What is MDF and chipboard and how do they differ. What is the difference between MDF and chipboard: which is better

09.11.2019

Today for the production of furniture and decorative coatings are used various materials- Chipboard, fiberboard, MDF, solid wood. However, more and more manufacturers prefer to deal with chipboard. At the same time, many buyers are still confused by the abbreviation chipboard: what it is, how this material differs from the varieties mentioned above, and what are its advantages and disadvantages. The answers to these questions will be provided in this article.

You can see the similarity of the terms chipboard and chipboard. The latter stands for chipboard or chipboard. The abbreviation itself, although common, is not entirely correct. It would be more correct to write chipboard. This is a composite material, in the production of which, due to hot pressing, sawdust and shavings, together with binder formaldehyde resins, take the form of a single web.

For the first time this material was invented in the 30s. of the twentieth century, but mass production of chipboard began only in the 50s. Last but not least, this is due to the difficult post-war situation. For the needs of mass production, cheap and affordable material was required, and natural wood was expensive and the waste during its processing reached 60%. In addition, the tastes of buyers have changed significantly - artsy bulky furniture did not correspond to the spirit of the era, which combined the desire for simplicity, convenience and lightness with the need to save money. Chipboard fully met all these requirements.

Chipboard production technology

For the production of chipboard, waste from the woodworking industry and specially crushed illiquid trunks are used:

shavings and sawdust (previously they were simply burned as garbage) are dried in a special drying chamber and run through a cycling plant that rejects particles that are too large for re-grinding;

raw materials that meet the requirements are mixed with formaldehyde resin and transferred to a conveyor belt, where they are given the required shape by cold pressing;
using a hot press, the layers of the workpiece are firmly glued together, then the sheets are cooled, dried and sawn into plates of standard sizes;

Pros and cons of chipboard

The resulting durable and very affordable material instantly found application in the manufacture of upholstered and cabinet furniture, carriages, in construction (as formwork, partitions, beams, floors, skins, frames). Among its advantages, good indicators of heat and sound insulation can be noted.

Durable and inexpensive chipboard is used as partitions, floors, cladding, formwork

However, chipboard also has a number of serious drawbacks. It can absorb moisture (up to a third of its original volume) and deform. The plate can also lose its shape under the influence of heat. This limits the possibility of using chipboard sheets in the kitchen or bathroom. The only exceptions are canvases that have undergone special processing, as a result of which the material becomes moisture and fire resistant.

Due to its dense structure, chipboard holds nails and screws well. However, due to the same structural features, the fixing hardware cannot be reattached as the slab will begin to crumble. For the same reason, the material is not suitable for milling and creating curved contours.

And, finally, the most disadvantage of chipboard boards is the use of urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde resins in the process of their manufacture. They prevent the processes of decay of wood, however, far from the most favorable effect on human health.

Note! Formaldehyde is an extremely dangerous chemical. It can accumulate in the human body, cause poisoning or provoke the development serious illnesses. The main signs of poisoning are cough, irritation of the mucous membranes of the throat and eyes, dizziness, fatigue .

The main types of chipboard

There are several classifications of chipboard.

The amount of a harmful substance in particle boards is indicated by the formaldehyde emission class E1 and E2. E1 class is considered to be environmentally safer (corresponds to GOST 10632–89 adopted in Russia). Class E2 is not suitable for use in children's rooms. Many European manufacturers have already ceased production of this class of chipboard.

Depending on the quality and appearance finished products Chipboard happens:

According to the type of cladding, chipboard is distinguished:

draft (do not have lining);
laminated (coated with a melamine film or a special resistant varnish);
veneered (they have a lining in the form of a thin sheet of natural wood).

To figure out which is better - chipboard or chipboard, you need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of laminated panels.

LDSP: what is it, variety of colors

So what is LDPS? In fact, it has already been discussed above and the decoding of chipboard is simple - it is a laminated chipboard. For the manufacture of laminated chipboard (more precisely, laminated chipboard), only high-quality polished chipboard is used.

