The use of modern finishing and building materials greatly facilitates the repair problems. It also helps to choose the best option to create durable and visually appealing furniture for a wide variety of purposes. Among good fiberboards, they deserve great popularity laminated chipboard and MDF, which in some quality characteristics are the closest to natural wood, and in some aspects even surpass it.

Differences in materials

Laminated chipboard

Everyone is familiar with the concept of chipboard firsthand House master... The use of chipboard became widespread even during periods of severe shortages and a small selection of suitable building materials. Over time, it was thought up to cover a thin and unreliable plywood board with a special layer, so to speak, laminated.

This made it possible to increase the properties of the slab dozens of times and provided a second youthfulness to such wood substitutes. there is for every taste, which is a big plus.

Advantages of laminated chipboard

• Lower cost in comparison with MDF.
• Light machining.
• Large selection of colors.
• A more durable surface, resistant to mechanical damage and moisture, for example, for floors.

Minuses

Among the shortcomings, it should be noted low moisture resistance, which automatically excludes chipboard from the list of possibilities for use in bathrooms, which does not apply to. Making curved contours can be very difficult solely because of the larger particles in the composition, which will not allow you to get an even and clean cut.

The video tells which is better: ldsp or mdf:

It should also be borne in mind that laminated chipboard is manufactured using two technologies, in which formaldehyde is used in different proportions. It's volatile chemical compound very dangerous to humans and can even lead to poisoning and death. Usually chipboard with a high formaldehyde content is not used in furniture production, but is used for purely technical needs. When buying furniture made of chipboard, it is better to familiarize yourself with the certificates and check the hygiene certificate, otherwise there is a high risk of becoming a victim of low-quality goods.

When choosing furniture for the kitchen, it is important to choose an apron and choose what material it will be from MDF or HDF, and how to do this can be read in

Bed material

First of all, such furniture should be safe, because we spend more time in a dream than in the kitchen. Therefore, it is better to prefer MDF furniture groups. as mentioned earlier, the cost of such purchases will be much higher than the average option from chipboard, so this will not seem acceptable to everyone. They are also often used for the bedroom. Thus, the solution will be a partial combination of materials and a strict rule of preliminary acquaintance with quality certificates before purchasing.

For children's furniture

The children's room is the least suitable for experimenting with the quality and environmental friendliness of furniture, so sympathy is entirely on the side of MDF. Despite this, there are also several pitfalls here.

You can buy children's furniture based on the following indicators:

• Quality assurance of MDF boards. Some manufacturers are also trying to save money and replace the original and safe impregnation composition with their own recipes.
• If the slices of laminated chipboard are reliably protected by a film, there are no low-quality joints and connections, it is quite possible to purchase furniture from laminated chipboard.
• In any case, the low price and flimsy design should arouse suspicion and force you to abandon a dubious purchase.

On the video - which is better for the kitchen: mdf or ldsp:

Read about which one is suitable for the children's room.

The use of fibreboard provides ample opportunities to create beautiful and affordable furniture groups. If natural wood is an elite option that requires special care and respect. Another thing is furniture from available and widespread laminated chipboard and MDF, which differ for the better not only in an affordable price, but also in greater resistance to mechanical and thermal influences, and are also less susceptible to pests and fungi. By making a reasonable and informed choice in favor of this or that material, you will not only save yourself from unnecessary disappointments, but you will also not risk buying a low-quality or dangerous product.

Particleboard and MDF are common abbreviations. Let's try to figure out what they mean and, most importantly, how they differ from each other. After all, chipboard and MDF are considered the most popular materials used for the production of doors, cabinet furniture and other structures.

Definition

Chipboard- chipboard. Formed by flat hot pressing of wood particles (sawdust and shavings), impregnated with a binder, mainly formaldehyde resins. The raw material for the production of chipboard is low-value wood, both deciduous and coniferous. Chipboard is characterized by increased strength, water resistance, excellent heat and sound insulation properties. It is used in the furniture industry, however, due to its constituent formaldehyde resins, it is not recommended for the production of children's furniture.

MDF is a medium density fibreboard made from very fine sawdust. Fiber boards formed from waste wood processing or intended for deforestation, which are not ground small cubes, then subjected to treatment with steam supplied under high pressure, and fed to the disks of the grating machine. The rubbed material goes to drying and subsequent gluing. Wood particles are glued together with paraffin or lignin, so that MDF is exclusively eco-friendly material... MDF is widely used for the manufacture of doors, furniture, laminated floors and molded products. The surface of MDF boards is smooth, homogeneous, even, dense, easy to process.

