A wide variety of materials are used in the manufacture of furniture. They have various properties and structure, so their choice should be approached responsibly.

Of course, if you have your own furniture workshop, then you probably know what materials you need for making furniture and where you can buy them. But if you have decided to make something yourself for the first time or intend to ask a familiar craftsman about it and are looking for where to buy materials for furniture, then the following recommendations will come in handy. Let's look at the options that are most popular and in demand when making furniture.

Chipboard

Chipboard (chipboard) is most often used in the production of all types of furniture. This material is easy to process, quite wear-resistant and inexpensive. They vary in thickness and are either regular or waterproof.

MDF

This material is similar to medium-density fibreboard, but is actually manufactured at a higher cost. modern technologies and is of higher quality. Unlike conventional fibreboards, MDF has a high-quality coating and high moisture resistance. Often additionally veneered or varnished.

Veneer

Veneer is a wood material, which is thin sheets of wood with a thickness of 0.1 to 10 mm, which are glued to panels (wood, fiberboard or MDF). Typically, veneer is made from beech, birch, linden, cedar, larch, alder or ash. The resulting material is used to decorate furniture and other interior items. Veneer can be peeled, planed and sawn..

• Peeled veneer considered cheap, it is more often used in veneering. It is made from hard and soft wood using a special peeling machine
• Sliced ​​veneer Made only from hard wood. It's more quality material, perfectly preserving the texture of the wood. This processing method is used to produce veneer from ornamental trees.
• Sawn veneer– the most valuable, it is made from coniferous wood. It is in demand in furniture production.

Bamboo

Bamboo is a gigantic tree-like grass, the tallest grass on the globe, whose relatives are rye, wheat, corn and other representatives of cereals, the fastest growing flowering plant, adding from 70 to 100 centimeters or more per day.

Rattan

Rattan (obsolete Spanish reed, “devil's rope”) - a material that is the peeled and dried stems of the calamus, or rattan palm - tropical plant, native to Southeast Asia. More than 330 plant species are concentrated there. The length of the plant stems varies from 80 to 300 meters. Natural rattan and bamboo boards are used for furniture facades. A wide range of colors and the ability to choose a base give scope for design solutions and will fit perfectly into any interior.

Kitchens and wardrobes are almost the easiest types of furniture to assemble for novice craftsmen (not counting only bedside tables and shelves). In general, furniture for the living room and bedroom usually requires a more serious approach, the use of non-standard materials, glass. This article will help beginners understand how to make furniture themselves.

Wood in its pure form is practically no longer used in cabinet furniture; solid wood is considered an expensive luxury material.

Now wood is being replaced with a cheaper material - laminated chipboard (abbreviated laminated chipboard). Most often, these boards have a thickness of 16 mm; chipboards with a thickness of 10 and 22 mm can also be found on sale. 10 mm sheets are usually used to fill wardrobe doors, and 22 mm - for bookcases and shelves where high bending strength is required. Also, sometimes the structure is decorated with elements made from 22 mm laminated chipboard.

Almost all furniture parts are made from 16 mm laminated chipboard (except for doors and facades).
Laminated chipboard
Laminated chipboard is cut on special machines along guides. Of course, you can saw it off at home using a jigsaw, but then there will be chips and wavy irregularities on the edges. It is almost impossible to saw off chipboard evenly with a jigsaw at home.

Edges

The most vulnerable place of laminated chipboard is when it is cut down. It is the easiest way for moisture to penetrate inside, so if the protection is poor, the ends may soon swell. Therefore, the ends are closed using edges; there are several types of them.

• Melamine edge is the cheapest, but of poor quality. You can stick it on at home using an iron.


• PVC edge 0.4 and 2 mm – best option. It can only be glued on a special machine, so it is done immediately when ordering a cut. To save money, 0.4 mm is glued to the invisible ends, and 2 mm to the external ones, which will experience constant loads and friction.

PVC edge 2 mm

• ABS edge is similar to PVC, but made from environmentally friendly material.
• Mortise T-shaped profile - inserted into a groove previously made with a milling cutter. Rarely used.


• Overhead U-profile - can be easily glued to liquid nails at home. The main disadvantage is that the edges will protrude a few millimeters, so dirt will get stuck under it. On the other hand, this drawback allows you to hide a poor-quality cut.



Facades

Kitchen fronts and furniture doors are usually made of more elegant materials. But if you are making a drawer door inside a wardrobe that no one will see, you can use regular 16 mm chipboard with PVC edging 2 mm. But the cabinets in the kitchen should look more presentable.

The facade is a separate furniture element. It is usually made to order. If the dimensions of the facades are non-standard, their production may take several months.

By standard sizes you can easily navigate: usually the facades are made 2 mm smaller than the cabinet itself on each side. Therefore, for a standard 600 mm cabinet, a 596 mm façade is used.

The height of the kitchen cabinet also depends on the facade and ranges from 715 to 725 mm for floor cabinets (without legs) and low wall cabinets, and 915-925 mm for high wall cabinets.



Types of facades


Since facades serve mainly a decorative function, the choice is huge; they differ in appearance and material.

