What is MDF | Advantage s| Disadvantages| Application | Properties | Thickness

What is MDF?

Medium Density Fiberboard is a engineered composite wood manufactured into evenly-shaped wood fibers by breaking down the soft & hard-wood residues in a defibrillator with wax & resin binder under the application of high temperature & pressure.

Properties of MDF

Here, the MDF Properties are as follows.

1. It is cost is cheap.
2. It offers low resistance to sogginess.
3. It is employed in residential & commercial application.
4. After coming of MDF, natural plywood has been replaced by it nowadays, since it is more rigid & strong.
5. It’s finished alone rather than finishing with veneer or laminate.
6. Internal Bond Strength is good. It is strong & stiff.
7. A blend of urea-formaldehyde resin & dust is required to manufacture it.
8. Bending Strength or Modulus of Rupture of MDF defines the ultimate brawn. It’s unit is ponds/inch² or megapascals.
9. Modulus of Elasticity is the measure of stiffness of an elastic substance. It is the ratio of stress to strain along a certain axis. The tensile modulus for MDF is 4.
10. Thickness of MDF board ranges from 3-35mm & width is often 4ft.
11. The edges of MDF boards soaks paint. An acrylic paint or drywall sealer or glue or oil based primers may prevent the edges from this swelling effect.

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Advantages & Disadvantages of MDF

Advantages of MDF

Here, the pros of MDF are as follows.

1. MDF is versatile & affordable at low price & effortlessly obtainable. Hence, it is often a preferable choice for middle-class people.
2. It is pollution-free & environment-friendly since it is manufactured by recycling. Deforestation isn’t required to prepare it.
3. A uniform coating of a wide variety of tinctures is available because it is simpler than normal wood. It can be painted or shaded or sealed effortlessly which aids in manufacturing of various kinds of furnitures.
4. It’s effortless to cut & drill without any damage since it doesn’t possess any grain.
5. As chemicals are utilized on the preparation of MDF, termites & other pests cannot damage them.
6. It’s not affected by temperature & moisture.
7. It’s surface is smooth & doesn’t possess any bumps & knots.
8. It is dense & rigid. Hence, it has superior machining feature. It is strenuous to flex or crack the material.
9. It is a fine choice for cabinetry.
10. Thus, it is a fair choice than natural wood.

Disadvantages of MDF

Here, the cons of MDF are as follows.

1. Little quantities of urea melamine-formaldehyde & VOC (which can cause lungs & eyes irritation) is required for the preparation of MDF but it is completely drained away after finishing of the manufacturing process.
2. If water is applied, it will absorb it & will get swollen quicker than timber. Hence, it is required to seal MDF on all sides & edges properly.
3. Since, it is strong & rigid, it requires thorough maintenance which may be costly to some extent. Moreover, it cannot be renovated or sealed again rapidly if it gets impaired.
4. Additives utilized to prepare it is less child-friendly. Dust generated during MDF manufacturing process is often dangerous to inhale.
5. It can break under excessive stress.
6. Nails, Bolts or Screws can be applied on MDF effortlessly. So, pilot gaps must be utilized for this process, otherwise it will not hold them properly.

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Application of MDF

Medium Density Fiberboard has a wide range of industrial uses. It is frequently canopied with veneer & contains sugarcane & wood chipping.

1. Furniture

 

Furniture’s constructed by MDF & are often in demand as they are extremely affordable for the middle class people. Sometimes low density fiber-board is also utilized to create prefabricated furniture. Large Companies frequently utilize MDF as raw material for their production.

2. Cabinetry (Cabinets & Shelves)

 

Often MDF are employed to produce home interior kitchen cabinetry & shelves, doors, moldings or even floors with rigid wood laminate on top.

3. Flooring

 

Many different tincture shades of MDF like brown, yellow & tan can be found which can be blended with aluminum channels & poly-urethane to provide a decorative finish.

4. Decorative Projects

 

Different DIY decorative Projects can be prepared by MDF.

5. Soundproofing & Speaker Boxes

 

This kind of wood has better sound-proof ability. If employed in manufacturing process of sound box, it absorbs excessive noise & prevents vibration to certain extent. This is frequently utilized in buildings & media rooms.