Comparison

The most important difference between particleboard and MDF is their production technology. MDF, unlike chipboard, is made by dry pressing of fine wood shavings under the influence of high pressure and temperature. For the production of chipboard, the hot pressing method is used. For the formation of chipboard, low-value tree species are used, while for the production of MDF, cuttings from woodworking or wood intended for felling are used.

Fine chips are glued together with paraffin or lignin, and when chipboard production for gluing the shavings, synthetic resins are used. Thus, MDF, unlike particle boards, is considered environmentally friendly. pure material, which in its ecological characteristics is close to natural wood. Particleboard during operation emits formaldehyde (a rather toxic substance) into the air. Products made of fiberboard can be used in rooms with air humidity up to 80% ( wooden crafts- up to 60%).

Conclusions site

1. MDF is produced by dry pressing of small chips under the influence of high temperature and pressure, chipboard - by hot pressing.
2. For chipboard production use low-value tree species, for the production of MDF - wood trimming or wood intended for felling.
3. MDF is an environmentally friendly material, and chipboard during operation emits formaldehyde into the air.
4. MDF, unlike chipboard, can be used in rooms with high humidity(up to 80%).

For finishing works, the manufacture of doors and furniture is often used wood Construction Materials... The existing choice allows you to decide on optimal solution for construction or renovation, however, it does not remove questions about the advisability of using wood sheets. Popular sheet materials include chipboard and MDF, which can largely replace each other when carrying out a number of works.

Let's conduct a comparative study of these materials, paying attention to the characteristics that are important from an operational point of view.

Environmental properties

The most harmless and non-toxic material is MDF. This is due to the use in its production of natural binders based on paraffin or lignin. Their combination with wood dust does not cause allergic reactions or other negative consequences in people.

There is a gradation of chipboard according to toxicity classes, while the least hazardous class is not limited in the field of application. The peculiarities of the domestic trade sphere do not always make it possible to reliably find out the class of the purchased material. Try to avoid using chipboard to decorate your child's room.

Labor costs in processing

Despite its great strength and weight, MDF is much easier to expose machining and give the desired shape... This is especially important when sawing canvases according to the specified dimensions of the floor or furniture. Chipboard has greater hardness, which is explained by the rigidity adhesive base and the larger size of wood chips.

To obtain a chipboard of the required size and shape, it is necessary to apply automatic equipment and be sure to protect the respiratory system with a respirator. When processing MDF, it is enough to use a hacksaw on wood, carrying out the most delicate work a hacksaw for metal or a jigsaw.

Working with MDF is more tedious due to its higher density (by 0.1-0.2 kg / m 3) and the weight of the canvases. In small volumes of work, the difference is not so noticeable and is felt only with a large work surface.

Tendency to mechanical damage

The strength characteristics of both materials are quite high. Compared in relative terms, the fine-mesh structure of MDF tends to withstand higher loads (bending and torsion). The other side of the coin is the lower hardness of the material, which leads to relatively easy crumbling.

Chipboard sheets have lower strength, but are not as sensitive to point loads as MDF. More high hardness allows you to use the material in a less gentle mode, from the point of view of mechanical stress.

Flammability of sheet materials

Despite the fact that the chipboard is made on the basis of wood, it will be quite difficult to set it on fire. Of course, chipboard's resistance to fire is not as high as that of drywall, since all chipboards are susceptible to combustion. The essence of its heat resistance lies in the longer exposure to open fire, which is necessary for ignition.

If you quickly extinguish the flame that spreads to the chipboard, it will leave minimal damage. They will be easy to clean and paint over from above, while getting rid of bad smell... MDF has a significantly higher fire hazard, although sometimes there are slabs impregnated with fire-fighting compounds. When MDF ignites, the harmful effect of combustion products on a person will be much less than that of chipboard.

Application in the manufacture of furniture

If any sheet material can be used for finishing the facade and laying the floor, then in the assembly of furniture there are own limitations... In products made entirely of chipboard, there is a risk of cracks in the attachment points of self-tapping screws or screws. When the metal fasteners pop out of their places, they pull out "by the roots" a significant part of the material.

