Manufactured Boards Flashcards
How is plywood made?
- A tree trunk is sliced into thin layers called veneers
- These layers are glued together woth the grain lines going in alternate directions
What are the properties of plywood?
- Flat and structurally strong
- Resistant to warping, cracking and twisting
What are the aesthetics of plywood?
Surface looks like wood
What are the common uses of plywood?
-Construction and furniture that needs some strength
What are the disadvantages of plywood?
- Expensive
- Edges can look rather rough
Susceptible to water damage if wrong grade is used
How is Medium density fibreboard (MDF) made?
- Wood dust and fibres are mixed with glue
- Pressed into flat sheets under extreme heat and pressure
What are the properties of MDF?
- Cheap (made from wood waste)
- Smooth ungrained surface is good for painting or staining
- Easy to machine
What are the aesthetics of MDF?
- Smooth surface
- Does not look good
What are the common uses of MDF?
- Cheap flat-pack furniture
- Wall panels
- Display cabinets
- Storage units
What are the disadvantages of MDF?
- Does not look good, so needs coating
- Weak compared to real wood or plywood
- Tools blunt quickly due to the glue
How is Chipboard made?
- Wood chips are mixed with glue
- Pressed into flat sheets
What are the properties of Chipboard?
-Use waste materials so is cheap to produce
What are the aesthetics of Chipboard?
-Surface is very rough, so usually plastic coated
What are the common uses of Chipboard?
- Desktops
- Kitchen worktops
- Cheap flatpack furniture
What are the disadvantages of Chipboard?
- Not much structural strength, especially in damp conditions
- Surface is very rough, so usually plastic coated