• Facades made of laminated MDF. This is a pressed material, more moisture-resistant and dense compared to chipboard. Most often, the surface is laminated to look like wood. But no matter how strong the film is, over time it can come off at the edges and crack. The main advantage of this material is its low price and fast production.
MDF facades
• In addition to standard blank facades, there are also options with figured cutouts for stained glass. The glass is attached to the cover on the reverse side.
• Softforming - such facades are similar to ordinary MDF, but have a characteristic two-color layout with relief on both sides. They can only be used in dry rooms, bedrooms or living rooms.


• Postforming – even higher quality and durable products. Thin plastic at the edges is wrapped 90° or 180°, thereby eliminating unnecessary seams at the corners. Chipboard or MDF boards are used as the base. Typically, postforming is done in a strict form, without unnecessary pretentious decorative elements.


• Plastic facades are of high quality, but expensive. They consist of a base (chipboard/MDF) lined on both sides with thick plastic. They always have a strict design and a flat surface, glossy or matte. The edges of the slab are sometimes protected with ABS edges or aluminum profiles. Super-glossy acrylic plastic has been especially popular lately.

Plastic facades in aluminum profile
• Wood and veneer facades - suitable for amateurs natural materials, but they are expensive. In addition, there is a long debate about environmental friendliness: there is an opinion that there is so much varnish and impregnation that there is only one name left for the tree.


• Painted facades to resemble enamel. Have significant drawback– the surface is vulnerable to scratches and deformations, and has low chemical resistance. They used to be popular due to their rich color, but with the advent of glossy acrylic plastic, everything changed.



• Aluminum facades with glass are suitable for a high-tech kitchen. They look modern, but are difficult to manufacture and install. Non-standard fittings are used for their fastening.

Back walls and bottoms of drawers

The back wall and bottom of the drawers are most often made of HDF. The smooth side of the sheet should face the inside of the cabinet/drawer. The thickness of the sheets is 3-5 mm, the color is selected to match the chipboard.

Some people prefer to attach HDF to a furniture stapler, but this cannot be done. Over time, the brackets will become loose and the structure may warp. It’s not worth talking about the bottom of the drawers - a stapler is clearly not suitable for fastening.

Furniture LDVP
Sometimes it is inserted into a groove prepared with a milling cutter, but all dimensions must match down to the millimeter.

Most often, HDF is attached to nails or self-tapping screws. It is better to use self-tapping screws with a press washer, but before screwing them in, you must drill a hole, otherwise the product may crack.

In rare cases, for example, to create a “stiffener” in a tall cabinet or in drawers with high loads, fiberboard is replaced with laminated chipboard. These materials can also be combined.

Tabletops

A tabletop is a horizontal work surface on which you can cook, eat, read, write, etc.

Most office and desk tables, as well as cheap dining tables, have a table top made of the same chipboard as the main parts. The thickness is 16 or 22 mm, it is necessary to frame it with a 2 mm PVC edge.

Special countertops are used for the kitchen. They are a sheet of chipboard 28-38 mm thick, which is covered on top with durable plastic using postforming technology. Moisture-resistant countertops have green color on the cut, and ordinary chipboard is gray. A proper kitchen countertop should have a drip tray that will prevent dripping liquid from getting onto the fronts and drawers.


The weak point of such countertops is the cut edge. They are usually covered with a simple melamine edge, so they become unusable within the first year of use. To avoid this, it is recommended to protect the edges with special aluminum profiles (end strip), and to protect against moisture, pre-coat the cut with silicone sealant.

There are also other types of profiles: corner and connecting strips, which are needed for joining several cabinets with different countertops.

Corner, connecting and end strip for table top

Another element is a decorative corner that closes the gap between the wall and the tabletop.


A wall panel is sometimes used to finish the apron. Unlike tiles or mosaics, it is more practical due to the absence of seams and is inexpensive compared to glass splashbacks.

The tabletop is attached to the cabinets from below using short self-tapping screws to horizontal spacers so as not to spoil the smooth front surface.

Countertops made from natural or artificial stone are higher quality and more durable than others. A natural stone heavy and demanding special care due to high porosity. But artificial stone does not have such disadvantages; it can be given any size and shape. The main disadvantage of stone countertops is the high price; for a small kitchen they cost from 40 thousand rubles. and more.

An alternative option is a countertop made of tiles or porcelain stoneware. You can make it yourself, but the tiles cannot be mounted on regular plywood or chipboard. The base must first be covered with cement-fiber sheets.

Location of parts

A detail is any element of cabinet furniture: lids, tabletops, walls, facades, shelves. Each part can be either nested or invoice. Right choice the type of location is very important.

Let's look at examples of two kitchen cabinets: one of them will stand on legs, and the second will be suspended.

Base cabinet:

As can be seen in the photo, the operating stress in the floor-standing cabinet is directed downwards from the lid and in the first option is naturally transmitted through the parts to the cabinet legs.




In the second, incorrect option, the load is transmitted through the confirmat (furniture screw), and because of this it will be torn out of the part at a fracture.

Wall cabinet:

In the second example, the opposite is true: the load will go to the bottom shelf, and the attachment point will be on top.


