What is better for a MDF or chipboard kitchen - we make the right choice

As a rule, the operating conditions of kitchen furniture are more rough than any other: increased humidity, temperature changes, frequent opening and closing, shocks, exposure to active reagents (boiling water, oil, household chemicals).

Therefore, the materials from which the furniture is made must withstand all these influences and at the same time retain their original appearance for many years.

Naturally, before arranging the kitchen space, each owner thinks "which is better for the kitchen chipboard or MDF?" To make a rational choice, you need to know how this or that material is made and what advantages and disadvantages it has. This is what we will talk about in our article.

Chipboard

Chipboard is made from sawdust and shavings impregnated with formaldehyde resins, which act as a binder. The use of chipboard is quite extensive: the construction of roofs and partitions, interior design, the creation of cabinet furniture.

For the production of kitchen furniture, a special type of this material is used, which is characterized by increased moisture resistance (denoted by the letter "B").

In the manufacture of water-resistant chipboard boards, immediately before pressing, a paraffin emulsion or molten paraffin is added to the chip mass. This is what subsequently endows the material with moisture resistance.

But this material has one significant drawback - the release of formaldehydes harmful to the human body.

According to environmental standards, chipboard is divided into two classes:

1. E1 is more environmentally friendly. The formaldehyde emission index for chipboards of this class is lower. In addition, furniture manufacturers are fighting in various ways to keep this mark to a minimum.

Note! The most stringent requirements for the release of formaldehyde from particle boards are in Japan. It is reasonable to conclude that furniture made from this material from Japanese manufacturers is much safer.

1. E2 - less environmentally friendly. The formaldehyde emission index for chipboards of this class is higher than that of the previous one. This is probably why this material should not be used for children's rooms.

To choose between MDF or particleboard kitchen you need to know the pros and cons of each material.

So, the advantages of chipboard boards:

• Moisture resistance;
• Strength;
• Ease of machining (well suited for sawing, planing, drilling);
• They perfectly hold screws and nails that hold the structure together;
• Also easy to stick and paint;
• In some physical and mechanical properties, they even surpass natural wood (they are more fire resistant, have good sound and heat insulating properties);
• The price of chipboard products is quite low.

Minuses:

• The presence of formaldehyde resins harmful to health;
• This material is characterized by high hardness, which does not allow fine processing (for example, deep milling or shaped elements);
• Despite its hardness, this material is loose, and even after grinding, its surface is not perfect. For this reason, plastic, veneer, acrylic is used for decorative finishing of kitchen furniture made of chipboard, artificial stone (that is, those materials that are thick and capable of hiding irregularities). Therefore, such furniture can only be smooth.

Laminated chipboard

What is better for a kitchen chipboard or MDF? Let's understand further. Laminated chipboard (chipboard), as you already understood from the name, is ordinary chipboard, lined with special paper-resin films.

The film is made of paper of a certain texture (usually imitating a tree species): the paper is impregnated with melamine resin, which makes it tough and brittle; then the film is securely connected to the chipboard surface in one of the following ways:

1. Lamination - an adhesive composition is previously applied to the base plate, then a film is applied and glued. Over time, the film begins to flake off at the edges and corners.
2. Lamination - the decorative coating (film) is bonded to the base plate under the influence of pressure and temperature. This method of manufacturing laminated chipboard is considered the most reliable, durable, but also the most expensive.

In order to figure out which is better than MDF or chipboard for the kitchen, let's highlight the pros and cons of laminated chipboard.

Pros:

• Moisture and heat resistance;
• Good resistance to mechanical damage;
• A wide selection of colors and textures;
• Imitation of beautiful and noble tree species.

Minuses:

• As mentioned above, the presence of harmful resins in the base plates;
• The hardness of the material, which does not allow for fine processing.

Note! As a rule, instructions are attached to each product, whether it is made of chipboard, chipboard or MDF. It describes in detail how to assemble furniture with your own hands, how to operate it, and how to care for it.

Chipboard worktop for the kitchen - see here.

MDF

Fiberboard (MDF or MDF) is made from fine wood chips. Chipboard and MDF shavings can be compared to products: where the former are passed through a meat grinder, and the latter are crushed with a mixer. The shavings are held together by paraffin and lignin.

Thus, the content of harmful formaldehyde resins in MDF boards is negligible and comparable to the release of the same resins by natural wood. So, answering the question "is the kitchen made of MDF or chipboard?", We can conclude that MDF boards are more environmentally friendly.

In addition, due to the small and homogeneous structure, MDF boards are twice as strong as chipboard boards, and are also more resistant to moisture and fire.

This material has found wide application both in construction (walls, ceilings, floors are made of it) and in furniture production.

Pros:

• High environmental friendliness;
• Excellent resistance to moisture, temperature changes, mechanical stress;
• Long service life;
• MDF boards lend themselves perfectly to the finest processing, and therefore are the favorite material of modern designers. Carved kitchen facades, volumetric panels, pilasters, cornices - all this is MDF;
• Favorable ratio between hardness and thickness (MDF boards can be from 4 to 22 mm);
• The surface of this material is even, smooth, homogeneous and dense, which makes the subsequent external processing of the plates very easy;
• MDF, perhaps, has all the advantages of wood, but is cheaper and lasts longer.

Minuses:

• There is only one big drawback here - unsettled production of the material in Russia. This means that the price of kitchen furniture made of MDF will be much higher.

Attention! Very soon there will be no such drawback: the United Panel Group company will open the production of MDF boards in our country in six months.

Read also the article on the kitchen apron made of MDF.

Conclusion

So, answering the question "kitchen made of chipboard or MDF - which is better?", We considered the advantages and disadvantages of each of the materials. Now we can well draw the following conclusion: kitchen furniture made of MDF boards is much more environmentally friendly, more reliable and, moreover, more diverse than furniture made of chipboard boards. But, alas and ah, it will cost more (at least for the next six months).

Therefore, if you are for quality and durability, then do not skimp and purchase furniture for the kitchen from MDF - everything will pay off twice. Well, if you are a little strapped for funds, then choose the second option.

But here it is important to find out from the seller all the nuances (especially to which class the material from which the product you like was made belongs to).

If you are still in doubt - the kitchen is chipboard or MDF - look at the thematic photos and video materials selected by us. We hope that after this you will make the final and optimal decision for you.

Read also the article on MDF kitchen fronts.