MDF Overview | What Is MDF ?

	MDF is one of four main categories of wood based panels - laminated boards, particle boards, fibre boards and oriental strand boards. These different types of boards are distinguished by the level of conversion of the wood raw material into veneers, particles or fibres. MDF is a type of fibreboard made from wood or other lignocellulosic materials, refined into fibres and reconstituted with a resin binder (glue) carried out at elevated temperatures. The raw wood material can be in almost any form or specie and in almost any mixture such as low grade wood specie, branches, small diameter trees, hardwood, softwood, mill waste and forestry waste chips. As such, the recovery rate of the raw material is almost 100%.
In MDF individual raw wood elements cannot be identified in the finished board. This is due to the fibre-izing process. MDF has a homogeneous structure with uniform texture and properties throughout.There are no identifiable grains or knots seen at the edge, end or face nor any internal voids or pits or variation in surface hardness.
MDF is easier to machine than natural wood and can be laminated and painted to produce almost any board finish. It can be sawed and shaped very evenly and smoothly - a process which cannot be achieved to the same degree with particle boards. MDF can be nailed, stapled, routed, sanded and screwed just like any natural wood product. It has the mechanical and physical characteristics approaching the levels associated with solid wood, and in many applications can be used as a ideal substitute for solid wood. Rubberwood MDF is particularly light in colour which makes it especially easy to paint and permits the application of very thin laminates without the underlying board colour darkening the laminate.		"MDF is resistant to warp, moisture and compression. It is dimensionally stable with close tolerances and screw holding abilities. It does not have grain-telegraph"
Thin MDF boards are an ideal alternative to plywood. Typical applications in furniture include drawer bottoms, backs of cabinets and centre panels in framed doors. In building interiors, thin MDF can be used for wall and ceiling paneling, as skins for flush doors, partioning, office screens, lightweight doors and exhibition paneling. Given developments in High Moisture Resistant panel boards, MDF is finding growing markets for exterior applications as well. Thin MDF has found its way into novel applications such as shoe making, motor vehicle interior parts, toys, printed circuit board production and blades for electric fans. Due to its excellent acoustic properties, MDF is also being successfully used in Hi-Fi equipment.
With proper selection of equipment and cutting tools, MDF can be machined into intricate patterns as easily as natural wood with the advantage of minimal or no grain telegraph.	Thick MDF boards can be used in building as architectural features such as columns and archways where the warp resistance, torsional stability, screw holding strength and edge finishing characteristics of MDF make it a good substitute for solid wood. Thick MDF is used as a core substrate material for paneling with veneers, printed surfaces, vinyl and low pressure laminates due to its dimensional stability and smoothness. Thick MDF can also be used for a wide range of furniture such as tables cabinets, windows, doors, frames, handicraft items, display or exhibition stands and signs, ceiling, toys, carving, partitions, maritime applications and educational equipment. Thick MDF is also widely used as a base material for laminated and veneered wood products for flooring and wall paneling, and for foil wrapped mouldings.
MDF is easily shaped into almost any form and is commonly available in lengths up to 18 feet and therefore an excellent material for finished interior mouldings. MDF has a good bonding strength and resistance to compression, and so can be finished by a variety of secondary processes such as flooring, partitions and table tops. The complete versatility of MDF is yet to be utilised. How you use MDF is only limited by your imagination...