It takes ~ 2 minutes to read

Save

Natural wood furniture can be unpleasant to impress with its prohibitive cost. Besides this, there are other materials. Many have heard and know about such material as chipboard. There is also MDF furniture. This stuff is less familiar but deserves the attention of the consumer. It remains only to find out which is better, more practical and more beautiful in the kitchen - chipboard or MDF?

Features of laminated chipboard (chipboard)

Chipboard is a well-known chipboard coated with a facing film. The manufacturing technology of such plates has been known for a long time; in the 80s and 90s, chipboard furniture was one of the most demanded.

Later, obvious shortcomings were identified, which somewhat reduced the popularity of this material. At the same time, a simple chipboard has fewer advantages than its counterpart with a laminated film on top of the board.

Material pluses

Save

Even reputable furniture manufacturing companies release collections from laminated chipboard. Cabinets, tables and cabinets are budget-friendly due to the low cost of the material itself. In addition to the economical price, laminated chipboard also has the following advantages:

• different sheet thickness;
• high hardness;
• the widest choice color solutions;
• good tolerance to humidity and high temperatures.

Save

Cons of laminated chipboard

One of the most critical disadvantages of laminated chipboard is toxicity. In the manufacture of this type of chipboard, formaldehyde resins are added to the mixture before pressing, providing adhesion and rigidity.

When buying furniture from laminated chipboard, you should pay attention to the class of material. The E1 indicator indicates a lower toxicity of the components. In this case, it is always worth studying the quality of lamination of joints - they must be pasted over or closed with special corners made of plastic, rubber or metal.

In addition to the toxic effects of poor-quality assembly or damage to the laminating film, there is one more disadvantage. It is not so significant, for some this drawback does not even matter. Because of high hardness material, it is impossible to create relief patterns on the surface using milling machines. Instead of a beautiful relief, chips will appear on it, so the surface remains simply smooth. It is possible to create a small imitation of the relief structure of wood or stone by using a special plastic film.

MDF characteristics

Save

It's over eco-friendly look material for furniture facades... It contains no chemical resins, and paraffin is used as a fixer. Lignin is also added to this finely dispersed fraction (MDF) of the tree.

The very process of its manufacture takes place under high pressure and at high temperatures. Plates after this pressing method are durable and lightweight.

Advantages of MDF

Unlike laminated chipboard, MDF allows the production of patterned doors for furniture. They are more aesthetically pleasing, and with the appropriate coating, they almost indistinguishable imitate real wood furniture.

Its most important advantage is environmental friendliness. If it were not for the existing disadvantages, then MDF would have outstripped chipboard for a long time in demand, although even now furniture made from finely dispersed slabs enjoys well-deserved popularity.

Save

Disadvantages of MDF

Previously, limitations were attributed to its shortcomings. design solutions regarding the number of color schemes. Now this is no longer a categorical disadvantage - the variety of colors is growing, only slightly yielding to the range of laminated chipboard.

There are only 2 drawbacks left:

1. High price.
2. Risk of coating delamination.

Compared to natural wood furniture, MDF is cheaper, but laminated chipboard even more economical in cost. At the same time, the price is not a disadvantage for someone. All that remains is the risk of the coating peeling off at high temperatures. Enough 75 degrees Celsius for the coating to move away from the stove. This does not always happen, but only in cases of technological voids in the place of heating.

What's the best for kitchen furniture? How are such materials different?

At first glance, it is difficult to understand how MDF differs from chipboard. Experienced people can immediately see the difference, but beginners, even after several years of use, cannot guess the difference. The indisputable advantage of the first is its environmental friendliness, which determines the high operational safety, although the cost of the material also dictates its own rules. If you have financial possibilities, it is worth choosing furniture made entirely from MDF for the bedroom and children's room.