At the final stage of production, they are covered with a special polymer film at high pressure and high temperatures. This film is made from paper impregnated with melamine resin. Sometimes, in the manufacture of expensive LSDP, a special varnish is used that is not afraid of water and scratches.

Characteristics and main advantages of the material. Areas of use. Features and installation rules. Average cost of production.

Catalogs with samples and photos of laminated chipboard, the colors of which are represented by hundreds of shades, can show several palettes:

plain smooth (vanilla, blue, green water);
plain textural (aluminum, titanium, concrete);
wood-like colors (maple, cherry, wenge);
glossy decors;
fantasy decors (various patterns and drawings).

All this makes chipboard sheets a versatile and extremely popular material. They are used in bathrooms and nurseries, to create decorative partitions, upholstered and cabinet furniture. You can easily find a lot of positive feedback on the forums: chipboard kitchens can withstand the effects of steam, water and significant temperature changes.

Laminated boards are perfectly combined with other materials - glass, mirrors, metal, plastic panels, as well as fiberboard and MDF.

Which is better: chipboard or MDF

The variety of materials in stores cannot but puzzle buyers. What is better for furniture - MDF or chipboard?

There are fundamental differences between chipboard and MDF. Chipboard is made from wood chips and sawdust, formaldehyde acts as a binder.

In the production of MDF, wood dust is used (waste of the woodworking industry crushed to a very fine fraction) and exclusively natural binders - paraffin and lignin. Thanks to this composition, MDF is much more environmentally friendly than chipboard. They can be safely used even for decorating children's rooms.

Note! Paraffin is not only environmentally friendly, but also has water-repellent properties, so there is no need to additionally treat MDF boards with special impregnations.

Unlike laminated chipboard, MDF is very plastic and soft material. It is easy to mill, which is why it is so popular in the manufacture of luxury furniture. Most of the bent elements, carved headboards and intricately executed facades are made from MDF. Photos of beds made of laminated chipboard or kitchen facades cannot please with such decorative effect, because the furniture is made of a material with a crumbling edge, unsuitable for milling.

Nevertheless, many, choosing between chipboard or MDF, prefer laminated panels. The reason is simple: the cost of MDF is much higher than democratic particle boards. According to consumer reviews, chipboard furniture is successfully leading the domestic market, and last but not least, this is due to reasonable prices.

Another weighty argument in favor of laminated chipboard is wealth. color solutions. In the chipboard catalog or on the websites of online stores, you can choose the right shade or texture that will harmoniously fit into any style of interior - from classic to modern.

Leading manufacturersChipboard: Egger, Kronospan, Lamarty, Nevsky Laminat

When buying laminated chipboard, it is very important to make sure that the product has all the necessary certificates that guarantee the safety of the material for human health and is of high quality, ensuring a long service life. However, only large manufacturing firms can ensure that the norms and technical regulations are strictly observed at each stage of production. The leaders in the domestic market are foreign companies Egger and Kronospan, as well as domestic manufacturers Lamarti and Nevsky Laminat.

Chipboard Egger: colorsand material advantages

The head office of the company is located in Austria. Founded in 1961 by Fritz Egger Sr., the modest family business has gradually grown to become one of the world's leading chipboard manufacturers.

The highest quality of manufactured products, an extensive catalog of Egger chipboard colors and reasonable prices are achieved through the opening of local production facilities in 7 European countries, including Russia. First-class raw materials are mainly produced from conifers wood and does not include extraneous elements. Laminated boards fully comply with European safety standards.

A huge variety is provided by the Egger chipboard color catalog, which allows you to realize any design solution:

plain chipboard (white, lagoon, alabaster, beige sand, canyon, pumpkin yellow, green water, Chinese red, reed, Baltic blue and dozens of other colors) - presented in matte and glossy versions;

texture decors (lightweight concrete, beige leather, gray-white amalvi marble, titanium, bronze quartz, indigo quartz, etc.);
LDSP Egger wood-like colors (pink Calvados, light venchester oak, flowering pear, natural rosewood, champagne cremona oak, havana zebrano, natural merano - more than 100 shades that perfectly imitate natural wood).

