Medium-density fibreboard

Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is an engineered

wood product made by breaking down hardwood or
softwood residuals into wood fibres, often in a defibrator,
combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming it
into panels by applying high temperature and pressure.[1]
MDF is generally denser than plywood. It is made up of
separated fibres, but can be used as a building material
similar in application to plywood. It is stronger and much
denser than particle board.[2]
A sample of MDF
The name derives from the distinction in densities of
fibreboard. Large-scale production of MDF began in the
1980s, in both North America and Europe.[3]

Contents
Physical properties
Types
Manufacturing
Chip production
Fibre production
Sheet forming
Comparison with natural woods
Benefits
Drawbacks
Applications
Safety concerns
Veneered MDF
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Physical properties
Over time, the term MDF has become a generic name for any dry process fibre board. MDF is
typically made up of 82% wood fibre, 9% urea-formaldehyde resin glue, 8% water and 1%
paraffin wax.[4] and the density is typically between 500 kg/m3 (31 lb/ft3) and 1,000 kg/m3
(62 lb/ft3).[5] The range of density and classification as light, standard, or high density board
is a misnomer and confusing. The density of the board, when evaluated in relation to the
density of the fibre that goes into making the panel, is important. A thick MDF panel at a
density of 700–720 kg/m3 may be considered as high density in the case of softwood fibre
panels, whereas a panel of the same density made of hard wood fibres is not regarded as so.
The evolution of the various types of MDF has been driven by differing need for specific
applications.

Types
There are different kinds of MDF (sometimes labeled by colour):

◾ Ultralight MDF plate (ULDF)[6]

◾ Moisture resistant is typically green
◾ Fire retardant MDF is typically red or blue

Although similar manufacturing processes are used in making all types of fibreboard, MDF has
a typical density of 600–800 kg/m³ or 0.022–0.029 lb/in3, in contrast to particle board (160–
450 kg/m³) and to high-density fibreboard (600–1,450 kg/m³).

Manufacturing
In Australia and New Zealand, the main species of tree
used for MDF is plantation-grown radiata pine; but a
variety of other products have also been used, including
other woods, waste paper and fibres. Where moisture
resistance is desired, a proportion of eucalypt species may
be used, making use of the endemic oil content of such Medium-density fibreboard output in
trees.[7] 2005

Chip production

The trees are debarked after being cut. The bark can be sold for use in landscaping, or burned
in on-site furnaces. The debarked logs are sent to the MDF plant, where they go through the
chipping process. A typical disk chipper contains 4–16 blades. Any resulting chips that are too
large may be re-chipped; undersized chips may be used as fuel. The chips are then washed and
checked for defects. Chips may be stored in bulk, as a reserve for manufacturing.[7]

Fibre production
Compared to other fibre boards, such as Masonite, MDF is characterised by the next part of the
process, and how the fibres are processed as individual, but intact, fibres and vessels,
manufactured through a dry process.[7] The chips are then compacted into small plugs using a
screw feeder, heated for 30–120 seconds to soften the lignin in the wood, then fed into a
defibrator.[7] A typical defibrator comprises two counter-rotating discs with grooves in their
faces. Chips are fed into the centre and are fed outwards between the discs by centrifugal force.
The decreasing size of the grooves gradually separates the fibres, aided by the softened lignin
between them.[7]

From the defibrator, the pulp enters a 'blowline', a distinctive part of the MDF process. This is
an expanding circular pipeline, initially 40 mm in diameter, increasing to 1500 mm. Wax is
injected in the first stage, which coats the fibres and is distributed evenly by the turbulent
movement of the fibres. A urea-formaldehyde resin is then injected as the main bonding agent.
The wax improves moisture resistance and the resin initially helps reduce clumping. The
material dries quickly in the final heated expansion chamber of the blowline and expands into
a fine, fluffy and lightweight fibre. This fibre may be used immediately, or stored.[7]

Sheet forming

Dry fibre gets sucked into the top of a 'pendistor', which evenly distributes fibre into a uniform
mat below it, usually of 230–610 mm thickness. The mat is pre-compressed and either sent
straight to a continuous hot press or cut into large sheets for a multi-opening hot press. The hot
press activates the bonding resin and sets the strength and density profile. The pressing cycle
operates in stages, with the mat thickness being first compressed to around 1.5× the finished
board thickness, then compressed further in stages and held for a short period. This gives a
board profile with zones of increased density, thus mechanical strength, near the two faces of
the board and a less dense core.[7]

After pressing, MDF is cooled in a star dryer or cooling carousel, trimmed and sanded. In
certain applications, boards are also laminated for extra strength.