If we use the same fastening scheme here as in the floor cabinet (option 1), all 4 bolts will be constantly under the load of being pulled out of the wood. Therefore, it is better if the confirmations experience stress on the fracture (see diagram “correctly”).

Furniture fasteners

Furniture fasteners are hardware ( hardware), which are used to connect parts. Most often, connections are made at right angles.


• Wooden dowels - inserted in advance drilled holes in both details. They are used for preliminary fixation and increasing the shear load, then the parts are fixed in a more reliable way.


• Furniture corners are a popular, but outdated type of furniture fastening. Among the disadvantages: appearance, loosening over time and bulkiness.

Furniture corner
• Euroscrew (confirmed) – furniture screw. This is the main fastener of parts in modern furniture. Furniture makers almost never use ordinary self-tapping screws. Confirmats have a larger thread, so they stay inside the chipboard much better.
  
  The holes for them can be drilled directly on site. To do this, use a special drill that makes a hole with different diameters for the thread, neck and head of the Euroscrew. The most commonly used confirmats are 7*50 mm. When drilling, special attention should be paid to the perpendicularity of the drilling, so as not to spoil the coating of the part with a through hole.
  
  
  Furniture screws are tightened with a hex key or a screwdriver attachment. The caps for a Phillips screwdriver cannot be tightened tightly until the end.

  The main disadvantage of this type of fastening is that screwed-in caps remain visible. To hide them, use plastic plugs matching the color of the chipboard.

• Eccentric couplers – modern and The right way fastenings It leaves a hole only on the inside of the product, but requires very precise drilling.
  
  
  To obtain the required holes, use a Forstner drill. There's not much point in going to the trouble of using them to assemble items that will be hidden, but they work well for attaching drawer doors.



Furniture fittings




Among the inexpensive manufacturers of accessories, we can recommend the Chinese Boyard, and among the serious global manufacturers, the Austrian Blum.

Drawers and slides

There are many ways to make furniture boxes. The simplest of them is to assemble a perimeter from laminated chipboard. If a beautiful facade is required, it is screwed onto the main frame from the inside (like the tabletop). The façade can also be secured with eccentrics as the fourth wall of the drawer.

But the main thing is not to assemble the drawer, but to secure it correctly.

Drawer guides are divided into roller or ball guides.




Doors for wardrobes

The sliding wardrobe can be separate (with side and back walls), or built into a niche or corner (with one side wall). The internal content can be anything: regular shelves and mezzanines, drawers and baskets, clothes rails, special hangers for trousers, ties, etc.

Article on the topic: .

The main element of the wardrobe is sliding doors. You can’t save on them; you need to buy high-quality fittings, otherwise you’ll suffer with falling and jamming doors. Finding domestic Aristo sliding systems in specialized stores is not a problem in almost any city.

A sliding wardrobe usually has 2-3 doors. They consist of a profiled frame into which they insert decorative elements: mirrors and glass, chipboard, rattan sheets, bamboo, artificial leather (based). Each door can be assembled from a combination of several such materials, which are separated by an aluminum profile. It is not recommended to make doors more than 1 m in width.


Standard profiles are designed for a sheet thickness of 10 mm. But how to insert a 4 mm thick mirror into it? To do this, put a silicone seal on the edge of the mirror. To prevent broken glass from injuring anyone in the event of an impact, you need to order a mirror with a film glued to the reverse side.

The doors move along guides; they are installed at the top and bottom. The lower doors provide forward and backward movement, and the upper ones fix the door relative to the depth of the cabinet.

The bottom rollers are usually made of plastic, have a shock-absorbing spring and a screw for height adjustment. The upper rollers have a rubberized surface.
With the proper approach, homemade furniture turns out to be cheaper and of better quality than that displayed in stores. But besides this, it will be exclusive, precisely suited to the needs of the owners and the characteristics of the room.

Our every day is unthinkable without these items. They make our life more comfortable. They are always with us. This pieces of furniture.

What are these constant companions of ours made of?
Let's leave the scope of attention to accessories, glue and upholstery, as well as glass, metal, fabric, plastic, wicker. In this article I want to introduce you to the materials from which most furniture is made.
Chipboard, chipboard, MDF, laminate, melamine, postforming, solid wood, veneer and other terms can confuse an unprepared buyer when choosing furniture. The materials seem to be similar, but still have differences. We read everything carefully and go “savvy” to the furniture store!

Wood boards

Let's start with furniture made from wood panels.
MDF, chipboard, laminated chipboard, fibreboard- these are materials based on wood. It's just a small tree. In the form of shavings, fibers, sawdust.