We can state a stable increase in demand for Egger laminated chipboard. Customer feedback only confirms the positive dynamics, while noting the high wear resistance of the material, excellent quality and the minimum presence of formaldehyde resins (“pine smell without chemicals”).

Chipboard Kronospan: high kaquality and rich assortment

Another Austrian company whose history began with a small family sawmill in Salzburg in 1897. Currently, its activities cover 24 countries of the world.

Among the undoubted advantages of laminated boards of this company are:

good moisture resistance, which allows them to be used in bathrooms and kitchens;
increased wear resistance;
solid catalog of colors LDSP Kronospan;
environmental friendliness;
anti-static, guaranteeing additional protection against dust;
fairly democratic pricing policy;
long service life (up to 20 years).

The colors presented in the LDSP Kronospan catalog can be classified as follows:

textures (deep pores, wood pores, office, smooth, shagreen, mother-of-pearl);
plain (modra blue atoll, lime green, white facade, burgundy, Inca gold, lavender, viola);
wood (chipboard Milanese walnut, snow birch, chipboard guarneri walnut, dark velveteen, light chipboard bodega, alder plank, rustic oak, warm ash shimo);
fantasy (white sakura, white name, dark twist).

Even such a short review of the Kronospan laminated chipboard colors gives a good idea of how rich their palette is and how diverse the textures are. Actually, a surprisingly believable imitation of the rough surface of natural wood is a kind of calling card many lines of chipboard from this Austrian company.

Lamartie: characteristicsChipboard, colors, photo with names

Thanks to strict quality control at each stage of production, laminated chipboard from the Syktyvkar plywood plant successfully competes in Russian market with products of foreign companies. Chipboards of this company are made from high-quality raw materials (coniferous and birch wood without foreign inclusions like bark), have an environmental certificate and excellent technical characteristics.

They are wear-resistant, not afraid of exposure to steam, moisture and high temperatures, environmentally friendly, durable and retain their original color for a long time, and the impressive Lamartie chipboard color catalogs will make any design idea come true.

Lamarti chipboard color catalog includes:

solid colors (topaz, chili, serenity, coral, monsoon, lemon, sepia);
textural decors (slate, titanium, chinon, aluminum, exotic pine concrete);

wood imitations (plum, marsala oak, light chipboard wenge, latte, bamboo, noche amati, bleached oak, elm, chipboard Italian walnut);
fantasy colors of LDSP Lamarti (linen, spring, Arabica flowers, modern, luino, graffiti).

Chipboard Nevsky Laminat: affordable price, European quality

Laminated sheets from the Nevsky Laminate Plant compare favorably with their foreign counterparts with their low cost. At the same time, they have all the necessary quality certificates and good environmental characteristics. Chipboards from this manufacturer hold fasteners well, are not afraid of moisture, are resistant to mechanical damage and are distinguished by a long service life.

The Nevsky Laminate chipboard color catalog offers customers a wide selection of shades and textures:

plain (orange, lime, anthracite, yellow narcissus, wine red, dark chocolate, white pearls);
textural (flax, titanium, aluminum);
fancy decors (litera nero, newport, sena, titanium, flora verde, mocha stitch);
wood decors (chipboard light shimo ash, Indian light ebony chipboard, French oak, Macassar, Swiss elm, Jarrah, Canterberry oak, caramel).

Regardless of whether the boards are produced in Europe or in Russia, laminated chipboard will be an excellent choice for many years to come due to the optimal combination of price and quality.

Furniture for the kitchen should be not only functional, but also beautiful. In the manufacture of facades, MDF and chipboard are used, we will consider what is the difference between these materials and what is better to choose.

What is MDF and chipboard?

Materials such as MDF and laminated chipboard are actively used in the production of furniture elements for residential premises. What is better to choose MDF or chipboard? When choosing, it must be taken into account that the doors of kitchen furniture are mechanically affected, as well as moisture that gets from wet hands. It is better to choose the facades of cabinets from MDF, and the shelves can be made from chipboard.

Consider what these materials are, laminated chipboard is laminated chipboard, made by pressing sawdust, which is treated with formaldehyde resin. After that, the pressed material is laminated, that is, covered with a special film impregnated with melamine resin. Thanks to paraffin, as well as its emulsion, the material becomes resistant to moisture.

MDF board is made from wood fibers by pressing dry chips. During manufacture, paraffin is added to the material, which gives it strength and good resistance to moisture. Chips for the manufacture of MDF are used in a fine fraction, so MDF facades are many times stronger than chipboard.

Advantages and disadvantages of chipboard

The main advantage of laminated chipboard is its low price, it can vary from the thickness of the material. The cost may also vary depending on the structure of the surface. This type of material has low resistance to moisture, and high temperature regime, and these are the main factors found in the kitchen. The color of laminated chipboard can be varied, and the structure imitates wood.
The material has its drawbacks, it is forbidden to mill it due to its rigidity. Also, the stove emits toxic substances, since it contains many different resins. When using, it is necessary to pay attention to the seams, if moisture gets there, the board will swell and finally deteriorate. Therefore, all connections must be closed.

Main characteristics of MDF

MDF boards lend themselves well to milling, their rigidity allows you to perform such procedures, as a result, you can make a beautiful embossed surface. When covering the plate with PVC film, you can make the surface more original. The surface of such a material is resistant to moisture, and household products, as well as products are considered fire resistant. MDF does not swell, which leads to destruction as a result of moisture ingress. Furniture items made of this material are distinguished by originality and beauty.
You can choose different color scheme, and a structure that matches the interior of the room.

What is a frame façade?

Very often used frame front side, that is, the frame is made of MDF profiles, and the inserts are made of chipboard, glass or metal elements. MDF is processed with veneer or PVC film. In doing so, you can create original interior and save on materials. The disadvantages are fragility in use, and difficult care. In some cases, the frames are poorly connected, and the product begins to loosen.

enameled MDF

The product will have an original look if it is decorated with various colors using enamel. To do this, it is necessary to prime the plate, paint, dry, sand, and then apply the remaining layers.
When the last layer dries, it is varnished and then polished again. The main advantage is the originality of the facade of the furniture product. Compared to plastic, this material is expensive. Also, the disadvantage is that during mechanical shocks, chips are formed that cannot be repaired.

How to properly process the ends?

Need to be done additional finishing ends to protect the product from moisture, and it also simplifies the cleaning process. If plastic is used, then it can be bent on both sides initially. If the product needs to be trimmed, then you need to glue a decorative PVC edge on the cut or process it with acrylic. The edge should match the color of the furniture. You can also process the cuts with cutters, and then glue the decorative film.

What is better to choose?

When all the disadvantages and advantages of materials are known, it is easy to independently determine what is better to choose for the kitchen. An excellent option for the manufacture of kitchen furniture is MDF, when choosing such a material, not only the facades, but also the shelves will be durable. Since the product is resistant to humidity and temperature changes. But the cost of items will be much more expensive, so the products are combined.
First of all, it is necessary to evaluate all the pros and cons of the material:

environmental friendliness;
moisture resistance;
appearance;
strength;
ease of care;
affordable cost;
durability.

MDF has a high density, it gives the product strength, does not allow the elements to loosen. Also, the surface can be decorated with a variety of patterns by carving. Such material is very close to wood, it contains practically no toxic elements. Thus, using this material, the furniture is durable, and does not collapse when exposed to moisture. The service life of such products is twenty years.

Varieties of finishing objects from MDF

The front side of the plate can have a different finish, which affects the strength and appearance of the product.

Lamination with PVC film reliably protects the board from moisture. This method is great for furniture in the kitchen, where items are often washed or opened with wet hands, and water from dishes or other utensils can simply get on them.
On the surface, you can stick a thin wood flooring, this is called veneer trim. Objects have a natural beautiful view, but the material will be too brittle, so mechanical damage should be avoided.
Also, high resistance to moisture forms a layer of varnish, which is applied to the surface. Therefore, objects with such a coating are resistant to high temperatures, this is typical for kitchens. The disadvantage is that touch marks or product stains may appear on the surface.

The main advantages of MDF for the kitchen

MDF is actively used in the furniture industry, as it has many advantages.

Easy to process the product, complex and original patterns can be cut from the material.
Plates are made of environmentally friendly material, and do not cause harm to health, there is no release of toxic substances.
Ease of care plays an important role, the furniture is easy to clean, as the surface has a smooth structure. Dirt is not absorbed due to the absence of pores and gaps, the boards are resistant to grease contamination. Also on the surface there are no traces of household detergents that are used in the kitchen.
The surface can be matte or glossy, depending on preferences, and the interior. The material can be suitable for any chosen style of the room.
Compared with natural wood, the cost of such materials is much lower, and the strength is high. Items last about twenty years with proper use.
Such products are original, the appearance indicates the high cost of items.

All the advantages and disadvantages allow you to determine which material is better to use for kitchen furniture, you should also rely on the cost of items so that the price is affordable.

In the modern market, MDF furniture is considered the best, and of high quality, but it also has a rather big cost. The cheapest material is chipboard, so that the cost is affordable, materials can be combined.
First of all, it is necessary to consider the environmental friendliness of the material so that the furniture does not harm health, and then on the quality and appearance. To save on material and choose a durable frame, you can combine materials, take the base from MDF, and the shelves from chipboard. Although the first material would be ideal, it will last a long time, does not loosen, does not collapse when exposed to moisture, and under the influence of high temperature.

In modern furniture production a wide range of materials are used. The most common are laminated chipboard and MDF. Both types belong to fibreboard, that is, they are made from wood waste, but at the same time they differ significantly in their performance characteristics and properties, although their production technologies have some similarities.

LDSP - what is it?

Chipboard (chipboard) is compressed sawdust and shavings, formaldehyde resins are used as an impregnation and binder composition. The plate has a heterogeneous structure, the density, depending on the grade, is 300–600 kg / m 3. For the production of furniture, types with high rates are used. More loose varieties are used for technical purposes or as a packaging material.

Further chipboard laminated - covered with a layer of melamine film under high pressure. The result is LDSP material (laminated chipboard) ready for use in furniture production.

The coating performs several functions:

prevents the release of formaldehyde, which is quite harmful to the human body;
protects the plate from external influences, moisture ingress;
gives the plate an attractive appearance - for the manufacture of furniture laminated chipboard, laminating films of various colors, decors and textures are used.

There is an international classification of environmental safety of laminated chipboard. quality material used in the manufacture of household furniture must comply with class E1. When buying, check with the seller, ask for certificates. Class E2 products are completely prohibited in Europe and have significant restrictions on their use in Russia.

MDF - what is it?

The decoding of the abbreviation MDF (fine fraction) says a lot about the raw materials for the manufacture of this tile material. At first wood waste crushed to a homogeneous fine fraction, dried and pressed. The main binder is lignite, a natural substance found in wood. Formaldehyde in the production of MDF is used in small quantities, and additional processing of parts completely prevents their release.

The result is a material with a uniform and high density (600 - 800 kg/m 3 ), smooth and even surface, free of harmful chemicals. As a protective and finishing layer on MDF, unlike chipboard, a variety of materials are applied: PVC film, wood veneer, enamel, plastic, and so on.

What is the difference between chipboard and MDF?

Each of the materials has found its application in furniture production due to its structural features and performance characteristics. A comparison of the main indicators will help you understand the difference between MDF and chipboard and make the right choice.

