Temperature changes, steam, grease splashes - this is just a small list of “problems” that kitchen furniture faces. It is obvious that not every material of painted facades (regardless of the type of dye used for painting) will withstand such harsh conditions of use. The massif quickly loses its shape and dries out. Metal surfaces require constant maintenance. MDF is considered optimal for purchase, characterized by a low price and high performance properties of the front panels of the headset.
Advantages of kitchen facades made of MDF
The main quality of furniture made from such material is its environmental friendliness. When heated, it does not release toxins or unpleasant odors that can harm human health. The specific composition of fiberboards protects the headset panels from rotting. Resistant to pathogens and fungi, they provide all the necessary conditions to maintain room hygiene.
Among the important operational properties of MDF facades are the following:
- increased strength;
- low degree of wear;
- environmental safety;
- resistance to temperature changes;
- resistance to moisture.
They can serve up to 20 years, maintaining their shape, quality and aesthetics. The price of furniture panels made of fibreboard is significantly lower than for analogues made of wood. Moreover, the latter indicator does not in any way affect the design restrictions. Taking MDF as a basis, you can implement a variety of solutions in kitchen interior design (glossy, matte effect, metallic, imitation wood, stone, etc., etc.).
Dimensions, characteristics, classification
The dimensions of chipboard sheets are standardized by GOST, as are the maximum deviations for each value. But many enterprises form their specifications, increasing the permissible deviations. Therefore, when purchasing a batch, do not be lazy to measure several sheets to choose from. So, the dimensions of the chipboard boards are as follows:
- Thickness: 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25 mm. The maximum deviation for ground ones is 0.3 mm, for unpolished ones from 0.4 mm to 0.7 mm depending on the thickness.
- Width: 1220, 1500, 1750, 1830 mm. Permissible deviations are 3 mm.
- Height: from 1800 to 3500 mm in increments of 10 mm, dimensions may differ from nominal by 5 mm.
In terms of height, there is usually not such a large assortment. Most often you can find 2440, 2750 and 3060 mm. There are also “halves” in width - 910 mm.
Grade
Depending on the quality of the composite material, chipboard is divided into the following grades:
- 1st grade. Ideally smooth surfaces and edges. No foreign inclusions, chips, delaminations, or other defects. Most often, most of the first grade is sent for further processing - grinding, laminating, etc.
- 2nd grade. There are some minor defects. These may be cracks, irregularities, deviations in thickness within a small range, or delamination of the composite. Not all of these shortcomings together, but only some.
- Substandard products, or, more simply put, defective products. Significant defects listed above. It can only be used as removable formwork, and even then not for all areas.
Whatever the sellers claim, significant defects are defective and therefore cheap sheets. And they should not be used for construction. Neither for sheathing, nor as sheathing. Unless in a barn on partitions, and even then...
Brand
There is also a classification of chipboard as a brand. There are only two of them:
- P-A. More tensile and bending strength, has less roughness, and is less prone to swelling and warping when the standard humidity is exceeded (the degree of deformation from water is 22%).
- P-B. More fragile, not so smooth, has lower water resistance (the degree of warping from high humidity is 33%).
The P-A grade of chipboard is worth buying for those jobs in which appearance is important or strength requirements are high. In other cases, it is better not to spend extra money.
Number of layers
Initially, monolithic particle boards were created. They consisted of one layer. The material was not very durable, flaked at the ends, and had an unpresentable appearance. But it was used because single-layer chipboards have good characteristics at a low price.
A few decades later, after numerous experiments, they began to make three-layer chipboards. Large chips are selected into the middle layer, and the outer two are formed from small chips. In this case, the material is monolithic, there is no separation of layers. This allows you to simultaneously increase strength (not so brittle when bending), improve appearance (small chips make it possible to sand smoothly) and not raise the price too much (due to the use of large chips). So three-layer chipboard can be called the optimal choice.
Three-layer material is more durable. But the loose inner layer imposes restrictions on application
There are also five-layer chipboards. But they are expensive, rarely appear in stores, and are almost impossible to find in markets. This is one of the types that is made to order. Used in carriage building and other “serious” industries.
Water resistance
Initially, chipboards had low water resistance and could not be used in damp rooms or outside buildings. To improve this characteristic, paraffin or paraffin emulsion was added to the mass. The material is usually called moisture-resistant chipboard, and its swelling from moisture is 15%.
