Particle board, also known as chipboard, is a composite panel made by bonding wood particles with a resin under heat and pressure:
Particle board is made from wood particles or flakes, such as sawdust, mill residues, or recycled wood. Other non-wood materials, like bagasse, can also be used.
The wood particles are fed into a disc chipper to create uniform chips, then dried and screened. Resin is sprayed onto the particles, and the mixture is formed into a sheet.
Most particle board panels are coated with a melamine-urea formaldehyde resin to make them water resistant.
Particle board is often used for furniture, underlayment, and as a substrate for countertops. It's a popular choice for budget-conscious projects because it's generally less expensive than solid wood.
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF)
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is a commonly used construction material that is made from wood fibers and resin:
MDF is made from wood fibers and chips that are dried and bonded together with a resin binder and wax under high heat and pressure.
MDF is used in a variety of construction applications, including structural walls and flooring, cabinetry, furniture, and moldings. It's also a good choice for painted woodwork because of its smooth, dense surface.
MDF is stable, durable, and reasonably priced. It's also resistant to warping, cracking, and splitting.
MDF can be cut and shaped using ordinary woodworking tools. However, working with MDF can produce a lot of fine dust, so it's recommended to cut and rout MDF outdoors or to take precautions like wearing a dust mask and eye protection.
Plywood is an engineered wood from the manufactured boards family which includes particle board and oriented strand board (OSB). It is made from thin sheets of veneer peeled from debarked wood. These thin layers, also called plies, are glued together in alternating right angles to create a cross-grain pattern.
This type of plywood has great strength and stiffness. With great impact resistance, hardwood plywood is used for wall structures. Although it will require finishing for a smooth attractive look, hardwood plywood can be used in making furniture. Hardwood plywood can be made from oak, mahogany, birch or maple.
Softwood plywood is a product derived from softwood trees such as fir, cedar and spruce. Softwood plywood is mostly used in furniture making whereas hardwood is applied in construction. Moreover, softwood plywood is less expensive than hardwood plywood but less durable than the latter.