MDF- a type of fiberboard made from small chips (almost wood flour) by hot pressing. Wood fibers are treated with special binders before pressing. For this purpose, natural products lignin and paraffin are used, which do not emit harmful substances. Moreover, its gluing requires much less adhesive than chipboard; the environmental friendliness and safety of the MDF material ultimately depends on this.
Another distinctive feature of MDF is its density, which almost matches the density of natural wood.
MDF is an environmentally friendly, dense and flexible board (despite its decent thickness), which allows you to create curved surfaces, for example, the facade.
It is a material that can be easily processed, which is very valuable in the manufacture of furniture that requires grace and fine lines. MDF does not crumble during milling - this allows you to make cutouts for fittings, create drawings and carvings on the surface. Carved cabinets and headboards are all made of MDF.
MDF holds screws and other fasteners well.
Due to paraffin impregnation, the MDF board has water-repellent properties, which allows you to expand the scope of its application.
Due to the fact that the technology for manufacturing MDF is not cheap, often in the production of furniture only facades are made from MDF, and walls and internal parts are made from chipboard. Furniture made entirely from MDF is quite expensive.
MDF is also immune to various types of fungi.
But this material reacts very painfully to temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius. It swells, warps, loses its shape, and the decorative coating bubbles and peels off. That is why it is recommended to protect MDF furniture from heat and not place it near a working stove, oven or other heating devices.

Chipboard- chipboard - consists of pressed and glued by high-temperature pressing with the addition of binding resins (phenol and formaldehyde) wood waste, which includes sawdust, large shavings, etc.. On the outside, these pressed sawdust can be covered with decorative layers: laminate, melamine, veneer.
Based on quality characteristics, chipboards are divided into 3 grades:
1st grade The slabs are made from selected sawdust, usually from one type of wood. Its surface is perfectly smooth, without chips. The board is decorated on both sides by applying laminated film or veneer.
2nd grade characterized by minor defects on the surface in the form of chips and scratches. It can be with or without cladding.
3rd grade- these are slabs with significant defects on the surface. They do not require cladding and are used only for construction and auxiliary purposes.
Chipboard is afraid of water. Therefore, in conditions of high and constant humidity, the chipboard will begin to crumble.
It is also worth noting the fragility of such a plate. Chipboard does not tolerate fine processing; it is difficult to make shaped parts from it.

laminated chipboard is the abbreviated name for laminated particle board, the surface of which is treated with a special film based on thermosetting polymers (this is a type of paper-resin film). I think everyone has seen laminated paper. The board is laminated in the same way. Only the slab is thicker than paper, and its ends remain open.
Often such a slab is simply called “laminate”. This applies to both the name of the popular flooring and the furniture “made of laminate”. However, laminated chipboard and laminate are not the same thing, they are two different coatings.

Laminating film is made in a variety of ways. The surface of laminated chipboard can be smooth, embossed, wood-like, or shagreen. Color palette has no boundaries, because the film can be painted in any color.
Laminated chipboards are divided into several groups:

• smooth solid colors (e.g. white, yellow, blue);
• textured solid colors (e.g. textured white, aluminum);
• standard wood tones (e.g. beech, alder, cherry);
• imitation of rare wood species (for example, Winchester oak, Merano, Cordoba);
• glossy decors;
• veneered decors;
• fantasy tones with drawings and patterns.

Laminated chipboard is present in almost every home, because most often it is used in the manufacture of various furniture, both economy class and more expensive furniture.
Products made from laminated chipboard are resistant to moisture due to the lamination coating, unlike ordinary wood. Therefore, furniture made from laminated chipboard is well suited for the kitchen, where it will not dry out or crack. It can often be found even in bathrooms. Moisture-resistant laminated chipboard undergoes a special treatment with paraffin emulsion, and also contains wood fibers with a special impregnation that prevents the composition from swelling under the influence of moisture. However, you should not leave moisture on the surface of the furniture for a long time, as it can flow into the cracks between the slab and the edging, and water entering directly under the decor layer (laminating film) will cause swelling and softening inside the slab.
If you buy furniture made from laminated chipboard, you can easily later purchase the necessary elements, and they will be exactly the same color, unlike wood, where the shade may differ from batch to batch.

Chipboard has disadvantages, like any other material.
The main negative characteristic of particle boards is the presence of formaldehyde resins in the composition, which, in high concentrations, have a negative effect on human health. That is why it is necessary to ensure that the ends of the finished product are carefully closed with an edge.
Another significant drawback is the susceptibility of chipboard to swelling (with the exception of moisture-resistant categories). This problem is eliminated in the same way as the previous one - an edge is applied to all visible ends, protecting the internal composition from moisture penetration.
The laminated surface itself, if there are no cuts or chips on it, is moisture resistant.

Wood chip boards are very popular among furniture manufacturers.
Firstly, they have a low cost compared to high-quality arrays.
Secondly, they are easy to process. Chipboard is a ready-made material that only needs to be cut in accordance with the cutting chart and an edge applied to the ends.
Thirdly, wood boards are quite strong and durable; they are not subject to drying out or curling, like natural wood, which requires a long drying time.
Fourthly, laminated chipboards have a wide palette of decors. The colors are so varied that they will fit perfectly into the restrained interior of a study or into a bright children's room.
Fifthly, furniture made from chipboard is easy to care for. But this is more important to us, furniture buyers.

Care of laminated chipboard furniture

When cleaning, furniture made from chipboard can be wiped with a damp cloth, but it is not recommended to use too active detergents, since their chemical composition can damage the protective layer applied to the chipboard. The laminated surface also does not like abrasive substances.
It is also not recommended to apply the load for a long time if it is more than 10 -15 kg. If the load on the shelves exceeds this mass, then deformation of the shelves is possible. If you follow these rules, then furniture made from chipboard will serve you for a very long time.