Standard Features
Moisture-resistant building chipboard is used for the outer cladding of frame houses and for continuous lathing for some types of roofing materials. Laminated moisture-resistant chipboard is used to make furniture for the bathroom and kitchen; countertops are made from thick slabs.
How does MDF differ from chipboard and solid wood?
Compared to particle board, MDF provides opportunities for the manufacture of facades of original shapes (convex/concave). The chipboard surface is a smooth film with a textured pattern. Furniture made from medium-density fiberboard is the base, which, along with PVC and paper-resin film, can be finished with plastic, veneer, and coated with paint. Yes, it is more expensive than front panels made of chipboard. But at the same time it is distinguished by higher quality and safety of use.
Unlike wood, facades with a fiberboard base are resistant to UV radiation. They do not require complex care. It is enough just to wipe the surfaces from time to time with a soft cloth soaked in a mild soap solution. Yes, they don't look so solid. However, with modern finishing and decorating technologies, you will not have any problems in realizing any design idea.
List of chipboard manufacturers by region of Russia
| Business name | Type of equipment | Year of equipment commissioning | Project capacity |
| Northwestern Federal District | 770 | ||
| Vologda Region | 450 | ||
| LLC "Monzenskiy DOK" | Rauma-Repola | 1974 | 140 |
| CJSC "Cherepovets FMK" | SP-25 | 1964 | 90 |
| LLC "Sheksninsky KDP" | Rauma-Repola | 1980 | 220 |
| Novgorod region | 300 | ||
| (Novgorod) | Simpelkamp | 2005 | 300 |
| Komi Republic | 210 | ||
| JSC "Zheshartsky Federal Plant" | SP-25 | 1966 | 70 |
| LLC "Syktyvkar Federal Plant" | Rauma-Repola | 1976 | 140 |
| Leningrad region | 110 | ||
| LLC "Intrust" Nevskaya Dubrovka | Bizon | 1994 | 110 |
| Republic of Karelia | 110 | ||
| OJSC "Karelia DSP" Medvezhyegorsk | Bizon | 2001 | 110 |
| Central Federal District | 1074 | ||
| Moscow region | 650 | ||
| OJSC MK "Shatura" | SP-25 | 1965 | 100 |
| OJSC "MEZ DSP and D" | SP-25, Bizon | 1962, 1997 | 330 |
| JSC "Skhodnya-plitprom" | Bizon | 1996 | 110 |
| CJSC "EZ DSP" Sergiev Posad | Bizon | 1994 | 110 |
| Moscow | 110 | ||
| LLC "DSP" | Bizon | 1991 | 110 |
| Ivanovo region | 250 | ||
| Simpelkamp | 250 | ||
| Bryansk region | 110 | ||
| OJSC "Dyatkovo DOZ" | SP-25 | 1965 | 110 |
| Vladimir region | 80 | ||
| JSC "Murom" | SP-25 | 1964 | 80 |
| Kostroma region | 252 | ||
| JSC "Fanplit" Kostroma | SP-25 | 1963 | 100 |
| Kronostar LLC, Sharya | Dieffenbacher | 2003 | 150 |
| Tver region | 70 | ||
| JSC "MDOC" Vyshny Volochek | SP-25 | 1973 | 70 |
| Smolensk region | 250 | ||
| CJSC Igorevsky Chipboard Plant | Rauma-Repola | 1981 | 250 |
| Kaluga region | 80 | ||
| CJSC "Plitspichprom" | Bizon | 2003 | 80 |
| Southern Federal District | 330 | ||
| Krasnodar region | 110 | ||
| JSC "YUG" | SP-25 | 1962 | 110 |
| Volgograd region | 110 | ||
| CJSC RNP "Volgogradmebel" | SP-25 | 1962 | 110 |
| Rostov region | 90 | ||
| OJSC "Volgodonsk KDP" | Bizon | 1990 | 90 |
| Volga Federal District | 455 | ||
| Nizhny Novgorod Region | 50 | ||
| CJSC "Nizhny Novgorod DOZ" | SP-25 | 1964 | 50 |
| Kirov region | 75 | ||
| OJSC "Novovyatsky LK" | Becker Van Hyllen | 1962 | 75 |
| Republic of Bashkortostan | 40 | ||
| OJSC "Ufa FPK" | Becker Van Hyllen | 1961 | 40 |
| Udmurt republic | 110 | ||
| Uvadrev LLC | Bizon | 1994 | 110 |
| Perm region | 180 | ||
| Chipboard plant in Trekhgorny village | Bizon | 80 | |
| CJSC "Perm FC" | SP-25, SP-35 | 1966, 1973 | 160 |
| Ural federal district | 195 | ||
| Sverdlovsk region | 83 | ||
| OJSC "Tavdinsky FC" | SP-25 | 1969 | 90 |
| CJSC "Fankom" p. V. Sinyachikha | Simpelkamp | 260 | |