That's why old furniture made of chipboard is not durable enough. This leads to the practical impossibility of its high-quality and long-term use. In addition, the crumb of material from the attachment points does not have a very good effect on the ecology of the room. This is especially true when storing food in chipboard cabinets.

pros using MDF in the manufacture of furniture are in its greater flexibility and toughness. Unlike chipboard, which is almost impossible to bend and not break, MDF is well suited for interior decoration.

Fully made MDF furniture is quite expensive and outer surfaces will not last long enough. At self-assembly or ordering cabinets, it will be optimal to make fixed parts of the structure from chipboard (frame), and movable (doors, shelves) from MDF. This will extend the life of the product and make it more repairable.

If you plan to use wood-based panels for

Which is better: MDF or chipboard for the kitchen? In order to understand this issue, both materials should be compared.

Chipboard is made by pressing wood chips and synthetic glue under high pressure. These boards are laminated on both sides to prevent delamination. Chipboard is good stuff for the production of furniture.

A wide selection of colors and patterns, easy processing and reasonable price make this material quite popular. Facade lamination can be matt, semi-matt or glossy.

MDF - a board made of chopped wood dust and organic compounds... MDF is a basic material that is used in the production of furniture and interior elements (baseboards, decorative wall panels, moldings). MDF is also the basis for the production interior doors... The surface of the slab is covered with a special film or pasted over with artificial or natural veneer.

Types of kitchen finishes from MDF

MDF panels can have various finishes, and this affects the strength, quality and appearance plates. As a rule, there are three main finishing methods:

• Lamination with a special film. The surface is covered with PVC foil. This keeps the board dry. This makes MDF a pretty good material for kitchen furniture.
• Veneer facing. A thin layer of natural wood (i.e. veneer) is glued to the surface. Furniture with this finish is decorative and looks natural. Unfortunately, the veneer is quite soft and not very resistant to damage, so it requires careful maintenance.
• Coating with varnish. A layer of varnish is applied to the facade, which forms a moisture-resistant protective coating, endows the product with heat resistance. Unfortunately, this coating has its drawbacks. Fingerprints and even water droplets remain on the plate.

Advantages of MDF:

MDF is widely used in the production of kitchen furniture due to its many advantages:

• Easy to handle. The most complex and unusual shapes can be made from MDF.
• It is made from environmentally friendly raw materials and is completely safe for humans.
• Easy to clean. This is important especially for a room like a kitchen. The material has a smooth, non-porous surface, so it not only does not absorb dirt, but is also easy to clean with special products.
• Boards of this type, especially lacquered boards, are grease-resistant. They do not leave acid stains and chemical substances so they can be used successfully in the kitchen.
• The myriad of colors, models and finishes available means that everyone has something for their dream kitchen. It is also possible to make the furniture matte, semi-matt or glossy. The surface can be fully adapted to any style of kitchen.
• Attractive price compared to natural wood. MDF furniture is available to almost everyone.

Disadvantages of using MDF

Unfortunately, like any material, MDF also has some disadvantages:

• Low resistance to water and moisture. Edges that are not protected by acrylic or metal stripes are particularly susceptible to this. They quickly absorb moisture, swell and deform over time.
• Susceptible to scratches. In most cases, this applies to lacquered surfaces. It is not recommended to use products containing abrasive substances for cleaning.
• With constant exposure to steam, the surface made of MDF can become dull and due to this slightly discolored.
• When a scratch appears on the facade, it is difficult to pick up paint and paint over only the damaged area. We have to completely repaint the entire surface.
• Over time, the material loses its strength and elasticity. Fittings and doors of kitchen furniture begin to loosen.

Features of MDF countertops

• High temperature resistant - you can put a pot of boiling water on them.
• The color of the surface does not change when exposed to light.
• Furniture, on which the film is correctly installed, does not absorb water vapor and water; over time, the material does not delaminate.
• Resistant to soft household detergents, as well as stains of milk, coffee, tea, wine - they are not absorbed due to lamination.
• Quite resistant to scratches and dents.
• May fade due to direct impact pair.

These features relate to work surface countertops. You should be aware that in the case of installing devices under the countertops, sheet metal or plastic must be additionally fixed on the underside, which will create additional structural reinforcement.

Chipboard - the main advantages and disadvantages

Chipboard material during kitchen production is easy to process and maintain the basic physical and mechanical parameters. The main advantages include:

• The chipboard tabletop is quite strong and durable.
• The material is scratch resistant. Dirt can be cleaned with household chemicals.
• Modern technologies in the production of laminated particle boards ensure the production of furniture of various shapes and colors.

