It is difficult to imagine the modern interior of an apartment, country house or work office without MDF panels. Due to its high technical and aesthetic properties, the material is used everywhere. Today, we can say with confidence that the MDF panel is a universal product, since it is used in many areas of our life. We will talk about the positive properties and features of this material in our article.
What is MDF?
The MDF panel is a sheet product made of wood shavings. In appearance, it resembles a natural tree, but is its economical and more practical variety. The front side of the plate has natural shades, repeats the structure of wood, which allows you to use the material to create an affordable and believable imitation.
For the first time, wood panels began to be used in the USA. Similar products appeared on the Russian market after 30 years, but they were immediately able to win the attention of consumers and manufacturers. Today, products from MDF panels can be found in almost every building and room.
In appearance, there are several types of MDF products:
- wall slats;
- squares in the form of tiles;
- large plates.
All varieties are characterized by attractive appearance and affordable cost, which explains their popularity.
MDF board manufacturing process
MDF panel is a material made from the waste of woodworking enterprises. For its manufacture, chips, wood chips, sawdust and other illiquid assets are used. The raw materials are thoroughly dried, crushed and fed to special mixers. There they add the main binder in the form of natural resins, additional bonding additives, paraffin. The resulting mixture is well mixed and sent under pressure.
Under the influence of high pressure and elevated temperature, boards of a certain size and density are formed from wood chips. The resulting product undergoes a series of checks, after which it goes on sale.
Variety of sheet products
The use of internal MDF panels in many areas of life has contributed to the fact that manufacturers divided their products into several types, each of which is designed for specific work.
Three main varieties are used today:
- slabs with a smooth surface;
- laminated products;
- moisture resistant products.
The first variety is MDF panels for walls (for interior decoration). Smooth boards are used as building material. They work well and are easy to install. Such surfaces can be painted, plastered and puttyed.
Laminated varieties are most often used in furniture production. A thin decorative coating is represented by a rich color scheme and a variety of textures, which makes it possible to produce presentable products from MDF.
Moisture-resistant varieties are made from a mixture of high-quality raw materials and an increased amount of paraffin. Thus obtained products acquire additional moisture resistance, which allows it to be used in the manufacture of entrance doors and with the aim of facing external surfaces.
MDF panels: characteristics and application of chip products
The appearance and some qualities of MDF are very close to natural wood, while the cost of chipboards is half as much. This factor becomes decisive in the choice of material for decoration or raw materials for the manufacture of products.
Among the positive qualities of the plates, the following can be distinguished:
- High durability. This property allows you to securely fix furniture fittings and various decorative elements in the slab.
- Durability. Operation of the stove under optimal conditions can last about 20 years.
- Relative moisture resistance. MDF from natural wood differs in that the laminated board is more resistant to moisture. It is able to withstand temperature differences and humidity levels for longer, which allows the use of similar products in the kitchen and bathroom.
- Simplicity in work. Plates are easily trimmed, amenable to processing on milling machines, the manufacture of curly patterns.
- High heat and sound insulation abilities. MDF wall panels, photos of which are presented in our article, perform not only decorative functions, but also serve as an excellent insulation and sound insulator.
High environmental performance allows the use of material in children's rooms and public institutions. Options with lamination are easily cleaned of contaminants, which allows us to judge their hygiene.
For what other purposes are chip sheets used?
MDF boards are actively used in the furniture industry, but this is not the only area of their application. Thin varieties are marketed as the most popular flooring - laminate.
In addition, such products have proven themselves in the form of interior paintings. Doors made of MDF have an attractive appearance, light weight and reasonable price.
You can often find MDF panels on metal doors. Pads made of this material serve as an excellent decoration of the iron sheet and prevent the penetration of sound into the room.
Existing board sizes
Almost all manufacturers are able to produce a plate of any parameters. However, in the absence of a specific product order, the standard parameters set at this enterprise are set.
So, the length of the product from different manufacturers can vary from 2.4 to 2.7 meters. The width of the panels depends on their purpose and ranges from 0.15 to 0.9 meters. The minimum sheet thickness is 3 mm and the maximum is 30 mm, however, the performance of veneered varieties can reach 60 mm.
Please note that the dimensions of products of different companies are always different. For this reason, it is recommended to buy all material from one supplier or place an order directly from the manufacturer. He will immediately make plates of the sizes you need.
Self-assembly of MDF boards: what is needed for work?
If the installation of a laminate, interior doors and furniture fittings does not cause difficulties, since in most cases the work is performed by narrow-profile specialists, then there may be some questions regarding the installation of plates on the walls.