| Tyumen region | 110 | ||
| JSC DOK "Red October" Tyumen | SP-25 | 1963 | 110 |
| Republic of Bashkortostan | 40 | ||
| Siberian Federal District | 360 | ||
| Krasnoyarsk region | 90 | ||
| CJSC "Krasnoyarsk DOK" | SP-25 | 1965 | 90 |
| Irkutsk region | 160 | ||
| OJSC "Ust-Ilimsky DZ" | Raute 2 lines | 1980 | 160 |
| Tomsk region | 110 | ||
| OJSC "Tomsk Chipboard Plant" | Rauma-Repola | 1980 | 110 |
| Far Eastern Federal District | 80 | ||
| Khabarovsk region | 80 | ||
| OJSC "Amur MDK" | Raute | 1989 | 80 |
What should be the facades for a kitchen made of MDF - selection criteria
Fiberboards are manufactured in accordance with GOST 20400-80. In accordance with it, front panels with a headset made of such material are allowed:
- texture direction distortion up to 5mm;
- the presence of subtle risks under the film up to 8mm;
- “shagreen” with a protrusion on the front panel of the headset of no more than 0.05 mm;
- the presence of disguised chips, technological holes on the back side of the facade with a diameter of up to 6 mm (no more than 3 per 0.3 m2);
- microspots and small stripes on the surface of the film with a metallic effect.
The presented deviations are not an indicator of the low quality of the goods sold. The list of unacceptable defects includes film wrinkles, scratches, milling defects (chips, ribbing, waves on the edge). You should abandon the idea of buying a set made of MDF immediately if you find glue residues on its surface or peeling of the coating.
When choosing facades for the kitchen, you should take into account the emission class. Front panels marked E1 are optimal for living spaces. When heated, they do not emit a toxic substance - formaldehyde. Do you want your furniture to last a long time? Pay attention to its edges (they should be trimmed with aluminum or melamine plastic). Height-adjustable legs will not only allow you to install the set horizontally, but also prevent contact of its lower part with moisture when water leaks or when washing the floor.
A few final words
Making furniture requires not only sufficient experience, good tools and design, but also high-quality safe material. You can purchase high-quality laminated chipboard that meets all the requirements of European standards only from trusted manufacturers and suppliers. Foreign manufacturers offer high-quality material, but you should not overpay just for a well-known brand, because domestic companies produce laminated boards that are not inferior in characteristics to imported analogues, but are cheaper.
Save time: selected articles delivered to your inbox every week
Options for finishing kitchen facades made of MDF
The basis of the front panels of kitchen sets is fibreboard. As for their coating, it can be different: enamel, plastic, veneer, PVC film. Acting both as protection and as decoration of panels, all these materials have their advantages and disadvantages. We suggest studying each of them in more detail.
Facades finished with PVC film
Characterized by financial accessibility. The film of such sets can be painted in any tone of the RAL palette, different patterns and textures can be applied to it (see photo). Do you want her to not lose her beauty? Place the kitchen unit away from direct sunlight. To avoid the risk of damaging the coating, its surface should be wiped with a soft sponge using non-abrasive types of detergent.
Facades with decorative enamel coating
They are distinguished by a wealth of color and design solutions. Among their advantageous characteristics are heat resistance, resistance to moisture and odor absorption, and ease of maintenance. This type of furniture facades belongs to the most expensive category. Also among its disadvantages is vulnerability to mechanical damage (scratches, cracks, chips).