Concerning negative sides, then I would like to note the following. When buying laminated chipboard, pay attention to the E1 or E2 badges. The E1 marking on the product means that 10 grams of formaldehyde was used in the production process for 100 grams of wood chips. If E2 is indicated on chipboard, then the amount of formaldehyde can reach 30 grams. Perhaps, the presence of a toxic substance in the composition is the most important disadvantage of chipboard.

Comparison of kitchen furniture

To specifically decide on the material for kitchen furniture, you need to understand what is better - kitchen chipboard or MDF and what's the difference? It is equally important to study their advantages and understand the disadvantages.

Which will last longer, MDF or chipboard

One of the most important criteria when choosing furniture is the durability of use. This must be taken into account so that you do not have to change cabinets and countertops every two or three years. It is important to decide whether there will be a kitchen facade made of chipboard or MDF.

Furniture made of MDF boasts good durability. Obviously, a chipboard product will lose its attractive appearance a little faster. Durability modular kitchen from MDF is one of the positive features of this furniture. This is due to the fact that the composition of the material is almost natural and environmentally friendly. In addition, if properly cared for, the equipment will last for many years.

Chipboard or MDF: which resists scratches better?

Another very important feature furniture is its resistance to mechanical damage. Furniture made of MDF is resistant to external factors such as physical wear and tear, heat and greasy stains... The situation is worse in the case of steam or water - they damage the structure of MDF. For a laminated chipboard surface, humidity and high temperatures are not dangerous.

The next feature is that the components of furniture made of chipboard and MDF break in about the same way. In the case of resistance to mechanical damage, for example, scratches, chipboard holds the priority. This material is resistant to many household chemicals.

Environmental friendliness

An important aspect is the comparison of laminated chipboard and MDF in terms of content. harmful substances in its composition. The latter negatively affect human life.

Furniture made of laminated chipboard is made using formaldehyde. This substance used as a connecting element. Although the products are divided into classes E1 and E2, and in the first version, less toxic substance was used, furniture made of chipboard is toxic, and this adversely affects health.

In MDF, the composition of the board is close to natural wood and does not have any negative impact per person. However, as far as cost is concerned, a chipboard countertop is cheaper than a MDF product.

Aesthetic value

Which is better: MDF or LSPD for the kitchen? The attractive appearance of the furniture is another main feature that is very important when buying. Much depends on the wishes, needs and financial capabilities of the client. It's easy to impress guests by installing a beautiful kitchen in your home. Presented on the market big choice colors and patterns, so there is no problem finding what you really like. If you want a rounded kitchen with either stained glass, then give your preference to MDF. Chipboard is not such a plastic material, and it cannot take on such outlines. However, the color gamut is much wider and more varied in the case of laminated chipboard furniture.

The correct choice of material from which your kitchen furniture, It has great importance... The type determines the character of the furniture, and as a result, the style of the interior is created. After reading it, it is easy to determine which is better, MDF or chipboard for the kitchen.

Having analyzed all the main features of MDF and laminated chipboard, as well as the disadvantages and advantages of each material, we can say that the most environmentally friendly and durable material is MDF. However, with regard to the variety of colors, laminated chipboard furniture can be made in almost any color. If we consider the prices for furniture, then a kitchen made of chipboard will be more affordable. The final decision on which is better, MDF or chipboard for the kitchen, will depend only on your choice.

With the development of technology, more and more building and finishing materials appear on the market. At the end of the last century, we got MDF. There are MDF boards that are used in construction works, there is finishing panels that can be used to decorate walls / ceilings or make furniture.

What is MDF and the method of its manufacture

MDF appeared on our market in last years last century, and it was invented in the United States at the end of the 60s of the 20th century. You can understand what MDF is if you translate its English name - MDF - Medium Density Fibreboard. In Russian it translates as "medium density fiberboard". That is, the Russian-language name was formed using transliteration - instead of Latin letters, they put similar Russians. A common phenomenon for our language.

MDF - Medium Density Fiberboard

Manufacturing process

MDF is made from wood, ground to the state of very fine chips, practically - to the state of fibers. Mostly wood waste is used, so the release of this material does not harm forests.