Save

The ability of laminated chipboard to resist high level humidity in rooms made it a frequent companion in bathrooms and kitchens. It is difficult to imagine more suitable inexpensive furniture for these premises. At the same time, at n High-quality laminated chipboard joints tend to absorb moisture. In order for such furniture to serve for a long time, you need to carefully examine all the ends of the product. At the same time, this allows you to make sure that the furniture made of chipboard is safe for use.

If the cost of MDF was comparable to the price of laminated chipboard, then the choice is obvious - a finely dispersed fraction of wood. So far this is not the case - laminated chipboard is cheaper than the competitor, which determines its demand among consumers.

Combinability of materials

Many will not be able to determine whether it is chipboard or MDF in appearance. The visual differences between them are understandable only to experienced people. If the product is clear rectangular without a relief and edges cut off at an angle, then even professionals who know the difference between MDF and laminated chipboard will not immediately reveal the differences.

Save

Manufacturers often combine both materials in one product. Beautiful carved doors, smooth end parts and aesthetic relief on them are made of MDF. The rest of the furniture is made of laminated chipboard, which can significantly reduce the total cost.

This approach to combining the material allows you to use the aesthetic characteristics of the finely dispersed fraction of wood, without spending a lot of money. From the point of view of operational safety, everything remains the same - chipboard must be protected from chips.

Video: the difference between MDF and chipboard

Also, when using furniture made of combined materials in the kitchen, it is worth remembering that MDF is afraid of high temperatures. Necessary NS hang wall cabinets correctly to avoid heating them from a nearby stove or hob... This will prevent the coating from peeling off on the finished product.

The first thing we pay attention to when buying furniture is its price and appearance... However, before paying money to the cashier, it is advisable to find out what it is made of. After all, each material has its own technical specifications and some of them have a limited scope. V furniture production for a wide range of buyers, MDF and chipboard boards are often used, which are constantly causing controversy, which is better. The long-term presence on the market of these materials suggests that both of them are needed. It is only important to know where and how to apply them.

Comparison of panel production technology:

MDF boards have a finer fraction of wood. Technological process here it is more advanced, especially with regard to the appearance of wood fibers, which impart strength to the sheets. In their manufacture, the dry pressing method is involved, as well as other binders that make construction material environmentally friendly.

One side of MDF is also covered with laminate. The front part of the plates can be decorated with PVC foil, plastic or painted. In any case, it will always be smooth. Thinking about what to choose in the zone high humidity Particleboard or MDF, we take into account the huge advantage of the latter in this area, from which we conclude which kitchen will be better.

Pros and cons of MDF and chipboard

Such a wonderful material as MDF is not without its drawbacks. It is very sensitive to various types of mechanical damage. Impacting from a heavy object can dent the surface. Another disadvantage is rapid combustion near open flames. This property must be taken into account when placing pieces of furniture in the same kitchen. Due to its fine structure, MDF is more plastic. If you need to cut curly elements, it fits perfectly.

Which furniture is better, made of chipboard or MDF, can be judged from the reviews of the masters working with these materials. The disadvantage of chipboard is the fact that, due to its loose structure, a screw or a nail is held in it very poorly. And about repeated twisting in the same place is out of the question. The main fasteners are corners. Although MDF is more dense, its coefficient of resistance for pulling out fasteners is also not high.

If you take into account the cost of materials, structures made only of MDF will cost much more. To beat the pricing policy, many are very wise. Without thinking about what is better for MDF or chipboard, they order the main part of the furniture body (which hides inside) from chipboard, and the front part from MDF, including interior doors... The service life of both types of panels is not very long. Therefore, which furniture is best suited for the home, we decide for ourselves.

