What is Chipboard and What is it Used For, What is MDF?

What is chipboard?

Particle board, also known as chipboard, is an engineered wood product that is pressed and extruded from wood chips or jute-stick chips and a synthetic resin or another appropriate binder. Particle board is frequently confused with oriented strand board, a different type of fiberboard that is stronger and uses machined wood flakes.

Another description is as below:

Chipboard, also known as Particle Board or Low Density Fibreboard, is created by combining small wood particles with epoxy resin, which is then pressed together under intense heat and pressure to create a rigid board with a smooth surface.

Chipboard has a wide usage such a chipboard flooring, chipboard loft panels. There are chipboard sheets that are used to make chipboard flooring, furniture, and countertops.

Melamine faced chipboard is popular for decoration.

Chipboard flooring

Chipboard flooring is a type of subflooring made of coarse sawdust mixed with resin. The sawdust-resin mixture is heated and pressed into large sheets. The small bits of sawdust that make up the flooring sheets are easily visible in chipboard, also known as particle board. Chipboard flooring is available in a variety of thicknesses, with each standard thickness color-coded for easy identification. Because it is inexpensive and durable, high-density chipboard is used for sub-flooring or as the foundation for carpet or other flooring surfaces.

What is MDF?

MDF is the abbreviation of Medium Density Fiberboard. 90% of MDF plates consist of wood. MDF, which is not readily available in nature, is a man-made wood material. It is obtained by compressing wood fibers through heat treatment.

What are the differences between chipboard and MDF board?

MDF board is much more durable and long-lasting than chipboard produced with sawdust, as it is obtained by combining thick wood residues and wood with resin and glue and pressing under very high temperature and pressure. MDF is very often, neatly combined, but there are many gaps between the chipboard material, which again indicates that the hardwood is less durable than MDF.

The chipboard is light, MDF is heavier than it, it is not easily broken, chipboard can break more quickly.

Chipboard furniture is difficult to disassemble and re-install and use once installed, because the chipboard is not resistant to impacts, heavy use, and it may dissipate. There is a high probability of my chipboard material being damaged during transportation. MDF, on the other hand, will last for many years.

MDF color options are richer than chipboard color options. Painting MDF can be done in unlimited colors with acrylic paint and gives a nice appearance. There is special MDF primer and paints to apply on MDF wood, on MDF wall panels, etc. Chipboard, on the other hand, does not absorb acrylic paint well and does not give a nice appearance, it is usually given a paint appearance with ready-made coatings, the color choice is limited.

Since the chipboard material is colored with coatings, the coatings on the chipboard material can be removed and opened after a while.

The chipboard is not resistant to moisture and water, it expands and bends when exposed. For all these reasons, MDF is always preferred for furniture.

Due to all these plus features, MDF prices are more expensive than chipboard prices.

One of the advantages of chipboard compared to MDF wood material is that it has more screw holding capacity, therefore chipboard is preferred in the construction of furniture assembled using many screws. Chipboard is an easy-care and easy-to-clean material.

Chipboard has a higher screw holding capacity compared to MDF, so it is preferred for furniture that can be assembled using screws. It also requires minimal maintenance and is easy to clean. There are special chipboard screws for it.

MDF is always preferred in the production of bedroom furniture because chipboard is not a material that has the strength and quality to carry heavy loads. In addition, the appearance of a beautifully painted MDF is just like wood, it gives a very elegant appearance. 

MDF has structural integrity, high ecological compatibility, so it has high machinability. It is versatile and has the advantage of being shaped. MDF sheets are available as MDF cut to size with various types and having different features.