Milled wood is cleaned of sand and other foreign inclusions, washed, dried. The prepared mass is heated, a tape of the required width is formed from it, and then pressed. Under pressure, a natural binder, lignin, is released from the heated wood fibers. It is he who is the binder in this material. The final shape of the products is passed in a finishing press, which squeezes out the remaining air from the mass, forming a homogeneous structure of MDF.

After pressing, the cooled material is fed to grinding, where flaws on the surface are removed from the MDF, the material is brought to the required thickness.

Not all wood species provide a sufficient amount of binder. Then add a similar, previously isolated, lignin or other natural binder. Of all the sheet woods MDF materials it is considered the safest, since the binder is natural, and the formaldehyde emission is comparable to that of wood (emission class F1, that is, it is allowed to use it for the manufacture of furniture for children's and medical institutions).

Fiberboard can be produced with special properties. Basically, moisture resistance additives increase moisture resistance and reduce flammability.

Appearance and release forms

In its "pure" form, the material has a grayish-brown color, on the saw cut a homogeneous dense mass. The exact shade depends on the type of wood crushed and the amount of bark. In this form, the material is used as a sheet building material - for the construction of light partitions, leveling walls.

The MDF surface can be "refined". It can be painted, laminated with PVC film, pasted over with veneer or plastic. This gives quite big number design options that are used in the furniture industry, in the production of finishing materials.

Manufacturing technology allows you to form products of various shapes, thickness, size. During finishing pressing, a certain relief can be formed, which is used in the production of furniture and doors. Also from MDF they make Decoration Materials- plates, panels. They make plinths, platbands, and other moldings from it. All of these materials can be used to interior decoration premises.

The structure of MDF is fine-grained, dust is formed during milling, which makes it possible to make carved products. This is used in making carved decorative elements- panels, decorative grilles, curly furniture facades.

MDF or chipboard - which is better?

Having entered the market, MDF created competition. This was facilitated by its properties:

All this led to the growing popularity of the material. Even though MDF is more expensive than chipboard. To some extent, MDF even competed with wood. For example, skirting boards, MDF platbands, and finishing panels are increasingly being used. This is due, firstly, to a lower cost, and secondly, to greater practicality. Wood requires regular maintenance - painting, varnishing. MDF does not require special care. It is simply wiped off with a damp cloth, using liquid detergent if necessary.

MDF boards

Manufacturing technology of MDF board allows you to vary the density within wide limits: the minimum indicator is 760-780 kg / m 3, the maximum is 1100 kg / m 3 and even higher. A material with a lower density is used where the abrasion load is low: in the furniture industry, for wall and ceiling decoration.

High-density MDF boards are used for floor finishing. The material of this category has high abrasion resistance: one and a half times higher than that of oak (oak - 6.9, MDF - 10-11). If we add that the coefficient of diagonal warpage is only 1.2 mm for each meter of diagonal (15 mm for plywood), the love of furniture makers and finishers for this material becomes clear.

Dimensions and tolerances

One of the most popular forms of release is plates different thickness and format. They can be found with the following parameters:

It is convenient to work with MDF boards, since this material has very small tolerances for deviations from dimensions:

• the difference in thickness cannot exceed 0.2 mm (for plywood, 0.5-2.5 mm);
• the length may differ by no more than 5 mm;
• the take-off in width cannot be more than 2 mm.

When two sheets are joined, the difference in thickness or size is very small or not at all. That's why MDF finish sheets or panels advance quickly.

Types of surface finishing of sheet material

MDF boards are produced with different types surface treatment:

If we talk about construction and repair, then they use polished MDF boards. When leveling walls or installing lightweight partitions, when leveling the floor and ceiling. Here is an approximate area of ​​their application.

Frame mounting

If the surface of the walls or ceiling is uneven (deviations are more than 1 cm), the method of mounting sheet MDF is the same as for drywall - on the frame. The frame is usually assembled from wooden blocks, but no one forbids placing profiles under drywall. The cross-section of the bars is selected based on the unevenness of the wall - they must compensate for all the height difference. Most likely you will need 20 * 30mm bars or something. They are stuffed horizontally with a step of 40 cm. With this step, the joints of the sheets (they exist if the ceiling height is higher than 280 cm) fall on the bar.

For the installation of sheet panels from the same timber, vertical jumpers are installed. They are placed in steps:

• 54.3 cm - for sheets 2170 mm wide;
• 42.3 cm or 63.5 cm for 1270 mm width.