Fiberboard(also known as hardboard) is also a material made from wood shavings, wood dust and wood chips. It is produced in two ways: when dry, resins are added during hot pressing, when wet, nothing is added. Popularly, this material is sometimes called “pressed cardboard”. The material is cheap and durable, but it is impossible to create furniture from it, primarily due to difficulties with fastening. Therefore, it is used for making the back walls of cabinets and drawer bottoms.
The thickness of fiberboard slabs, as a rule, does not exceed 4 mm.

As mentioned above, often in the production of furniture only facades are made from MDF, and walls and internal parts are made from laminated chipboard. Furniture made entirely from MDF is quite expensive.
Thus, a classic furniture set is considered:
the front part is made of MDF,
body - made of laminated chipboard,
the back wall is made of fiberboard.

Is furniture made from wood panels dangerous?

The technology for the production of board materials implies that MDF contains less harmful substances than chipboard.

MDF - with strict adherence to technology and high-quality surface cladding, structures made from it are considered the least dangerous in terms of the release of harmful substances into the surrounding air. High-quality MDF is environmentally friendly.

Chipboard class E1 - ranks second in terms of safety for the human body (but also only with appropriate surface cladding).
In high-quality chipboard, the adhesive components do not contain phenols, and the proportion of toxic substances is negligible. But it is still not recommended to use a slab without edging. This is due to the safety of the material, which without end protection will quickly absorb moisture from environment and will swell.

Chipboard class E2 - highlights greatest number harmful substances, is prohibited for production in foreign countries, and in Russia it is prohibited for the production of furniture and products used inside public and residential premises (GOST 10632-2007).

MDF and chipboard (chipboard) of class E1 are allowed for furniture production (with mandatory surface cladding).

MDF is environmentally friendly material and has no restrictions on use, laminated chipboard is not recommended for use in children's and medical institutions.

Unfortunately, not all manufacturers adhere to norms and standards, and then under the usual outer shell there may be illiquid goods that may be unsuitable for use in the furniture industry.
It is almost impossible to distinguish high-quality chipboard from low-quality chipboard by eye, because decorative coating interferes. Chipboard with a high content of formaldehyde gives off a characteristic odor that intensifies when doors and drawers are opened. Also, the seller or furniture manufacturer must have certificates for chipboard, which indicate the class of the product.
Remember that quality does not come cheap.
If at the moment it is possible to purchase only very inexpensive furniture, be sure to pay attention to the ends. The ends must be properly closed with an edge!

Decorative coatings for wood panels

We looked at the slabs from which furniture is most often made.
Now let's turn to the decorative coatings of wood boards.

Laminating

Let's start with the simplest type of furniture covering - with laminating technology, when ordinary textured paper is used. It is enough to apply a paper sheet to the surface of chipboard or MDF panels, and the furniture structure will already receive its protective coating. Often the paper is varnished or subjected to an embossing procedure. Despite this, the paper coating is very vulnerable to moisture, quickly scratches and is susceptible to shock loads.
Furniture with laminated technology is widely represented in the budget segment. Such furniture sets They are quite suitable for bedrooms and living rooms, provided they are handled with care. When decorating a kitchen, using laminated paper to cover furniture is unlikely to be suitable, since the operating conditions there are quite harsh and intense, which is why the delicate coating simply will not withstand the load and will quickly deteriorate. Or you must initially count on a short service life in “decent” form. Perhaps this furniture is suitable for a children's room. The child will grow up by the time the coating wears out, and it can be replaced with a more durable one.

Melamine coating

It consists of several layers of paper impregnated with melamine-formaldehyde resins at a temperature of about 180°.
It is mainly applied to chipboard or MDF, a process called lamination. The result is a smooth, water- and mechanical-damage-resistant laminated surface. Melamine-based panels are used as kitchen countertops, cabinet and drawer fronts, as well as for the manufacture of other cabinet furniture elements. This material is also called artificial veneer.
Edges for the ends of slabs are also made from melamine.

Advantages of melamine-based coating:

• Low price.
• Resistant to minor mechanical damage.
• Easy to care for.
• Resistant to hot dishes.
• The ability to create a surface of any color: plain, with a pattern and even with a photograph.
• Imitation of various textures.

Disadvantages of melamine-based coating:

• Instability to some aggressive household chemicals and solvents.
• The surface can be easily scratched with a sharp object.
• The coating technology does not allow the entire slab to be hermetically sealed, so when using it in a humid environment, all seams and joints must be treated with sealant.

To care for melamine-coated furniture, you should use sprays or any liquids other than those containing abrasive particles. If you don’t have such products on hand, you can wipe the surface first with a damp cloth and then with a dry one.
It is important to protect the surface of melamine products from sharp objects. Although melamine flooring is hard, strong impacts with metal objects can damage it.

Laminate

Laminate- an impact-resistant, pressure- and physical-impact-resistant film based on thermosetting polymers (melamine resin) with a thickness of 0.5-1.3 mm, which is used to cover chipboard and fiberboard boards.

