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Manufactured Boards are an integral component in modern construction and design. These engineered wood products have revolutionised how we approach woodworking, offering versatility, sustainability, and a spectrum of possibilities for creative minds.
Manufactured boards, also known as composite or engineered boards, are crafted from a combination of wood fibres, chips, pulps, layers, particles, or veneers bonded together with adhesives. This process results in panels with enhanced structural integrity and uniformity, making them ideal for a myriad of applications in furniture, architecture, and various design projects. These are cheaper than softwood and hardwood and offer many advantages such as custom width, length, and thickness.
Various types of manufactured boards are available and all usually come in thicknesses of 4mm, 6mm, 9mm, 12 mm, 15mm, 18mm, and 24mm. Builders merchants and DIY stores will usually supply a range of standard sheet sizes of different manufactured boards.
MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)
MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)
MDF is made from powdered wood which is bonded with glue and compressed to form sheets.
Versatile Interior Applications: MDF, find widespread use in interior projects, especially for crafting cupboards and shelving. The material's adaptability makes it a popular choice for various furniture applications.
Ease of Handling: MDF stands out for its soft texture, rendering it exceptionally easy to work with. Workers appreciate its pliability, making it a preferred material for projects where shaping and customization are key.
User-Friendly for Cutting and Sanding: The ease of cutting and sanding is a standout feature of MDF. Its consistency allows for precise cuts, and sanding is a smooth process, contributing to the seamless finish of the final product. Additionally, MDF readily accepts paint, ensuring a high-quality finish.
Structural Considerations for Thin Strips: While MDF is versatile, it's essential to note that when cut into thin strips for shelving, it lacks inherent strength. Long lengths may require additional support to maintain structural integrity, a crucial consideration for projects involving extended spans.
Dust Management: Sanding MDF produces a considerable amount of dust, necessitating the use of a dust mask for safety. Awareness ensures a healthier working environment, particularly for those sensitive to airborne particles.
Moisture Sensitivity: One of MDF's limitations is its susceptibility to moisture. In humid or wet conditions, MDF tends to absorb moisture, leading to swelling. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid using MDF in outdoor projects or areas prone to dampness.
Enhancing Aesthetics with Wood Veneer: Despite its affordability, MDF can be transformed aesthetically by covering it with wood veneer, such as cherry or oak. While this adds to the cost, the result is a more visually appealing product, showcasing the fusion of cost-effectiveness and aesthetic appeal.
Maplex
Maplex
Maplex is a relatively new material made from compressed wood fibres that is made to replace MDF since it does not contain potentially toxic resins.
It is made from 100% pressed wood fibres with no binding agents and has similar working properties to MDF.
It is also completely recyclable.
Chipboard
Chipboard
Chipboard is similar to MDF but instead, it is made out of actual wood chips and is frequently used by kitchen manufacturers, who often laminate its surface. It's a popular choice for cost-effective flooring solutions, available in various pack sizes with tongue-and-groove features for easy assembly before securing in place with screws or nails.
If used as shelving, it is fairly weak so it needs to be well supported. So it is rarely used for shelving now as there are better alternatives.
It doesn't paint very well and the edges are quite rough.
Conti Board
Conti Board
Conti Boards are chipboards that are laminated with melamine formaldehyde
It is commonly available in white but other colours and finishes are available.
Used widely in kitchen carcasses
You can usually buy it in standard lengths of various widths
Can be used for shelving but will need a lot of support.
It is generally inexpensive
Plywood
Plywood
Plywood is made from thin laminates of wood glued together, sticking thin layers of wood together, and each layer goes in a different direction at right angle to the grain of the other. It's really strong and can also be quite flexible especially if it's in thinner sheets.
People use it a lot in building stuff because it's super strong. Examples include things like boxing in, subfloors, and general construction.
It's tougher to handle and the edges tend to splinter when sawn.
It doesn't pain very well because of the wood texture
It can be quite expensive, especially if you buy the most expensive called marine ply. It's top quality and can handle water quite well (quite water-proof) but it costs more.
Marine Plywood
Marine Plywood
Marine plywood stands out as a top-notch timber product made by sticking many layers of wood veneers together using water-resistant weather and boil-proof (WBP) glue. Marine grade plywood is considered and known for being one of the best in terms of quality plywood available.
Aero Ply
Aero Ply
Aero ply, as the name suggests, is a type of plywood initially created for the aircraft industry. Despite its thinness, it remains exceptionally robust and flexible, continuing to be a preferred material in the construction of gliders and aeroplanes. Additionally, its versatility extends to more delicate applications, such as jewellery crafting, where it can be precision-cut using lasers.
Flexi Ply
Flexi Ply
FlexiPly is a relatively modern development of plywood and consists of two outer layers of wood specially cut to bend without breaking. In between these layers, there's a thin slice of silicon that lets the whole sheet flex without any damage.