The environmental impact of MDF has greatly improved over the years. Today, many MDF
boards are made from a variety of materials. These include other woods, scrap, recycled paper,
bamboo, carbon fibres and polymers, forest thinnings and sawmill off-cuts.

As manufacturers are being pressured to come up with greener products, they have started
testing and using non-toxic binders. New raw materials are being introduced. Straw and
bamboo are becoming popular fibres because they are a fast-growing renewable resource.

Comparison with natural woods

MDF does not contain knots or rings, making it more uniform than natural woods during
cutting and in service.[8] However, MDF is not entirely isotropic, since the fibres are pressed
tightly together through the sheet. Typical MDF has a hard, flat, smooth surface that makes it
ideal for veneering, as there is no underlying grain to telegraph through the thin veneer as with
plywood. A so-called "Premium" MDF is available that features more uniform density
throughout the thickness of the panel.

MDF may be glued, doweled or laminated. Typical fasteners are T-nuts and pan-head machine
screws.[9] Smooth-shank nails do not hold well, and neither do fine-pitch screws, especially in
the edge. Special screws are available with a coarse thread pitch, but sheet-metal screws also
work well. MDF isn't susceptible to splitting when screws are installed in the face of the
material but, due to the alignment of the wood fibres, may split when screws are installed in
the edge of the board without pilot holes.

Benefits
◾ Is an excellent substrate for veneers
◾ Some varieties are less expensive than many natural woods
◾ Consistent in strength and size
◾ Shapes well
◾ Stable dimensions (less expansion and contraction than natural wood)
◾ Takes paint well
◾ Takes woodglue well
◾ High screw pull-out strength in the face grain of the material

Drawbacks
◾ Denser than plywood or chipboard (the resins are heavy)
◾ Low grade MDF may swell and break when saturated with water
◾ May warp or expand in humid environments if not sealed
◾ May release formaldehyde, which is a known human carcinogen[10] and may cause allergy,
eye and lung irritation when cutting and sanding[11]
◾ Dulls blades more quickly than many woods. Use of tungsten carbide edged cutting tools is
almost mandatory, as high speed steel dulls too quickly
◾ Though it does not have a grain in the plane of the board, it does have one into the board.
Screwing into the edge of a board will generally cause it to split in a fashion similar to
delaminating

Applications
MDF is often used in school projects because of its flexibility. Slatwall panels made from MDF
are used in the shop fitting industry. MDF is primarily used for indoor applications due to its
poor moisture resistance. It is available in raw form, or with a finely sanded surface, or with a
decorative overlay.
MDF is also usable for furniture such as cabinets, because of
its strong surface.[12]

Safety concerns
When MDF is cut, a large quantity of dust particles are
released into the air. It is important a respirator be worn and
that the material is cut in a controlled and ventilated
environment. It's good practice to seal exposed edges to limit Loudspeaker enclosure being
emissions from binders contained in this material. constructed out of MDF

Formaldehyde resins are commonly used to bind together the

fibres in MDF, and testing has consistently revealed that MDF products emit free
formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds that pose health risks at concentrations
considered unsafe, for at least several months after manufacture.[13][14][15] Urea-formaldehyde
is always being slowly released from the edges and surface of MDF. When painting, it is a good
idea to coat all sides of the finished piece in order to seal in the free formaldehyde. Wax and oil
finishes may be used as finishes but they are less effective at sealing in the free
formaldehyde.[8]

Whether these constant emissions of formaldehyde reach harmful levels in real-world

environments is not yet fully determined. The primary concern is for the industries using
formaldehyde. As far back as 1987, the U.S. EPA classified it as a "probable human carcinogen"
and, after more studies, the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), in
1995, also classified it as a "probable human carcinogen". Further information and evaluation
of all known data led the IARC to reclassify formaldehyde as a "known human carcinogen"[10]
associated with nasal sinus cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer, and possibly with leukaemia in
June 2004.[16]

According to International Composite Board Emission Standards (ICBES), there are 3

European formaldehyde classes, namely: E0, E1 and E2. This classification is based on the
measurement of formaldehyde emission levels. For instance, E0 is classified as having less
than 3 milligrams of formaldehyde out of every 100 grams of the glue used in particleboard and
plywood fabrication. E1 and E2, conversely, are classified as having 9 and 30 grams of
formaldehyde per 100 grams of glue respectively. All around the world variable certification
and labeling schemes are there for such products that can be explicit to formaldehyde release,
like that of Californian Air Resources Board (CARB).[17]

Veneered MDF
Veneered MDF provides many of the advantages of MDF with a decorative wood veneer
surface layer. In modern construction, spurred by the high costs of hardwoods, manufacturers
have been adopting this approach to achieve a high quality finishing wrap covering over a
standard MDF board. One common type uses oak veneer.[18] Making veneered MDF is a
complex procedure, which involves taking an extremely thin slice of hardwood (approx 1-2mm
thick) and then through high pressure and stretching methods wrapping them around the
profiled MDF boards. This is only possible with very simple profiles because otherwise when
the thin wood layer has dried out, it will break at the point of bends and angles.