If you decide to independently improve the walls in the room, make sure that you have all the necessary tools at hand. In the process of work you will need:
- hammer drill;
- screwdriver;
- jigsaw or hacksaw;
- measuring tool;
- building level;
- pencil or marker;
- fasteners (screws, dowels or adhesives).
Before starting installation, measure the area of the walls and make sure that you have enough finishing material.
Preparatory work
Before starting installation work, pay particular attention to the surface being trimmed. It should not have significant differences on the plane. If the installation of the MDF panel is planned on the frame, then small errors and flaws in the walls are permissible. However, pay attention to the fact that this installation method contributes to a slight decrease in the actual area of the room.
When gluing, the walls are pre-aligned. The old lining, paint or wallpaper is removed from their surface. If there is mold on the walls, this area is thoroughly cleaned and treated with an antiseptic composition. If this is not done, the fungus will spread to the MDF wood plate.
In cases where there are a large number of bumps and flaws on the walls, they are pre-plastered. After the solution has completely dried, installation of the plates can begin.
Frame method of installation of MDF boards
Facing the frame begins with the creation of a trellised base. For these purposes, a wooden beam with a section of 20x40 mm is used. Prepared planks are fixed on the wall every 40 cm.
If you mount the plates in the vertical direction, then the battens of the battens must be placed horizontally, and if the panels will be installed parallel to the floor, then install the battens of the base vertically.
When the base is made, you can proceed with the installation of the panels. Their fixation should begin from the corner of the room. This will make the docking points as inconspicuous as possible. Using self-tapping screws, fix each plate at the location of the wooden beam of the crate.
If during the operation you need to replace the MDF panel, you will have to disassemble the entire lining (to the failed element). After repairs, the finish is collected in a similar way.
Mounting with glue
Under the condition of even walls, it is possible to fix the plates on the base with the help of mounting foam or adhesive "liquid nails". Previously, the wall is cleaned of dust and treated with a primer. It will provide reliable adhesion between the wall and the finishing material.
After the base has dried, installation can begin. To do this, glue is applied to the back of the plate with a spatula. It can be smeared with a continuous layer or perform a zigzag application. Next, the sheet is pressed against the wall for several seconds with maximum effort. To achieve uniform adhesion to the surface, press all sides at the same time.
Please note that replacing the MDF panel with the adhesive method of fixation will be somewhat problematic. Removing a damaged element without harming neighboring slabs is quite difficult.
How to extend the operation of MDF products?
Improved performance characteristics allow MDF boards to compete with elite materials. But we should not forget that the product contains the same tree, which is very vulnerable to many external factors.
Even the most moisture-resistant options quickly become unusable during constant operation in high humidity conditions. Over time, moisture penetrates the plate, sawdust swells and the appearance of the product deteriorates.
It is also not recommended to install plates near sources of fire. Facing next to the hob will delight you with a beautiful appearance for a short time.
If you decide to use such materials in an aggressive environment, protect them with glass panels. This will allow you to clean the walls cleanly and prolong the appearance of the wall cladding.
In ordinary living rooms, you can mount the plates without fear. Furniture, doors and flooring made of MDF panels are an excellent opportunity to ennoble a room with a minimum of costs, and most importantly, such products will last quite a long time.
Chipboard Cost
Touching on the cost of wood chip panels, I want to note that we are talking about a flat plate. Finishing materials made from it can have so varied price tags that it is simply impossible to name a certain amount.
But standard sheets from the initial manufacturer have about the same cost. For example, a sanded slab measuring 2070x2800 and a thickness of 3 mm costs about 450 rubles per sheet. Similar products with a thickness of 12 mm will already have a price tag of 1300-1470 rubles per plate.
Colored laminated products with identical parameters (12 mm thick) will cost from 1,400 to 1,600 rubles. Veneered varieties with imitation of expensive wood species (for example, MDF-panel "Oak") will cost about 2300 rubles per sheet.
The final price tag also depends on the manufacturer, the quality of the raw materials used and the volume of purchase. Low cost should certainly alert the buyer and become an occasion to familiarize themselves with the quality certificates of the presented products.
To summarize
We examined the applications of MDF panels and their use in industry. As you can see, this product is quite popular today, which is used by unscrupulous manufacturers. If you decide to purchase material for decoration or for similar purposes, try to purchase products from reliable companies.
Remember that low-grade stoves may contain formaldehydes, which negatively affect human health. In addition, the service life of such products is much lower than usual.