5. Wainscoting

 

Wainscoting by decorative boards or panels gives a handsome look to the walls

6. Doors & Door-Frames

 

MDF is frequently employed to develop water-resistant door & window frames for kitchens, bathrooms, factories etc.

7. Tradeshow Booths & Theatre Set Construction

 

MDF is frequently utilized to make Tradeshow booths & Theatre Set Construction like stages, frames & so on.

8. Fire Resistance

MDF has a good fire-resistant capability. Hence, they are often employed in residential & commercial buildings for safety purposes from rapid spreading of fire.

9. Vapour Repulsion

It is additionally utilized as a vapour obstacle & insulation material. This kind of wood can withstand heavy moisture without impairment from rotting process. By this procedure it can prevent heat-loss & lowers unnecessary expenses & electrical bills.

10. Roofing

 

It is also employed to make low sloped roofs. MDF is utilized to backup shingles of roof or utilized as sheathing over walls. It’s long lasting durability & flexibility aids in this process.

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How to Water Proof MDF?

 

 

In a highly humid area it is not recommended to utilize MDF outdoors. There are two methods of waterproofing MDF:-

To buy MR MDF & To make DIY MR MDF.

More adhesives, veneers & paints are required for Moisture Repellant MDFs since they are prepared with moisture repellant resins.  It’s a little more costly & generally employed in damp areas like kitchens, bathrooms, boilers & laundry rooms.

It can also be created by high-quality wood sealant, varnish or stain or moisture. Utilization of water-borne polyurethane is not recommended. Moisture-resistant paints are used frequently to make it more water-resistant. It is also obtainable in a wide variety of tinctures.

Procedure of MDF Manufacter 

• Step1: Firstly, Primer is applied with a 3-8 inches paint roller & a paintbrush & allowed to dry for 6 hours.
• Step2: A sealant or water-resistant paint is applied with a 3-8 inches roller & paintbrush & left for few hours to dry.
• Step3: A final coating of sealant or paint is applied to leave it for 3 days.

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MDF Thickness

MDF Sheets

• Dry fiber is poured in a “predictor”, which disseminates fiber into a uniform mat.
• The mat is recompressed & sent to a continuous hot press or cut into large sheets by ponderous rollers.
• The hot press activates the bonding resin & sets the strength & density profile.
• The chipped fibers are then cut in specific board sizes & recycled.
• The boards are then weighed & chilled in a star cooler.

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What Is MDF Made Of?

 

Manufacture Process

MDF is generally manufactured from pine trees by blending it with waste paper & fibers. Sometimes, eucalyptus oils are also utilized to make moisture-resistant MDF.

Step1: Chip Production & Collection

• Trees are cut & debarked. These debarked logs are chipped in MDF plants with Disc Chippers (usually contains 4-16 blades).
• They are then washed & stored in bulk.

Step2: Fiber Production

• In this dry process, the chips are pressed into small plugs with the aid of a screw-plug & heated for 30-120 seconds.
• Then, these are poured into the center of defibrated.
• Then centrifugal force is applied by the discs rotating in it, which ultimately makes fibers.
• After that, the pulps are inserted into a 40mm circular pipeline along with molten paraffin wax & urea-formaldehyde injection in it at a high temperature.
• Wax ameliorates damp-resistance & resin diminishes clumping.
• Then the substance is dried & stored.

Step3: Sheet Forming/ Mat Formation

• Dry fiber is poured in a “predictor”, which disseminates fiber into a uniform mat.
• The mat is recompressed & sent to a continuous hot press or cut into large sheets by ponderous rollers.
• The hot press activates the bonding resin & sets the strength & density profile.
• The chipped fibers are then cut in specific board sizes & recycled.
• The boards are then weighed & chilled in a star cooler.

Step4: Panel Sanding & Finishing

• Different ceramic abrasives, like zirconium, alumina, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide are applied to give a smooth finish.
• For cutting into short strips (1-24inches / 2.5-61cm): Specialized apparatus is utilized.
• For tiny scale cuttings (42-49inches/ 107-125cm: Die cuttings are utilized.
• For broadsheet cuttings (100inches): Guillotine is employed.
• Then adhesives are utilized for coating.

Step5: Storage

• Then they are stored in warehouses until trucks are arrived for delivery