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

Chipboard- laminated particle board (i.e. made from sawdust and coated on both sides with plastic with a decorative layer). The advantages are low cost and good physical characteristics.
MDF- is an abbreviation with foreign language, which stands for "Medium Density Fiberboard". MDF is even more durable than laminated 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 facades of laminated chipboard, showcases with glass are very rarely made, since many manufacturers do not cut out showcases in laminated chipboard. This is due to the lack of equipment for this. And if you make a drink with an ordinary jigsaw, then chips will inevitably form, which is unacceptable. Facades are made of slabs by sawing. At the ends of the sawn parts, you can see the same chipboard - shavings. 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 long 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 should be plastic... Also, regarding the facades, it should be noted that they need to glue an edge 1 or 2 millimeters thick. 2 millimeters is preferable since both the edge is thicker and for gluing it is applied more glue- which means that she will hold on better. Subject to these rules, a kitchen with laminated chipboard facades will serve you for 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 homogeneous structure and is easy to process. Thanks to these properties, it has firmly gained popularity as the front part of cabinet furniture and, in particular, in the front part of the kitchen. Among advantages of MDF- This material is cheaper than natural wood, although it has almost the same characteristics. Milled, processed MDF can be veneered decorative film PVC, hard plastic, veneer or enamel paint.

• PVC films can imitate wood structure, leather, stone, can have a monochromatic decor, etc. Films can be glossy, matte or with special effects (for example, metallic, or chameleon). Film decor samples (originals) must be with the designer. Wood-like decors PVC foil allow you to create a kitchen in classic style at a reasonable price. Monochrome films fill modern and high-tech styles.
• Hard plastic has enviable wear resistance, heat resistance and unpretentiousness. Perfect option for a family with small children, or for those who do not want to waste precious time looking after kitchen furniture. In addition, plastic facades look pretty nice and are clad with aluminum profiles in standard, gold and wenge colors.
• Also MDF can be coated with enamel paint on professional equipment... Painted MDF is devoid of such drawbacks as film lag, but is afraid of aggressive detergents... Painted MDF can only be washed with a soapy raster. You can make the facades matte (also called semi-matte), glossy (shiny), or with special effects. Painted MDF is usually more expensive than foil or plastic MDF, but it is also more durable.
• Veneer is a thin cut of natural wood. Veneered MDF looks very respectable, and due to the fact that it is not solid wood, it allows the use of rare elite wood species at an affordable price. MDF facades covered with veneer can also be matt or glossy.

  To summarize, remember that a kitchen with laminated chipboard facades is an option for austerity regime (maybe, if you need a kitchen that is not long term). - this is a high-quality option, and the choice of material for MDF cladding depends on your needs. In any case, understanding the basics will allow you to choose the most the best option materials, as well as price / quality ratio.

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

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

What is chipboard Pros and cons

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

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

Advantages of laminated chipboard:

1. Variety of colors. The surface of the chipboard can be of any color, matte and glossy.
2. Easy maintenance. Furniture and this material can be simply wiped off with a damp cloth.
3. Durability. With proper care and adherence to the rules of operation, such furniture will last for many years.
4. Price. The advantage of laminated chipboard first of all - low price with good quality.

Disadvantages of laminated chipboard:

1. Chipboard is afraid of moisture.
2. Reacts poorly to sudden changes in temperature.
3. Formaldehyde resins are toxic.

At first glance, it seems that chipboard is not suitable for a kitchen. But this is not the case. With high-quality processing of the ends, such a kitchen is perfectly preserved.

Safety class

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

1. E0. This is the safest furniture, impurities harmful substances reduced to a minimum. Such furniture is suitable for children's rooms. And also it is used in medical institutions... Unfortunately, there is no furniture of this class in Russia.
2. E1. Furniture of this class is produced by domestic manufacturers. The content of harmful resins is low and not harmful to health.
3. E2 and E3. Manufacturing of furniture from laminated chipboard of this class for residential premises is prohibited in Europe. Russia does not have such a ban. The manufacture of children's furniture from such chipboard is prohibited in Russia as well.

MDF Furniture Pros and Cons

MDF is the same wood shavings as chipboard, pressed at high temperature and high pressure... only paraffin or lignin acts as a binder 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 the floor.