The spacing of the vertical jumpers depends on the thickness of the selected material. For thin sheets (3-4 mm) it should be less, for thick ones (5-6 mm) more can be done.

TO assembled frame MDF sheets / plates are attached. The peculiarity (in comparison with drywall) is that for hidden fastening it is necessary to drill holes for fasteners. Otherwise, fasteners will not go into a dense slab. To prevent the caps from sticking out above the surface, the hole is expanded under them using a larger diameter drill.

After installing the screws, holes remain on the surface. They are sealed with putty. If further it is supposed to putty the walls, act as if - first, fill up the holes with a putty, immediately removing the excess with a spatula. After drying, the places of putty pass sandpaper with fine grain - to finally get rid of possible irregularities. Then, after dusting the surface, they begin to putty the walls.

Installation on glue

If the walls are even, you can mount MDF boards without a frame - with glue. You can use liquid nails or a composition like CM-11. The order of work is as follows:

So that during the installation process the sheet does not move anywhere, you can make holes in the corners and, after alignment, fix the sheet. Even if the self-tapping screw will only hold in the plaster, this will help, since it is required only for initial stage- until the glue starts to harden.

This method seems simpler and less costly (due to the lack of a frame), but it is not at all easy to align bulky MDF boards. Better try on small area walls. The point is that it is impossible to disassemble what has been established. Only if you destroy the skin completely. So it's worth considering which method is better.

Installation of MDF sheet on the floor

For laying on the floor, choose high-density moisture-resistant MDF boards (from 900 kg / m 3 and above). Sheet thickness - from 5 mm when laying on a subfloor and from 10 mm when installing on joists. In this case, the installation method is similar to leveling the floor with plywood, only the gaps are smaller, since the wood board changes its parameters much less plywood. The rest of the rules are the same:

After sanding the putty, the surface of the MDF floor is ready for painting. If you do everything carefully, you get a perfectly flat floor. This base can also be used as a base for flexible finishing materials or laminate flooring.

MDF finishing panels

Finely dispersed pressed boards are used as the basis for the production of decorative finishing panels. Front surface pasted over with paper. This is the cheapest option. Slightly more expensive ones are laminated with PVC film. There are also panels covered with veneer. This is the more expensive material. There are also options with plastic, but very rarely.

MDF panel with three-dimensional image - 3D

Decorative MDF panels most often the walls are sheathed, sometimes the ceiling. This method of finishing saves time: the surface is leveled and immediately take the final look, since no additional finishing is required.

Types of decorative MDF panels

It's not about colors and shades, but about the shape of the inlet and the type decorative surface... In shape, the finishing panels made of pressed wood fibers are:

When choosing MDF panels, pay attention to the type of finish. The cheapest material is covered with paper, on top of which a thin layer is applied protective coating... It is clear that such a surface is quickly scratched; it can only be wiped with an exceptionally soft, slightly damp cloth. Even a rough sponge should not be used, otherwise light spots will form. Such MDF panels are good for finishing the ceiling - there is no mechanical load at all. If you install them on walls, it is better to immediately cover with two layers of varnish. You choose the type of surface yourself - gloss, semi-gloss, matt, semi-matt ... It is important that the film is strong.

More expensive - with PVC and veneer - additional finishing do not require, but at a price 2-3 times more expensive. If your budget is tight, the above is not a bad option.

Installation methods

The MDF panels are mounted either on the frame or directly on the wall using glue. The technology is described in the previous paragraph and differs only in that clamps are used for installation - special fastening plates for secret mounting. The first panel on the wall is installed in the corner. Here it is fastened through and through with self-tapping screws. All others are fixed with clamps. After the end of the installation, the corners are closed with a special corner profile... It is mounted on glue - applied in a thin layer and pressed in place of installation.

There is also a system of profiles - starting, finishing, connecting and corner (outer and inner corner). But this fastening system is more expensive, it is used with MDF panels finished with veneer, square or rectangular format.

There is one more subtlety of mounting decorative MDF panels on the ceiling. If you use thin sheets / strips - 3-4 mm thick - you need to put suspensions often, otherwise the material will bend under its own weight. When using slabs 6-8 mm thick, suspensions can be installed less frequently. They are stiffer and do not bend. But the weight of the trim will be greater, so you will have to use more powerful guides and the hangers themselves.