And although the structure of the laminate also contains melamine paper, as mentioned above, laminated chipboard and laminate are not the same thing, they are two different coatings. Laminate is distinguished by a layered plastic structure, which has unique quality characteristics and performance properties.

At the same time, the finished coating has a class differentiation, depending on the production technology used. There is a CPL class laminate, when the technological process is continuous and its surface is smooth.
There is HPL class laminate produced under high pressure. Its surface is more grooved, which is due to the use of pressing pads, which allow you to create a stone or wood texture on the surface. Laminate high pressure It is considered more wear-resistant, however, its price criterion is much higher.
The front surface of the laminate can be very diverse: with a single color or with a textured pattern that imitates wood texture, stone structure, or repeats various patterns.
The characteristics of the laminate also depend on the thickness of the material.
For the manufacture of countertops, it is recommended to use HPL plastic, the minimum thickness of which is 0.6 millimeters. Also, high pressure laminate is excellent for the production of furniture facades and decorative panels.

Postforming

Also in furniture production there is such an interesting coating as postforming.

Its other name is duroplast. This is a paper-based plastic, the structure of which is enriched with chemical additives - plasticizers, which give the material flexibility when heated. As it cools, it hardens, maintaining its curved shape.
This quality of duroplast allows you to quickly and efficiently bend the ends, gluing their fabric to a horizontal furniture surface. That is, with postforming technology there is no gap between the top work surface and the end.

Postforming technology for the formation of a protective coating is widely used in the manufacture of countertops, window sills, and furniture facades. The use of postforming allows the formation of one or two bending radii, depending on the design of the furniture structure.

Using postforming technology, you can “wrap” a furniture slab both from one end (90 degrees, for table tops) and from both sides (completely wrapped 180 degrees, suitable for facades).
To protect, for example, the edges of a kitchen countertop, it is necessary to use a special sizing or groove with protective and water-repellent properties, otherwise the material will absorb moisture, causing top coating It will simply peel off and fall off the furniture.

Softforming

An alternative postforming technology is softforming, the essence of which is to process the ends of parts with a ready-made protective coating. To do this, the ends are milled and pasted using a thin film, which ensures high-quality roundings.
Softforming technology is excellent, for example, for the production of furniture panels that serve as the basis for tabletops. Softforming also finds its application in the production of sliding wardrobes.
Disadvantages of this method:

• Not very aesthetically pleasing, because it is not possible to completely hide the joint between the film at the end. Because of this, differences are visible between the colors of the decorated surface and the protective film.
• The film used during softforming is much weaker in strength compared to laminate and laminated chipboard.

PVC film

The main advantage of such furniture coating is its plasticity, excellent adhesiveness, moisture resistance, and high wear resistance. It is used, in particular, for processing MDF panels, countertops, and any horizontal surfaces. Also, PVC film is often used as a basis for softforming to process the ends of parts, and also as a protective layer for steel and aluminum products and individual structural parts.

Veneer

The next type of coating is veneer.

Veneer is a thin layer of natural wood obtained by planing or peeling wood. In German, der Spon means "sliver", "lining".
Veneering is the gluing of thin plates of wood with a beautiful structure (actually, veneer) onto a wooden base - be it a table, wall or door - of lower decorative qualities. It turns out that veneering furniture means dressing it in beautiful clothes. It would be more correct to call veneering “veneering”. But it just so happens that the word “veneer” is more familiar to the average person’s ear than “veneer.” Veneer plates are selected according to color and texture.

Veneer can be sawn, peeled and planed.

Sliced ​​veneer with a thickness of 0.2 to 5 mm, they are made from valuable wood with a beautiful texture: oak, beech, walnut, mahogany, Karelian birch, ash, elm, acacia, yew and others.

Sawn veneer with a thickness of 1 to 10 mm, they are made from coniferous wood: fir, cedar, spruce. The production of bent glued furniture parts is unthinkable without sawn veneer.

For production peeled veneer with a thickness of 0.1-10 mm, alder, birch, pine, aspen, beech, oak and other types of wood are used. Peeling is carried out by cutting a thin layer from a rotating cylinder-block. The quality of peeled veneer is slightly lower than that of sawn veneer, but it is also widely used for veneering furniture parts.
There are several main types of veneering.

• Hot veneering. With this method, the veneer is glued to the base using adhesives. The simplest method. Moreover, PVA-based glue can be used to join MDF, chipboard and veneer; it is more environmentally friendly than synthetic resin-based glue. One-sided gluing of valuable wood veneer is accompanied by lamination of the other side of MDF and chipboard.
• Cold veneering. Here the veneer is pressed onto the base. We are talking about pressing machines.
• Membrane veneering. Industrial method, used for veneering complex surfaces. Membrane veneering is based on vacuum joining veneer and boards - both smooth and textured.

Why veneer furniture?

Wood is considered the most expensive and noble material for making furniture. However, along with its advantages, wood has a number of disadvantages.

1. Firstly, this is the relatively high cost inherent in high-quality wood, well-dried and coated with protective and decorative compounds.
2. Secondly, exposure high humidity, which limits the use of this material, for example, in bathrooms.
3. Thirdly, over time, if not carefully cared for, wood can warp, dry out, and change its shape and size.

