The market offers a wide variety of building materials. The choice is not easy. Fiberboard and particleboard are similar names, but completely different qualities and characteristics of materials determine different areas of their application.
Materials
Particleboard and fiberboard are made of wood fragments bonded together with a synthetic binder or formaldehyde resin. A deeper study of the composition will show the differences between particleboard and fiberboard.
Particleboard consists of wood chips, which can be understood from the name, sawdust and formaldehyde resin, which acts as a binder. To increase the moisture resistance of particleboard, materials with a moisture repellent coating are used. Such a coating increases the cost of chipboard.
A fiberboard (fiberboard) consists of cellulose fibers, wood dust, synthetic polymers, water and special additives.
The density of these plates may vary. Differences between chipboard and fiberboard also relate to the contained additives introduced during their manufacture to ensure certain characteristics. The fiberboard has a uniform average density, which requires precise and complex processing, and also has damping properties. Types of fiberboards are distinguished by characteristics depending on use. Wood fiber boards are characterized by high moisture resistance, durability up to 30 years. They are economical, are one of the most affordable. Particleboard is classified, taking into account the number of layers, according to the characteristics of the outer layer, water resistance, fire resistance and density. Fire safety and profitability are the advantages of chipboard. What is the difference between fiberboard and particleboard - photo materials in the context with ease will make it clear.
Production
The production process is also due to differences in particleboard from fiberboard.
To create chipboard, the raw materials are cleaned, calibrated and dried before applying the resin. Fibers are formed into a mat and pressed when heated to cure the resin. Once the resin has hardened, the plate is cooled and cut to the desired size and ground. Chipboard thickness can reach 25 mm
To obtain fiberboards, raw materials are softened by steam under pressure. The material then passes through refiner plates, which break the material into small pieces, forming a fiber of uniform size. Resin is usually added when the fiber leaves the refiner. This wood-fiber mixture is dried, molded into a plate and hot pressed. Fiberboard is much thinner than chipboard, from 2.5 to 12 mm.
Application
Wood composite panels are a type of building material that is widely used as a raw material for the manufacture of furniture, shelving and building structures that do not carry loads. Two types of composite panels, chipboard and fiberboard, although often classified together, are usually used in different situations. In general, medium density fiberboard is considered to be better than particleboard.
The main scope of fiberboard is furniture manufacturing. Fiberboards have acoustic properties, so they can also be found in pianos or other instruments, music speakers. The smooth, flat, uniform surface of the fiberboard facilitates finishing, and more diverse elements can be applied to this type of wood composite panel than to particleboard.
Particleboard is used in construction for laying floors, as well as in the manufacture of furniture as structural elements.
Particleboard is significantly less durable than fiberboard.
Disadvantages of chipboard and fiberboard
What is the difference between chipboard and fiberboard from MDF, it is easy to determine by considering their flaws. The main disadvantages of particle boards can be considered:
- toxicity of formaldehyde resins - standing out, they can be harmful to health:
- do not hold fasteners; during the service, chipboards are crushed and it is impossible to fix them during repair;
- they undergo deformation, which is due to such a property of plates as friability;
- not moisture resistant - to increase the moisture resistance of the chipboard laminate;
- eventually become heterogeneous due to peeling of the edges of the plates.
Of the disadvantages of fiberboards, the most important is non-environmental. Resins in fiberboard can cause certain harm to human health. Therefore, this material has some limitations for the manufacture of children's furniture.
MDF
Due to these shortcomings, MDF boards can become an alternative to them. They are very smooth; they have even edges when sawing.
This means that primer layers and a couple of layers of paint will look good, leaving an attractive finished surface, unlike other composite wood products. MDF does not deform and does not swell in high humidity, it is used as, for example, material for cabinets for the bathroom. Builders appreciate this material for its heat and sound insulation qualities. In addition, it can be nailed, glued, screwed, fastened or fixed with dowels, which makes it as versatile as a board.
Knowing the main differences between particleboard and fiberboard and MDF, it is easier to make the right choice.