensive, practical, affordable furniture from chipboards that fits perfectly into the interiors and dimensions of any room, and satisfies any customer preferences, both in color, design, and money. , and operational plans.
The material made from pressed wood chips was called chipboard, and in everyday speech the abbreviation chipboard (chipboard or canvas) was assigned to it.
Thanks to the development of technologies, chipboard coatings are constantly being improved, acquiring new qualities and features, and prefixes are added to this abbreviation, indicating the type of coating of the main board.
Laminated chipboard (LDSP) is one of the modern composite sheet materials, which is obtained by pressing wood chips, which are mixed with non-mineral binder components.
Things to remember
Some will say that a kitchen made from chipboard is a terrible option. They take it only because of the price. But any normal modular or other kitchen should be made strictly from MDF. Or from some kind of wood.
I won't talk about wood. I’ve already talked about solid wood kitchens, so there’s no point in repeating myself. We are currently considering laminated chipboard.
So here it is. Remember this next point.
Absolutely all kitchen sets have a frame made of chipboard.
This also applies to exclusive, expensive Italian kits, as well as other premium solutions.
The nuance is that facades are already made on the basis of different materials. Most often this is MDF. This nuance is explained by the fact that such facades are less susceptible to moisture absorption and swelling. A lumpy surface has not yet formed due to chips, which can be viewed through the PVC film.
But even those facades that are made with a plastic coating are based on chipboard. Externally it is impossible to distinguish. If you want to be sure, look into the hinge cup. There you will see what kind of material is used.
Chipboard production technology
During the production of wood products, more than 50% of waste remains in the form of shavings. It is these wood chips that go into the production of chipboards, along with other parts of wood that are not suitable for making anything (knots, sticks, thin branches).
Until the time Max Himmelheber offered his innovation to the world, all these remnants had to be disposed of. Now they are collected in drying chambers, and after complete drying they are processed by a cyclic unit, which grinds the dried raw materials to a homogeneous state.
Afterwards, a formaldehyde binder - resin - is added to the dry sawdust, and cold pressing begins on a conveyor to create the required shape. The layers obtained in this way - blanks - must be glued together using a hot press.
The finished sheets are cooled (fan units are used for this); dry well; after which they can be given the necessary shapes and dimensions on sawing and milling machines.
What to consider when choosing kitchen furniture made from MDF and chipboard
If the kitchen is spacious, choose a large table. It can be placed in the center of the room when guests arrive. Several chairs can be placed around the table. It is good to choose oval or round tables.
Table models should be combined with the style of other kitchen furniture. A transformer is good for small rooms. It does not take up much space when folded.
All materials from which the furniture is made must be resistant to steam and moisture. For such furniture, choose only high-quality chipboard or MDF materials.
So that they do not become deformed over time. By choosing glossy surfaces, you can ensure a minimum of cleaning worries. On such furniture stains from grease and other contaminants will not be visible. Matte surfaces are more whimsical, although today they are in fashion. Simple tips for choosing a custom-made kitchen.
Pros and cons of chipboard
As given in the description of the technology, chipboard has 2 components - natural wood and formaldehyde additives (thermosetting synthetic, urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde resins). Unfortunately, although such additives make wood more durable, protecting it from rotting, since formaldehyde is a chemical substance, at high concentrations it has a negative effect on the human body and causes poisoning with its vapors.
If chipboards have not undergone special treatment, which makes them resistant to moisture and heat, then these boards cannot be used in rooms such as a kitchen or bathroom, since under the influence of water or heat the chipboard will deform and collapse.
When working with a new chipboard, it is very easy to make the necessary markings, give them a shape, and any fasteners (screws, nails, screws) will hold perfectly in it; Any furniture fittings are ideally attached to it. Thus, this material is suitable for the manufacture of cabinet furniture of any modification. Allows you to choose any color schemes and implement various design ideas.
In turn, due to its structural features, the material is not suitable for reuse and will be destroyed when trying to screw screws into it again. Therefore, secondary assembly of chipboard furniture is not recommended.