High strength is one of the main properties that furniture materials should have. A dense MDF board is much stronger than chipboard and even solid wood. Chipboard products are also quite resistant to mechanical stress that may occur during the operation of furniture in domestic conditions. The main weak point of chipboard parts is the attachment points of hinges and fittings: due to the loose structure, gradual destruction of the material is possible.

Moisture and steam resistance is especially important when choosing kitchen or bathroom furniture. Chipboard parts behave well in rooms with normal or slightly increased (in the kitchen) humidity, provided that cuts and joints are processed with high quality. Through unprotected or damaged surfaces, moisture easily penetrates into the chipboard, which leads to swelling, violation of the geometry and destruction of the elements. MDF parts are much more resistant to high humidity and can even survive a flood.

When choosing materials for furniture, technological capabilities are important. On a dense MDF board, deep milling and drawings can be applied, which provides unlimited design space in the production of furniture facades and decorative elements. Chipboard does not provide such opportunities - it is impossible to process a loose surface with high quality milling machine. MDF bends quite easily - this allows you to make streamlined parts. Only direct furniture elements are produced from laminated chipboard.

According to the degree of environmental friendliness, MDF is close to natural wood, the absence of harmful substances allows the use of this material in any residential premises. The use of chipboard is limited in children's rooms and hospitals.

Cost is often the deciding factor when choosing furniture. MDF is 1.5–2 times more expensive than chipboard and is used for the manufacture of premium and luxury furniture. Economy segment products are almost always made from laminated chipboard.

The cost of MDF facades can vary significantly depending on the type of finishing material. The most economical coatings are PVC film and sheet plastics, enamel (painting) is higher on the price scale, the most expensive finish is natural wood veneer.

What to choose for each room?

The advantages of MDF are obvious, but it is an expensive material. Furniture made entirely of MDF is rare. Usually manufacturers offer combined options. In the vast majority of products on the market, cases are made of chipboard, and facades are made of MDF, chipboard, or a combination of both. This approach allows you to use all the aesthetic advantages of MDF and prevent a significant increase in the cost of products.

To the layman, the difference between materials in finished furniture is not always obvious. Often this can be determined by appearance - parts with milling and bends are made only from MDF.

For each room in the house, you can select the optimal recommended solutions for the choice of materials in accordance with the operating conditions.

Living room, hallway. For wardrobes, cabinets and other furniture in general rooms, you can choose facades from any material in accordance with the budget and individual requirements for appearance. In order to save the family budget, chipboard is also quite suitable.
Kitchen. Here, the furniture is subjected to special loads, temperature and humidity changes, and food contamination. If finances allow, purchase a set with MDF facades.
Bathroom. Here it is definitely recommended to install furniture completely (including the body) made of MDF. The low moisture resistance of chipboard automatically excludes the use of this material in rooms with high humidity.
Bedroom. It is better to prefer sets from MDF. Furniture made of laminated chipboard is permissible only with very high quality performance, careful processing of edges and joints.
Children's. In terms of environmental performance, of course, better than MDF than chipboard.

When choosing materials for furniture, it is necessary to proceed from the operating conditions of the products and financial capabilities. Cost is the only point in favor of chipboard. Ceteris paribus MDF conditions- the preferred material for the manufacture of furniture facades. Such products have all the advantages of natural wood, and in terms of strength and moisture resistance even surpass the natural array, while they are much cheaper. Wide selection finishing materials allows you to make furniture according to the individual requirements of each customer.

It means drawing up a project for the specific wishes of the client, for a specific interior (or housing in general) and the size of the room. In addition to design, the client also chooses the materials from which the kitchen will be made. The case and internal parts of the kitchen are usually made of chipboard. The front part (doors) can also be made of chipboard, but MDF is a more suitable material for this. Let's take a look at why.

chipboard– laminated chipboard (i.e. made from sawdust, and covered on both sides with plastic with a decorative layer). The advantages are low cost and good physical characteristics.
MDF- is an abbreviation from a foreign language, which stands for "fibreboard medium density". MDF is even more wear-resistant compared to chipboard, and has a number of significant advantages in terms of design.