With the help of veneer you can give furniture a more expensive, noble look of wooden furniture. Unlike solid wood, veneer does not dry out, does not deform, and is not affected by moisture and temperature. That is, as a result of veneering, a material is obtained that is outwardly indistinguishable from natural wood, and at the same time strong, durable, and quite easy to maintain. Furniture made from decorative panels for living rooms, hallways, and dining rooms is not inferior in appearance to the same furniture made from natural wood. At the same time, its service life and resistance to climatic influences will be significantly higher, and reasonable prices will make furniture for home and office accessible to a wide range of consumers.

What affects the price of furniture?

• production technology (MDF is more expensive than chipboard),
• country of origin (board materials from foreign European companies will cost more than their Russian counterparts),
• the presence of additional properties imparted to materials during the production process (fire resistance, biostability, water resistance),
• availability, quality and durability decorative covering on MDF or chipboard (everything that makes a structure made from these materials more safe and durable costs more),
• the number of intermediaries between the manufacturing company and the buyer (the more there are, the more expensive the material will end up being).

Remember that miracles happen in our lives, but this is unlikely to apply to furniture pricing. The cheaper, the lower the quality of the materials (discarding the cost of the brand, the price of active advertising, etc.).
You can save money on buying furniture for the living room or hallway, where you don’t spend much time. But as for the bedroom, nursery or kitchen - be careful.

What should you pay attention to when choosing furniture?

Unfortunately, often the qualifications of furniture showroom managers leave much to be desired. They can get confused with terminologies. Therefore, do not hesitate to extract as much information from them as possible. If the consultant finds it difficult to answer some question, ask him to call the technologist (if this is production) or the manager (senior salesperson, manager), ask how long the person has been working in this salon.
And we try to help ourselves.

Particular attention should be paid to the quality of the edges and seams between them and the face (surface of the slab). If the seams are not made well enough, then water will get into them over time (for example, during wet cleaning of premises) and the MDF (like chipboard) will “swell.” At the same time, chipboard is much less moisture resistant.

But MDF reacts more strongly to impact high temperatures. Furniture made from MDF should not be placed too close to heating devices - it may warp.

But, even if all the furniture elements are made with high quality, we should not forget that MDF and chipboard are materials serial production, which to one degree or another (according to different characteristics) are inferior to furniture made from properly dried and treated wood. In other words, even the best furniture made from slab materials usually lasts no more than 10-25 years (depending on the quality of the source materials and careful handling).

Feel free to smell the furniture. Yes, yes, just smell it. Materials manufactured in violation technological process, smell. We are not talking about the smell of wood. We are talking about specific odors of impregnations. Moreover, the smell of furniture on display should “dissipate.” If the chemical smell remains, consider whether it’s worth the risk. Ask the salon consultant for a certificate, ask him to show what class of chipboard is indicated.

Click on the picture to open in larger size.

Brief conclusions

• MDF is moisture resistant, but is afraid of high temperatures.
• Laminated chipboard is moisture resistant provided that the surface is intact and the edges are of high quality.
• If you decide to purchase a set with straight fronts, you can buy furniture made of laminated chipboard, which does not bend, and you will save money. And if you like curved and rounded facades, you need MDF.
• Laminated furniture will last less than a laminated board.
• A kitchen countertop with postforming treatment will last longer.
• Veneer will give an ordinary wood panel the noble look of natural wood and will be easier to maintain.

The most important thing is, whatever furniture you choose, take care of it correctly, and it will serve you for a long time!

14.06.16,
Riorda,
Novosibirsk

Comfort and order have become a part of our lives. We are used to sleeping on comfortable beds, having dinner at the table, storing clothes in spacious closet. Special materials are used to make all these items. They make them not only durable and functional, but also aesthetically attractive. Each type of material has its own characteristics, performance qualities, and price. In this publication we will take a closer look at the main materials for making furniture and their brief characteristics.

Functional cabinet furniture and other products are made from the following raw materials:

• different types of wood,
• various metal alloys,
• plastic,
• organic, real glass,
• waste from wood processing,
• rattan,
• leatherette,
• textile.

The first five types of raw materials are used for the production of ordinary cabinet furniture. Rattan is used in the process of creating wicker items. They are usually used by designers in the interiors of private houses and cottages. Faux leather and textiles are the main elements of frameless products.

Metal

Metal office furniture will add originality to the interior

Durable, stylish, elegant metal furniture products can be found anywhere. They often decorate the interiors of offices, hospitals, banks, restaurants, and apartments. Modern manufacturers have learned to make quite compact, lightweight objects from metal. Previously, they were cumbersome. This was the main reason for his unpopularity.

Unique durable bed with forged elements

Forged metal tables, benches, chairs, beds have a number of undeniable advantages.

• Resistant to damage. In order to break or damage metal, you need to try hard. For this reason, such furniture is preferred by many owners of cafes and restaurants, where there is always a large flow of people.
• Durability. Products can last for decades, many outlive several generations of their owners.
• Easy to care for. For cleaning it is enough to use simple soapy water and a soft cloth. There is no need to be afraid of corrosion. Modern alloys are quite resistant to moisture.