Plastic facades
Shows long service life. By choosing this type of front panels, you will appreciate their chemical resistance, hygiene, and ability to retain beneficial qualities even at a humidity of 80%. At the same time, be prepared for the fact that the inside of the facades will be white. The surface of the furniture will have to be wiped after each cooking (especially if it is glossy).
Veneer-clad facades
Provide maximum resemblance to natural wood. Their advantages include environmental friendliness, unchanged geometry, maintainability (small scratches and other damage are sanded, and the surface is restored using varnish). The disadvantage of this finishing material is the limited design. Not allowing for a paint option, it becomes duller over time. Under the influence of UV radiation, the colors of the decorative coating may change.
Design options for painted MDF facades
Different finishing methods make the design range of kitchens with a fibreboard base even wider. Just look at the decorative patina treatment of the front panels of the headset! The facade covering is artificially aged, and then framed with a golden or silver border along the relief elements. Through this effect, new furniture acquires the features of a noble antique. It perfectly complements the classics, as well as rooms decorated in Baroque or Provence style.
Painted facades are decorated with various decorative elements. These can be miniature frescoes, fancy ornaments, paintings. A current solution in kitchen design is photo printing. The use of such technologies allows you to make the front panels of the headset bright and original. And they, in turn, will fit perfectly into modern, high-tech and other trendy styles of room design.
Kitchen facades with 3D milling look unusual. Possessing a relief surface, they are covered with different patterns - from intertwined lines to flames and tree bark. With the help of such front panels, the headset can easily zone the room and visually eliminate its shortcomings. Moreover, they are easily combined with most materials and are suitable for integration into any stylistic solution of the kitchen and home.
The production technology consists of 4 stages:
- The first stage is the preparation of raw materials. To produce MDF, round logs are used, the bark is removed from them using special equipment, chopped into small chips, sorted, washed, removing dirt, sand and pebbles, and heated with steam.
- In the second stage, the fibers are prepared. In the refiner, the material is crushed, the resulting mass is dried and receives a mass of equal moisture content, after which the air is drawn out of it.
- The third stage is pre-compression. The fibers are processed on a special forming machine, where the plate is formed. It is leveled, pre-weighed and pre-pressed, thereby losing air.
- The final stage. Last pressing. The slab goes through the main press, from which the finished MDF strip comes out. It is further cut and cooled for half an hour.
How to care for furniture facades made of MDF?
The service life of kitchen units depends on the strict adherence to the manufacturer’s recommendations:
- Use soft, lint-free cloths when cleaning the panels. They will not leave soap stains on the gloss, scratches after wiping, or removing dirt from the headset's coating.
- Avoid cleaning furniture surfaces with aggressive detergents. They can change the color of the coating and lead to deformation of the finishing material.
- Do not use polish when caring for facades. It attracts dust, making it difficult to clean furniture from dirt.
- Wipe the headset panels dry immediately after cleaning. If the coating is not sealed, moisture will penetrate inside and lead to swelling and changes in the geometry of the product.
For reference: the best way to deal with stubborn stains is to prevent their occurrence. In order not to spend a lot of time dealing with old stains, it is enough to wipe MDF facades after each use.
Combination of materials
Often in production they practice the combined use of chipboard and MDF to reduce the cost of the finished kitchen. MDF is more suitable for making kitchen cabinet doors and countertops, and laminated chipboard is usually used to create a frame.
Such a combination is advisable to adjust kitchen furniture to the middle price segment, more accessible to most consumers. A kitchen made entirely of MDF is expensive and not affordable for everyone.
Kitchen furniture: features
Quite often, well-known manufacturers prefer to use MDF and laminated chipboard when creating kitchen furniture. At the same time, serious requirements are placed on products installed in premises of this type - they must withstand temperature changes, high humidity and other negative influences. The materials we are considering are believed to have similar properties.
It is worth noting that most consumers consider the quality of furniture last. For many, appearance always comes first. Nevertheless, quality is a very important criterion, because the durability of the kitchen, aesthetics, and the general perception of the room depend on it.
Kitchen furniture must be reliable
In addition, kitchen furniture must remain in its original form, even despite frequent washing with chemicals and the negative effects of temperature and humidity. If the set does not meet these criteria, then in the first year the owners will be disappointed in the purchase, and the question will arise about renovating or buying a new kitchen. Of course, no one would want this, and therefore we recommend that you read this text carefully so as not to make a mistake with your choice.