See also
◾ Oriented strand board (OSB)
◾ Solid wood

References
1. Spence, William P. (2005). The Home Carpenters & Woodworker's Repair Manual. New
York City: Sterling. ISBN 1-4027-1055-0 p. 114
2. "Medium Density Fiberboard, Moulding, Embossing, Kitchen Cabinets – Composite Panel
Association" (http://www.decorativesurfaces.org/products/medium-density-fiberboard.html/d
etails/). Decorativesurfaces.org. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
3. United Nations (2005). European forest sector outlook study: 1960/2000/2020, main report.
New York [u.a.]: United Nations. p. 32. ISBN 9211169216.
4. R. Kozlowski and M. Helwig (December 1996). Critical Look on Cellulose Modification (htt
p://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y1873e/y1873e0b.htm). Proceedings of the International
Symposium on Cellulose Modification. Honolulu, USA.
5. ANSI A208.2 MDF for Interior Applications (http://www.flakeboard.com/specs/ANSI%20A20
8.2-2002%20MDF.pdf) (PDF). Gaithersburg, MD: Composite Panel Association. 2002. p. 3.
6. "MDF, LDF, HDF - www.sppd.pl" (http://sppd.pl/en/mdf,-ldf,-hdf.html). Sppd.pl. Retrieved
17 January 2018.
7. "The Manufacturing Process" (https://fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au/fpt/mdf/manufac
ture.html). Medium Density Fibreboard. Dept. Forestry, Australian National University.
8. "Medium Density Fibreboard" (http://www.design-technology.org/mdf.htm). Design-
technology.org. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
9. "MDF Board FAQ - Tutorial" (http://www.diyaudioandvideo.com/FAQ/MDF/).
Diyaudioandvideo.com. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
10. "IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans Volume 88 (2006)
Formaldehyde, 2-Butoxyethanol and 1-tert-Butoxypropan-2-ol" (http://monographs.iarc.fr/E
NG/Monographs/vol88/). WHO Press. 2006.
11. "An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality" (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formaldehyde.html), United
States Environmental Protection Agency
12. "Medium Density Fibreboard" (http://www.design-technology.org/mdf.htm). Design-
technology.org. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
13. George E. Myers. "Effects of post-manufacture board treatments on formaldehyde
emission : a literature review (1960-1984)" (http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1986/myer
s86a.pdf) (PDF). Fpl.fs.fed.us. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
14. Hodgson, A. T.; Beal, D.; McIlvaine, J. E. R. (1 December 2002). "Sources of
formaldehyde, other aldehydes and terpenes in a new manufactured house" (https://seman
ticscholar.org/paper/cacb8587f6d4c785f44a055e99e2ec31f6d30594). Indoor Air. 12 (4):
235–242. doi:10.1034/j.1600-0668.2002.01129.x (https://doi.org/10.1034%2Fj.1600-0668.2
002.01129.x). PMID 12532755 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12532755).
15. "ALDEHYDE EMISSIONS FROM PARTICLEBOARD AND MEDIUM DENSITY
FIBERBOARD PRODUCTS" (http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf2000/bauma00a.pdf)
(PDF). Fpl.fs.fed.us. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
16. "Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk" (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/form
aldehyde). National Cancer Institute. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
17. "Which Particleboard and Plywood Standard Should you Use?" (http://www.amrosia.com/d
o-you-need-to-buy-e0-e1-e2-carb-or-mdf-particleboard-and-plywood/). Amrosia.com.
Retrieved 17 January 2018.
18. "Veneered MDF" (http://skirtingboard.co.uk/pages/history-of-mdf/#Oak).
Skirtingboard.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-04-02.

Further reading
◾ English, Brent, John A. Youngquist, and Andrzej M. Krzysik, Lignocellulosic Composites (htt
p://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1994/engli94a.pdf) in Gilbert, Richard D., ed. Cellulosic
polymers, blends and composites. New York: Hanser Publishers: 115–130; 1994. Chapter
6

External links
◾ ASTM D5651 - 95a(2008) Standard Test Method for Surface Bond Strength of Wood-Base
Fiber and Particle Panel Materials (http://www.astm.org/Standards/D5651.htm)

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