Advantages of MDF:

1. Strength. Compared to laminated chipboard, MDF is several times stronger.
2. Moisture resistance. Furniture made of MDF is not afraid of moisture.
3. The ability to create bent elements.
4. Easy care.
5. 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? it wet 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:

1. Covered with film... The film option is cheaper, but there is a risk that near high temperatures the film will swell and begin to come off.
2. Painted MDF... The price is higher than film. Provided the correct coloration has an ideal appearance. Resistant to moisture and high temperatures... However, with a strong impact, the paint can be damaged.

A MDF kitchen can be disappointing only if the manufacturer has saved on quality. Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine visually.

Chipboard kitchen

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

The best of budget options is a combination of MDF and chipboard. In this case, the frame is made of chipboard, and the facades, which are most strongly affected, are made of MDF.

MDF or chipboard for the bedroom

Furniture for a bedroom from MDF

The microclimate in the bedroom is always favorable, no sharp drops temperatures, therefore the resistance of furniture to adverse influences is not so important. Here safety comes to the fore. 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:

1. The plastic coating will protect the color from fading and give any texture.
2. The film coating will allow you to choose any color, even iridescent and chameleon.
3. Veneer covering. Furniture with such a coating always looks good, because veneer is 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 more expensive MDF. When choosing furniture made of chipboard, you should pay attention to some of the nuances:

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

In the 21st century, chipboard furniture is in great consumer demand. Chipboard is a unique invention of German entrepreneur Max Himmelheber that made life ordinary people comfortable and made it possible to save up to 60% of the wood that was recycled. It's not only caring for people with average incomes, but also exemplary example careful attitude to natural resources.

Furniture factories have been producing cabinet, upholstered and kitchen furniture for a long time. furniture made of laminated chipboard, KDSB and MDF. These materials have some characteristics that are similar to natural wood properties, and even surpass it in some parameters.

Furniture from laminated chipboard

Chipboard is a laminated chipboard. With the help of lamination, chipboard improves its properties: it becomes more durable and water-resistant, which cannot be said about ordinary chipboard.

Furniture from KDSB

KDSB is a laminated chipboard. The difference between laminated chipboard and laminated chipboard is only in the application technology decorative coating: when laminated, it is glued to the chipboard, and when laminated, it is created during pressing due to chemical processes and is inseparable from the base plate. The exploitation properties and characteristics are the same, but Chipboard is the most moisture resistant. Therefore, KSPB is much cheaper than both chipboard and MDF.

MDF furniture

MDF is fine fraction of wood. The structure of MDF is more homogeneous, andstrength is twice as high as that of laminated chipboard ... And it behaves better in a humid environment, more resistant to fire. But the cost is more expensive than laminated chipboard.

Pros and cons of laminated chipboard furniture and MDF furniture

Chipboard and MDF - modern materials, which have both their pros and cons. Let's consider the operational properties in terms of the main parameters - moisture resistance, safety, strength, aesthetics, cost.

Moisture resistance

The structure of chipboard is more susceptible to moisture penetration than MDF. Why it happens? Due to the density of the boards, but this does not mean at all that MDF is not at all afraid of moisture.

Security

Chipboard is more toxic than MDF. The concentration of formaldehyde (E 240) in particleboard is higher, but formaldehyde is also present in MDF. Plates that comply with GOST 10632-2014 are acceptable and safe materials for the manufacture of furniture. When choosing furniture for your home, keep in mind that the Russian GOST sets much higher requirements than the European one. Which means it is better to give preference to Russian-made furniture. Furniture factories with which our online store cooperates have ALL certificates of quality and safety. Certificates can be found on official websites, for example Stolline, or by contacting us, we will send or provide them upon request.

Strength

MDF has 2 times higher density than laminated chipboard. MDF can be milled, inclined holes can be made. The material "holds" the fasteners better.

Aesthetics

Color solutions for both MDF and laminated chipboard are in the same niche - any color is possible, at the request of the client. As for bends and shapes, curved facades can be made only from MDF.

Price

MDF is much more expensive, due to the quality parameters of the material. However, judging by the service life, MDF lasts longer than laminated chipboard.