A kitchen with laminated chipboard facades, as a rule, is cheaper (sometimes at times) than a kitchen with MDF facades. In kitchens with fronts made of chipboard, showcases with glass are very rarely made, since many manufacturers do not cut showcases in chipboard. This is due to the lack of equipment for this. And if you make a drink with an ordinary electric jigsaw, then chips will inevitably form, which is unacceptable. Facades are made from slabs by sawing. At the ends of the sawn parts, you can see the same laminated chipboard - chips. To decorate this end, an edge is glued to it: paper or plastic. Naturally, a kitchen with laminated chipboard facades is an “economy” option and will not serve you for many years, but if the budget does not allow you to buy a kitchen from MDF, then pay attention to one very important thing. The edge covering the end face of the laminated chipboard facade must be plastic. Also regarding the facades, it should be noted that they need to glue the edge with a thickness of 1 or 2 millimeters. 2 mm is preferable because the edge is thicker and more glue is applied to stick it, which means it will hold better. Subject to these rules, a kitchen with laminated chipboard facades will last you a year or two longer. Also, to increase the service life of laminated chipboard facades, they can be rolled into an aluminum U-shaped profile. It will come out a little more expensive, but it's worth it - the metal is much more durable and stable.

MDF material is environmentally friendly, has a uniform structure and is easy to process. Thanks to these properties, it has firmly gained popularity as a front part of cabinet furniture and, in particular, in the front part of the kitchen. Among the advantages of MDF is that this material is cheaper than natural wood, although it has almost the same characteristics. Milled, processed MDF can be faced with decorative PVC film, hard plastic, veneer or enamel paint.

PVC films can imitate a wood structure, leather, stone, can have a plain decor, etc. Films can be glossy, matte or with special effects (for example, metallic or chameleon). Samples of film decors (originals) must be with the designer. Wood-like decors of PVC foils allow you to create a kitchen in classical style at an acceptable price. Monochromatic films fill modern and high-tech styles.
Hard plastic has an enviable wear resistance, heat resistance and unpretentiousness. Perfect option for a family with young children, or for those who do not want to spend precious time caring for kitchen furniture. In addition, plastic facades look quite beautiful, and are veneered aluminum profile standard, gold and wenge colors.
MDF can also be coated with enamel paint on professional equipment. Painted MDF is devoid of such shortcomings as film lagging, but is afraid of aggressive detergents. Painted MDF can only be washed with a soapy raster. You can make a matte (also called semi-matte) color of the facades, you can make it glossy (shiny), or with special effects. Painted MDF is usually more expensive than film or plastic MDF, but it is also more durable.
A veneer is a thin cut of natural wood. Veneered MDF looks very respectable, and due to the fact that it is not an array, it allows the use of rare elite wood species at an affordable price. Veneered MDF fronts are also available in matte or glossy finish.
Summing up, let's remember that a kitchen with laminated chipboard facades is an option for a austerity regime (maybe if you need a kitchen not for a long time). - This quality option, and the choice of material for facing MDF depends on your needs. In any case, understanding the basics will allow you to choose the most best option materials, as well as the price / quality ratio.

When buying furniture, an unprepared person can get confused. beautiful facades various colors and shapes and completely incomprehensible terms: MDF, chipboard. What is it, and what is furniture made of? To date, a wide variety of materials are used in the manufacture of furniture. But most often cabinet furniture is made of chipboard (chipboard) or MDF. It's hard to say which is better. You need to understand how they differ.

And they differ in manufacturing technology. Both materials consist of waste wood processing. Both chipboard and MDF are pressed wood shavings and sawdust. The difference is only in the way of gluing the elements. Despite this seemingly insignificant difference, MDF and chipboard are quite different from each other.

What is chipboard Pros and cons

LDSP, what is it? This is a chipboard, obtained by pressing wood elements with formaldehyde resin. After manufacturing, the plate is covered with a special polymer film.