You can use FlexiPly by attaching it to a curved frame, allowing it to match the frame's shape. Alternatively, by laminating multiple layers of FlexiPly with glue in between, you can create a sturdy structure. If you wrap it around a mold and let it dry, FlexiPly retains the shape even after removing it from the mold.
Despite its versatility, FlexiPly comes with a higher price tag compared to regular plywood.
HexaBoard
HexaBoard
Hexaboard stands out as a type of birch plywood designed for outdoor use, featuring a strong surface laminated with a tough phenolic resin surface. The durability of this surface is further enhanced by an embossed hexagonal pattern, providing not only resilience but also an improved grip, making it safer to walk on. This distinctive feature makes Hexaboard an excellent choice for flooring applications in commercial vehicles and aircraft, where safety and durability. The hexagonal pattern not only adds a layer of protection but also contributes to its suitability for environments where slip resistance is crucial, ensuring stability and safety in various transportation settings. (suitable for flooring in commercial vehicles and aircraft etc.)
Veneers
Veneers
Veneers are like thin layers of real wood, and people often stick them onto manufactured boards to make them seem fancier and more expensive. They are 'peeled' off the trunk of a tree much like you peel toilet paper off a roll.
These veneers not only add a touch of natural beauty but also enhance the appearance of engineered boards. Beyond the fancy look, veneers have some cool uses. They're the secret ingredient in laminated plywood, contributing to products like skateboards, where their combination with other layers creates a sturdy and stylish finish.
Applications for Manufactured Boards:
Stock Forms of Timber
Stock Forms of Timber
Timbers are processed into different forms and shapes but are limited to a certain size since they cannot be above the original tree it cam from, starting from the raw material (the tree itself) to processed timber in various shapes and sizes. However, a single piece of wood can't be larger than the tree unless it's engineered or laminated. You can find common forms like planks, beams, square or rectangular sections, dowels, and various manufactured boards, usually in sizes up to 8' x 4' or even larger. Wood is also available in mouldings or profiles.
Planks beams square & rectangle sections
Dowel
Manufactured boards
Mouldings or Profiles
Ecological and Social Footprint
Ecological and Social Footprint
You should have knowledge and understanding of the ecological and social footprint left by designers, including:
The effect of deforestation, mining, drilling, and farming on social communities and on the environment.
Mileage of product from raw material source, distribution, user location and final disposal.
The effect of carbon being produced during the manufacture of products.
The six R's and their relevance to this material group.
Safe working conditions
Reducing oceanic/atmospheric pollution and Reducing the detrimental (negative) impact on any other current or topical concern relating to the material group studies and their effect directly or indirectly on the environment.
Facts about Trees:
Trees play a crucial role in the planet's health by absorbing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and releasing oxygen, making them essential for maintaining a balanced atmosphere.
There are over 60,000 different species of trees, ranging from towering redwoods that can reach heights of over 300 feet to small fruit-bearing trees.
Some trees can live for thousands of years. The Bristlecone Pine, found in the United States, is known to be one of the oldest living trees, with some individuals exceeding 4,800 years.
Trees provide habitats for a variety of different species, from insects to birds and mammals. Forests, in particular, are biodiversity hotspots, supporting countless ecosystems.
Besides oxygen production, trees act as natural air purifiers by trapping pollutants and filtering particulate matter, contributing to improved air quality.
Trees are valuable resources for industries, providing timber, paper, and various wood-based products. Forests also support livelihoods for millions of people globally.
Trees undergo seasonal changes, shedding leaves in the fall to conserve energy during winter and then regenerating fresh foliage in the spring. This cycle is vital for their growth and survival.
Tree roots perform crucial functions, not only anchoring the tree but also aiding in nutrient absorption and forming intricate relationships with fungi to exchange essential nutrients in a process known as mycorrhizal symbiosis.
Sustainable means we can keep supplies of a material going by recycling, repairing or reusing them.
Wood is sustainable but is also renewable because we can grow more.
In contrast, metal and polymers (other than bioplastics) are not renewable as their source (ires and oils) are finite (running out/limited) and you cannot make more. Other than recycling metal and plastic ... when they run out they are gone forever!!!
To make sure we have enough wood we have a system of replanting which means that for every tree we cut down we plant two more. We have been doing this for around 50 years now but we are nowhere near replacing all the trees we cut down over thousands of years.
Summary
Summary
Solid timber can be classed as either hardwood or softwood but these woods can be processed and combined to make manufactured boards.
Wood is a natural material and therefore timber (wood in its natural state) is prone to changes in shape and size but manufactured boards are more stable and available in larger sheets.
Wood is a sustainable material as we can grow more as long as we manage forests correctly. Due to its organic nature every piece of wood, like humans, is unique in its size, grain and colour.
Plywood is made from real layers of wood stuck together. This is called laminating.
Manufactured boards can be covered in very thin layers of more expensive wood. These are called veneers.
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