As an advantage of wood-based material, it is worth noting its durability, affordability, ease of use, as well as good sound and heat insulation qualities.
Chipboards are suitable for covering walls, making formwork, laying floors, interior partitions, upholstered, cabinet and built-in furniture. Currently, they have found their application not only in domestic use, but are used for finishing passenger compartments and cabins, and in office premises.
Conclusions and recommendations
Furniture or interior decoration made from MDF is quite an attractive, albeit expensive, option for furnishing a house or apartment. The material is durable, which guarantees the preservation of its qualities over a long period of operation. Especially if the room is dry and bright.
When making furniture for the bathroom and kitchen, an important advantage of MDF is the moisture resistance of the boards. This allows bedside tables and cabinets to maintain excellent presentation in the aggressive conditions of these rooms, such as increased dampness and temperature changes.
Working with MDF panels is not difficult Source ingushetia.org
Main types of chipboard
Chipboards are classified according to various criteria.
Based on the concentration of harmful substances, categories E1 and E2 are distinguished:
- E1 is the least dangerous type and indicates minimal evaporation of formaldehyde substances. This class of chipboard is recommended for use in residential premises, including children's rooms.
- E2 is the most toxic, but cheaper material, applicable in large rooms with good ventilation. However, in most countries it is already prohibited for production due to its non-environmental friendliness.
According to external indicators and quality of raw materials:
- 1st grade: made from shavings of one type of wood (oak, pine, beech...). These are even, smooth slabs that are covered with veneer, a special film or laminated. Used for cabinet furniture and its facades.
- 2nd grade: these are usually slabs using 1st grade technology with technical defects - unevenness, chips, scratches, and other damage.
- 3rd grade: these are uncoated slabs with many defects, often used for temporary structures such as formwork.
By type of finish:
- veneered - the chipboard panel is covered with a thin sheet, which is made of natural wood and has a beautiful wood structure;
- laminated - protective varnish or melamine film is applied to the chipboard sheet;
- rough - panels for temporary, technical needs that do not have a decorative coating.
Treated MDF - LMDF
It is simply not rational to produce laminated MDF in various colors - after all, furniture factories will still paint it, cover it with PVC film or veneer. Therefore, manufacturing plants produce LMDF in only one color - white - it can easily be found on the back side of painted facades.
Is it possible to order MDF from EGGER factory, decorated in the same way as chipboard? Answer: Yes, but this order must be VERY large - several hundred sheets.
Laminated chipboard: what is it, a variety of colors
To decide on the choice between regular chipboard and laminated chipboard, you should pay attention to the manufacturing technology of such panels.
From the above described in the article, it comes to the understanding that laminated chipboard is a 1st grade chipboard, class E1. Such a plate is covered with a film, which is a sheet of paper pre-impregnated with melamine resin (polymer film). This film is glued to chipboard under high temperature and pressure. To better resist external factors such as moisture, heat, and operational damage, chipboard is coated with a special varnish.
The process of manufacturing laminated chipboards ends with complete cooling of the finished board, followed by sawing it.
Since the manufacturing technology of laminated chipboard is more advanced, this material is of the highest quality, reliable and safe; it is widely used in the manufacture of kitchen furniture. It is very easy to use and has a low price. Moreover, formaldehyde fumes from cutting panels are easily eliminated by gluing the ends at the cut sites with an edge, which is carried out on a special machine.
Laminated chipboard is perfect for any furniture fittings using various types of fasteners. It is easy to care for and durable.
Another advantage of laminated chipboard is the ability to implement color solutions. Using varnish and polymer film, you can get the desired shade and imitate any natural or synthetic material.
Manufacturers offer their customers a huge selection of colors and structures, which provides unlimited opportunities for realizing the wildest design fantasies.
Color palettes come in sleek, solid shades (cream, turquoise, coral); plain with the texture of metals and stones; wood shades (wenge, oak, walnut, cherry); fancy patterns and images.
