Chapter 10 Panel Products Copyright 2009 Delmar Cengage

Chapter 10 Panel Products Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Objectives • Identify the different types of panel products • Understand the composition of the various panel products • Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using panel products Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Introduction • Panel products are important building materials in today’s construction of cabinetry and furniture • Frequently used panel products are: – Plywood, fiberboard, particleboard and melamine • These products have advantages such as: – Being able to create large surfaces quickly – Being more stable than solid lumber because of not having a continuous grain pattern Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Plywood • Cabinet grade plywood may replace lumber in cabinets or furniture – Provides the look of solid wood – Less time consuming to work and therefore less expensive to use – Fabricated with fine veneer faces over a core Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Figure 10 -1 Cabinet grade plywood. Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Plywood (continued) • Cores used to create cabinet grade plywood – – Lumber core Veneer core Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) core Particleboard core • Type of core used determines degree of stability and the ability to hold fasteners Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Plywood (continued) • Veneer that is placed on the front and back of the plywood is cut in one of three ways – Plain sliced – Quarter sliced – Rotary cut • Possible to buy cabinet plywood that has already been finished Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Fiberboard • Created by mixing wood fibers with resin and bonding them together by radio-frequency adhesion or heat • Has no grain at all, which makes it very stable • Comes in high, medium, and low densities Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Figure 10 -4 High-density fiberboard, or hardboard. Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Fiberboard (continued) • High-density fiberboard (hardboard) – Good choice for drawer bottoms and cabinet backs – Extremely rugged • Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) – Provides a very smooth and stable surface – Excellent choice for jig material – Great base material for stained, printed, painted, or laminated applications Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Fiberboard (continued) • Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) (continued) – Commonly used for furniture tops, drawer fronts, moldings, and shelving – Can be shaped easily – Has some drawbacks: • • Hard on cutting edges of tools Very heavy Should not come into contact with water Does not hold fasteners well Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Fiberboard (continued) • Low-density fiberboard – Not used by cabinetmakers – Primary use is in upholstery industry Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Particleboard • Not as dense as either hardboard or MDF – Is an adequate and less expensive alternative • Composed of small wood flakes, chips, and shavings bonded together with adhesives • Often used as a substrate for laminates – Frequently used for plastic laminate countertops Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Particleboard (continued) • Hard on cutting edges of tools • Heavy • Does not hold fasteners well Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Figure 10 -6 Particleboard. Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Melamine • Thermally fused, resin-saturated paper finish applied over a particleboard core • Highly stain and mar resistant • Comes in a wide variety of colors and wood grain looks • Often the major component of inexpensive furniture Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Melamine (continued) • Requires no finishing; resin-saturated paper acts as a finished surface • Since it has a particleboard core, its disadvantages are same as those of particleboard Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Figure 10 -7 Melamine. Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Advantages and Disadvantages of Panel Products • Advantages – Stability – Reduced production time in building cabinets – Their use makes good ecological sense Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Advantages and Disadvantages of Panel Products (continued) • Disadvantages – Edges of the sheets must be covered – Poor fastener-holding ability; specialty fasteners have to be used – Have only a thin veneer covering the core; deep scratches will reveal the core and give away the fact that they are not solid lumber Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Summary • Manufactured panel products are widely used in the cabinet- and furniture-building industries • Panel products include cabinet grade plywood, fiberboard, particleboard, and melamine • Panel products are far more stable than solid wood • Primary drawback to panel products is that the core is visible on the ends; edges must be covered Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning