When repairing a house, the question often arises of what to choose in order to sheathe the floor, walls and ceiling. Some advise you to use fiberboard, others - hardboard. In the end, you have to decide which is best.
What is the difference between hardboard and fiberboard? In fact, it should be remembered that this is one and the same. Although many people still believe that these are completely different materials for decorating. The hardboard differs from the well-known wood-fiber board only in increased strength.
Production process
The manufacturing process resembles the manufacture of MDF. Compressed dust, which was obtained during the processing of wood, is also used here. The difference from MDF lies in the process itself.
For fiberboard, the wet pressing method is used. In other words, wood fibers are first steamed. It is due to this technology that the sheets are thin.
For production, waste is used that is obtained during woodworking. The material is crushed and squeezed with special equipment. After that, it is dried. Special chemical additives are mixed into the mass. Then the mixture is sent to a casting machine to create plates.
The result is a pulp with a high moisture content - more than 70%. After that, solid and semi-solid plates are pressed at a temperature of 130 to 180 ° C. As for fiberboard of the insulating type, they are only dried in a special chamber with a low level of humidity. Pressing is not carried out.
Fibreboard can produce from waste paper. The product is no less high-quality and durable. There are such varieties:
- insulating;
- finishing and insulation;
- solid;
- superhard.
As for the dimensions, the length is from 1.2 m to 3.6 m, and the width is from 1 m from 1.8 m. The thickness is sweat 0.3–0.8 cm.
The properties
The properties and reliability of hardboard depend on the surface treatment, the production process and the types of material. Durability in various conditions is determined by the composition of the products. For example, the following additional components are used:
- Astringent filler. This is an artificial resin. Particular care must be taken with material containing phenol-formaldehyde.
- Polymer constituents. Such additives are used to increase mechanical strength. For example, pectol is involved.
- Hydrophobes. These are substances that have a water repellent effect. For example, they use stearin, paravin, cerisin, rosin.
- Antiseptics. These tools prevent rotting of wood, the development of mold on its surface.
- Flame retardants. These are funds that are resistant to fire. Due to this, the material can attenuate on its own.
The main component is still wood. The amount of filler and additives is not more than 7%. In especially hard sheets - about 1.3%.
Types of hardboard
The hardboard is still the same fiberboard, only the material has increased strength. Sometimes soft wood fiber boards are also called hardboard, but this is a mistake. The material is divided into several varieties.
Hard boards have the following markings:
- T - no additional processing on both surfaces of the product.
- TP - the outer surface is painted.
- TS - one of the surfaces consists of a mass with a fine dispersion.
- TSP - in this case 2 previous varieties are combined, that is, the side with a fine dispersion is painted.
- TV is a material with a waterproof effect, while the front surface does not have additional finishing treatment.
- TSV is also a material with waterproof properties, but one of the sides has a finely dispersed finish.
- NT - in this case, the hardness of the material is not high. This is a semi-solid hardboard.
- ST is a superhard type hardboard.
- STS is also a superhard hardboard, but one of the surfaces has a fine dispersion treatment.
Some types of hardboard are additionally treated with a special film, decorating for natural materials. Plates can also be varnished.
What is the difference between hardboard and fiberboard
Such concepts cannot be shared. Hardboard is a hard and superhard variety of wood-fiber boards. But you can contrast the soft varieties of fiberboard, which are marked "M".
Firstly, they have a different strength indicator. For soft wood-fiber boards this is from about 100 to 500 kg / m³, and for hardboard - from 550 to 1100. Products marked “M” have a large number of gas pores. Due to this, the material has additional thermal insulation properties.
But the hardboard has a very dense structure. Because of this, it can not be used as a heater. But on the other hand, it has a great advantage in mechanical strength.
Fiberboard is used for the substrate in the final coating of walls and ceilings. In this case, such plates are used as heat-insulating and noise-insulating layers. But hardboard is best used for lining the surface of furniture.
What is the result
People who do not understand building materials often do not understand: is hardboard a fiberboard or particleboard? It is worth saying the following: in general, hardboard is a separate type of fiberboard. These are hard and superhard plates. They have a slightly different production process. To obtain hardboard, rosin, antiseptics, paraffin and other substances are added to the composition, which are intended to improve the operational capabilities of the material.
Exactly the same production process have special hard varieties of fiberboard. Given the differences in the strength of materials, they are used in different cases.
Conclusion
Choosing fiberboard and hardboard, it is necessary to build on the conditions of use of materials and what is planned to build. If you have questions, it is recommended to consult with a specialist in addition. The latter will finally dispel doubts that it is better to choose - fiberboard or hardboard.