Medium density fibreboard
Contents |
Material background
Origin
- The wallboard industry began in 1772 with Englishman Henry Clay’s patent to produce layered paper panels for doors and rooms.
- The first American patent was recorded in 1858.
- By the end of the 19th century, the idea of using fibreboard for insulation, sheathing and decorating interiors was well established.
- Fibreboard in particular wasn’t mass produced till the 1910s.
- The first company to successfully mass produce it was Agasote Millboard Company in Trenton, New Jersey, established in 1909.
Manufacturing process
Residue that may contain any of the above-mentioned materials is sent to the mill, where the residue is refined to fibres or fibre bundles. The fibres are then dried and blended with resin and wax. Finally it is formed into a mat and made physically stronger under pressure and heat.
The manufacturing process can be summed up in the following steps:
- Sort,store and hog
- Digesting
- Refining
- Blending
- Drying
- Forming
- Hot pressing
- Conditioning
- Sanding
- Sawing
Physical properties
- Patterns can be created on its surface
- It can be painted and stained
- It is more durable than particle board
- Good sound absorption
- Even surface quality with no grain pattern
- Good hygienic properties
- Doesn’t warp at different temperatures
- Possesses many of the qualities of wood, but at a fraction of the cost
Types of finishes:
- Powder coating
- Membrane pressing
- Low pressure melamine
- Foil and veneer overlaying
Installation
A considerable amount of wood joinery techniques and fasteners can be applied on MDF:
- Wood joints-
- Tenon
- Dowel
- Butt joint
- Miter joint
- Rabbet joint
- Dovetail joint
- Dado joint
- Finger joint
- Glue
- Screws
Life cycle cost
The manufacturing cost mostly goes to the fibre and labour of the process. A small part of the cost goes to material, chemical, energy and miscellaneous costs. On average, the cost of the whole process ranges from $185 to $228.
Sustainability
In comparison with other engineered woods, the manufacturing of MDF has a relatively high consumption of primary energy. MDF in general is not reused. All MDF can be composted, except those containing phenol, which need to be deposited in special dumps.
The fact that MDF uses small wood members and wood waste in its production serves as an environmental advantage; however, the negative impact MDF has on the environment stems from its binders. The most commonly used binder is formaldehyde, a carcinogen. Formaldehyde also off-gasses high levels of VOCs. Moreover, the production of binders made from formaldehyde carries a risk of contaminating wastewater, where traces of formaldehyde and phenol monomers may be found.
A formaldehyde free polyurethane binder called polymeric diphenyl methylene diisocyanate may be used for the manufacturing of MDF, proving as a much more sustainable option.
References
Berge, Bjorn. Ecology of Building Materials. New York: Architectural Press, 2000.
Carol S. Gould et al. Twentieth Century Building Materials; history and conservation. USA The Mcgraw- Hill Companies,1995.
Calkins, Meg. Materials for Sustainable Sites: A Complete Guide to the Evaluation, Selection, and Use of Sustainable Construction Materials. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2009.
Composite Panel Association. "MDF From Start to Finish." Accessed 29 September, 2011. http://www.pbmdf.com/cpa30/files/cclibraryfiles/filename/000000000729/mdf%20start%20to%20finish.pdf
James B. Wilson. Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF): A Life-Cycle Inventory of Manufacturing Panels from Resource through Product. Corrim: Phase II. June 2008.
Made How. "How Products are made." Accessed September 29, 2011. http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Fiberboard.html
Neese, Jesse. "Cost Benchmarking Data." North American MDF. 2007.
Student contributions
- Ghazal Naserian, Ryerson University
- Leandra Burke, Ryerson University
- Pooja Ramaswamy, Ryerson University
- Sweenie Edirisinghe, Ryerson University