This material is used to create any economy-class cabinet furniture.

Advantages of chipboard:

Variety of colors. The surface of laminated chipboard can be of any color, matte and glossy.
Simple care. Furniture and this material can be simply wiped with a damp cloth.
Durability. With proper care and compliance with the rules of operation, such furniture will last for many years.
Price. The advantage of chipboard in the first place is a low price with good quality.

Disadvantages of chipboard:

Chipboard is afraid of moisture.
Does not respond well to sudden changes in temperature.
Formaldehyde resins are toxic.

At first glance, it seems that for kitchen chipboard won't fit. But it's not. With high-quality processing of the ends, such a kitchen is perfectly preserved.

Safety class

Due to the fact that the resins used in the manufacture of chipboard are quite toxic, when choosing furniture, you must check the quality certificate. There are several security classes:

E0. This is the safest furniture, impurities of harmful substances are minimized. Such furniture is suitable for children's rooms. It is also used in medical institutions. Unfortunately, in Russia there is no production of furniture of this class.
E1. Furniture of this class is produced by domestic manufacturers. The content of harmful resins is low and does not harm health.
E2 and E3. The manufacture of furniture from laminated chipboard of this class for residential premises is prohibited in Europe. Russia has no such ban. The manufacture of children's furniture from such chipboard is also prohibited in Russia.

MDF Furniture Pros and Cons

MDF is the same wood chips as chipboard, pressed at high temperature and high pressure. only paraffin or lignin acts as a binding element instead of toxic formaldehyde. Which is much safer.

MDF has wide application due to its strength. In addition to cabinet furniture, it can be a ceiling, Wall panels and even gender.

Advantages of MDF:

Strength. Compared to chipboard, MDF is several times stronger.
Moisture resistance. MDF furniture is not afraid of moisture.
Ability to create curved elements.
Easy care.
Environmental friendliness is the main advantage of MDF.

MDF is often equated with natural wood. Therefore, the price is considered the only disadvantage of this material.

For the kitchen: chipboard or MDF?

MDF kitchen

What is a kitchen? This is a humid room with temperature changes. Steam, grease, hot stove, water. For such a difficult room, it is better to choose a material that is more durable and resistant to various changes - MDF.

MDF facades are of two types:

film coated. The film option is cheaper, but there is a risk that near high temperatures the film will swell and begin to move away.
Painted MDF. The price is higher than film. Provided the correct coloring has an ideal appearance. Resistant to moisture and high temperatures. True, at strong blow paint can be damaged.

An MDF kitchen can only disappoint if the manufacturer has saved on quality. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell visually.

Chipboard kitchen

If, nevertheless, the choice fell on the inexpensive segment of chipboard kitchens, then you should pay attention to some elements:

The very best of budget options It is a combination of MDF and chipboard. In this case, the frame is made of chipboard, and the facades, on which the strongest impact occurs, are made of MDF.

MDF or chipboard for the bedroom

MDF bedroom furniture

In the bedroom, the microclimate is always favorable, there are no sudden changes in temperature, so the resistance of furniture to adverse effects is not so important. This is where safety comes first. After all, people spend a lot of time in the bedroom. Especially when it comes to the children's room, where the child spends most of his time. It is important that the furniture is safe. MDF can have various decorative coatings:

The plastic coating will protect the color from fading and give any texture.
The film coating will allow you to choose any color, even iridescent and chameleon.
Veneer covering. Furniture with such a coating always looks good, because veneer is a wood material and has a wood texture.

Bedrooms from laminated chipboard

You should not completely write off chipboard, with a certain quality this material is not inferior to the more expensive MDF. When choosing furniture from chipboard, you should pay attention to some nuances:

Chipboard and MDF have their own advantages. Having studied the properties of these two materials, it is not so difficult to make a choice in favor of one. What is better MDF or chipboard for the kitchen? Only the buyer decides, the main thing is that the furniture is strong, durable and safe.