Such a decorative variety of laminated chipboard, ease of use, practicality and good performance properties have made this material very useful for the manufacture of various types of furniture, decorating children's rooms, designing kitchen sets and furniture facades.
It is worth noting such a positive quality of laminated chipboard as an excellent combination with other materials; it works very harmoniously with metal, mirrors, glass, and other decorative and finishing elements.
With laminated chipboard it is very easy to create an individual interior with your own hands by ordering panels of the desired color to be cut according to your measurements and assembling any type of furniture at home.
What are the disadvantages of the material
Before you buy a laminated chipboard kitchen and start assembling it yourself or by a craftsman, think about whether it’s worth taking it.
After all, the material has a number of disadvantages. Now we will find out how significant and fair they are.
- Low moisture resistance
. Controversial point. The question here is which chipboard is best for the kitchen. After all, we are talking about high humidity here. Regular laminated chipboard will not hold up. But the moisture-resistant one will cope with its tasks quite well. Plus, the chips are covered by a laminating layer. It seals the slab, and therefore provides complete protection. Just make sure that the letter B is present in the material marking; - Weak ends and edges
. Allegedly, moisture still penetrates through them, and the chipboard begins to swell. Also a controversial minus. After all, there are different edges. For example, melamine tapes are often used in ordinary furniture. They are not suitable for the kitchen. But there are PVC edges. There are no complaints about them. Durable, thick, with good protective properties; - Simplicity of appearance
. Allegedly, laminated chipboard looks simpler and cheaper compared to natural materials. First of all, it's logical. It makes sense to buy expensive material if in appearance and properties it is in no way inferior to cheap laminated chipboard. Secondly, now the level of decor has increased. It’s not for nothing that I wrote this down as one of my advantages. It just depends on the specific manufacturer; - Fine processing
. This is already an objective shortcoming. Laminated chipboard is not suitable for fine processing. That is, threaded elements, milling and shaped notches cannot be made here. Therefore, such facades are usually straight and stand out due to their color. Another question is how important it is for the client to do the milling. After all, additional recesses complicate the process of maintenance and cleaning.
What am I getting at? Moreover, the merits of laminated chipboard are unfairly belittled. But the seriousness of the shortcomings is clearly exaggerated.
Which is better: chipboard or MDF
As a rule, when choosing a material for furniture or decorating a room, you have to choose between MDF and laminated chipboard.
To make an informed choice, you should clearly understand how these materials differ.
So, laminated chipboard is made from sawdust and formaldehyde resins. MDF is also wood waste processed into dust, where the binder is lignin (a natural polymer compound from plant cells) and paraffin.
Thus, taking into account the composition of both materials, it is obvious that MDF is made from natural ingredients, it is safe and environmentally friendly. In addition, paraffin makes it waterproof without the use of additional processing.
MDF is plastic and can be used to create elegant shapes when decorating rooms and furniture: arched openings and curved facades.
Of course, laminated chipboard cannot boast of the same properties as MDF, but despite all the advantages of the latter, it is laminated chipboard that holds the lead among consumers. The reason for this is very simple: the use of natural components in the manufacture of MDF increases its price, and also makes the color palette poorer.
Thus, the affordable price and endless color possibilities make laminated chipboard a more attractive material when chosen by the buyer.
General requirements for the use of furniture
Do not expose kitchen furniture to high temperatures (>75 degrees). In this case, deformation will occur. Use stands for hot items. Constant contact with water will cause the materials to swell, so you should immediately wipe off any moisture that gets on the surface. It is also worth noting that constant exposure to direct sunlight can negatively affect the color of the product. You should use special boards for cutting vegetables and fruits.
Leading chipboard manufacturers: Egger and Kronospan
When making purchases, do not forget that each of us is an ordinary consumer, whose rights in the modern world are protected by law. Therefore, you should not neglect your rights and when choosing any product, you should give preference to quality and your own safety.
Paying attention to legal aspects, when purchasing laminated chipboards, you should take into account the availability of all accompanying documentation for the product: licenses, quality certificates, instructions for operation and further operation, technical specifications, etc. And of course, preference should be given to large, well-known and trusted manufacturers.
There are several such companies in Europe - Egger and Kronospan.
Laminated chipboard from EGGER: colors and material advantages
One of the leaders in the production of laminated chipboards is the Austrian company EGGER. The Fritz Egger family was the first to acquire a patent for the manufacture of chipboards from Max Himmelheber and began its work in the 60s of the 20th century. And from a small family business it turned into a global brand for the production of chipboards, with branches in 7 European countries.
To produce laminated chipboards, Egger uses raw materials from coniferous trees without impurities, which gives the finished product a pleasant smell of pine needles; the use of small amounts of formaldehyde fully complies with European safety and environmental standards.
Egger provides a huge variety of color palettes. In his catalogs you can find unusual shades and textures. Plain laminated chipboards are presented in both matte and glossy versions, in original colors: canyon, reed, alabaster, etc.
You will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of color shades that imitate wood: merano, blooming pear, pink Calvados.
Unusual texture options for indigo quartz, leather and titanium.
One of the pleasant bonuses of this manufacturer is the low price of laminated chipboard.
Laminated chipboard from Kronospan: high quality and wide range
Kronospan is an Austrian company that was founded at the end of the 19th century as a sawmill, and is now represented in 24 countries as the largest manufacturer of chipboards.
A distinctive feature of laminated chipboard from Kronospan is its realistic imitation of wood texture. This gives Kronospan panels a pleasant roughness.
The color palette is also unique, in it you can find fantasy colors (twist, sakura, imeneo); plain (Inca gold, atoll blue, lime green); wood motifs (rustic oak, dark ash, snowy birch); texture options imitate mother of pearl, wood pores, shagreen.
The manufacturer provides a 20-year warranty on its materials. Laminated chipboard from Kronospan is recommended for the manufacture of furniture for kitchens and bathrooms, as well as for finishing these rooms. This laminated chipboard has increased heat and moisture resistance, anti-dust coating and a low concentration of formaldehyde. The low price in relation to high quality is also a huge plus in favor of this brand.
From this article it follows that laminated chipboard, with a competent and thorough choice of manufacturer, is a safe, durable and budget alternative to natural wood in the manufacture of furniture and interior decoration.
Advantages and disadvantages of MDF
A children's room is a room in the house that does not accept experiments with the quality of materials, so for many parents, MDF (medium density fiberboard) becomes the optimal solution.
Among the advantages of the material it is worth noting the following:
- High degree of security.
- Exact imitation of the shade and structure of wood, unlimited number of colors.
- Resistant to water and temperature.
- Ease of processing and finishing.
- Excellent retention of hinges and fittings.
- High strength, which is superior to natural wood.
- Great resistance to fungi and microorganisms.
- Exclusive exterior design.
The slabs have different thicknesses, so their scope of application is quite wide. MDF is often used for cabinets, shelving and work tables, and can serve as a base for beds or sofas. The disadvantage is the higher cost compared to laminated chipboard.
Comparative characteristics
| Criterion | laminated chipboard | MDF |
| Surface | Lamination only | Painting, plastic or PVC coating, lamination |
| Design options | Any color scheme | Any color scheme |
| Resistance to external factors | Thermal resistance | Resistance to high temperature, moisture, fungi and microorganisms |
| Environmental friendliness | Average | High |
| Price | Low | Average |
Tips for choosing
When purchasing, do not compromise and do not be guided only by the price component. Remember that you can reduce the cost of furniture by choosing an option with minimal finishing or a laconic design.
Consider the following criteria:
- Term of use. If you are buying furniture to grow into, it is better to order the MDF option, which will last longer.
- Baby's age. For children under the age of 6-7 years, it is imperative to select products made from slabs containing safe resins.
- Number of items. If you need to select several functional products, then by choosing models from laminated chipboard you will be able to save money.
As you can see, choosing the right material is quite simple. Now all you have to do is listen to our advice and choose the right furniture for your baby.