The main disadvantage of metal furniture items is the rather high price. We are talking about stylish, compact products.

Glass

Glass furniture is becoming increasingly popular among buyers and interior designers

Relatively recently, glass was used only in the form of individual elements in furniture production. Shelves, doors, mirrors, doors were made from it. Today, the scope of glass application has expanded significantly. It is used to make full-fledged products for the home. Glass tables, shelves, and cabinets have taken their rightful place in home, office, and work interiors.

Glass is usually combined with various materials

They have many positive characteristics.

One of them is a visual increase in space. This function is especially important when decorating small, irregularly shaped rooms. Another plus is the airiness and lightness of the products. They create the effect of weightlessness. The products do not overload the space and allow pleasant sunlight to pass through. The glass is quite durable and absolutely safe for health.

Glass furniture is a comfortable piece of stylish furnishings

Of course, glass tables, chairs, and other items have weaknesses. Their main problem is instability to mechanical damage. A heavy load, a sharp blow, or a fall from a great height can completely destroy a beautiful structure.

Original designer furniture, made of impact-resistant frosted glass

Stone

Elegant office table for negotiations made of natural stone

This is the brightest, most original of all furniture materials. Various artificial types of stone are used in production. They make excellent benches for the garden, stunning countertops, practical bar counters, and reliable window sills.

Folk style marble table with handmade ceramic mosaic tiles

The stone has a number of advantages.

• Health safety. This is a very important criterion when choosing any household items for the home. The stone is non-toxic and does not release harmful substances into the air.
• High hygiene. The surface of the products is always monolithic. It will not absorb dirt, grease, or foreign odors. For this reason, stone countertops and bar counters are quite often purchased for the kitchen and dining room.
• High resistance to mechanical damage. It is difficult to cause significant damage to a stone structure. This requires serious effort. If a scratch appears, it can be easily removed.

Chic garden furniture made of stone

The most significant disadvantage of the stone is its high price. Ordinary family stone countertops, garden benches will not be affordable.

A unique coffee table made of stone will add zest to any interior.

Plastic

Multi-colored plastic chairs in a modern style

This artificial material, widely used in the production of various household items. It makes practical, cheap, lightweight furniture. It is usually purchased for use in bathrooms and restrooms. Can often be found in cafes, summer cottages. Everywhere she looks organic.

Plastic garden furniture is affordable and comfortable

Plastic chairs and tables are not afraid of harsh weather. They do not lose their original appearance even after frequent exposure to moisture and water. It is easy to build a structure of any shape from plastic. The production process does not require large investments and is technologically simple.

Light plastic furniture

This material has few disadvantages: it is very fragile, has an unattractive appearance, and does not last long. However, today more advanced types of plastic have been developed. They lack the listed disadvantages and are more expensive.

Original plastic chairs for outdoor or indoor use

Timber industry waste

Types of materials used to make furniture

Everyone knows - for the manufacture of cabinet furniture the best material is a tree. Solid wood It has whole line advantages. It looks amazing, lasts a long time, and has a beneficial effect on people's health. Such products are in great demand, despite the high price. However, time is rapidly passing, and the area of ​​forests is inexorably becoming smaller. For this reason, timber industry waste has been actively used in the production of furniture structures. Sawdust, shavings, and other raw materials are used to make practical, reliable material of various qualities. Let's look at the general advantages and disadvantages of the slabs in the table.

Features of using chipboard

Chipboard sheets for the production of inexpensive furniture

These boards are often used for the production of cabinet furniture in the budget category. Thanks to their appearance, the furniture industry has become accessible to a wide range of consumers. Tables and cabinets made of chipboard are inexpensive and have a fairly attractive design. Another advantage of the slabs is the availability of a wide variety of models. This allows you to design rooms in different style directions, provides design freedom even at low cost. Chipboards can last a long time if used properly.

Among the weaknesses of chipboard, experts note their toxicity. It is especially acute during moments of heating. Chipboard structures should not be installed near radiators or any heating devices. Such a mistake will cost too much. When heated, chipboards will begin to release formaldehydes and phenols. They will have a detrimental effect on human health. Another significant disadvantage is the impossibility of creating extraordinary, curved parts. This negatively affects the interior and makes it look standard.

Chipboard furniture set for living room

laminated chipboard

Laminated chipboards have a wide color scheme and longer service life

Chipboards have shown low resistance to mechanical damage and do not have a stylish appearance. To improve these parameters, the slabs were lined with a special coating. The coating allows you to imitate different types of wood. This makes the finished slabs much more attractive. Also, a special coating has improved resistance to damage. Such cabinet furniture lasts longer and retains its original appearance throughout its entire service life.

Another advantage of laminated chipboard– resistance to changes temperature regime. Due to this, the slabs are used for the manufacture kitchen sets, cabinets, accessories. The headsets are light, beautiful, and relatively inexpensive. There are not many disadvantages of laminated chipboard, but they are quite significant.

• Impossibility of fine processing. Furniture designs sometimes come out the same type, have clear boundaries, straight lines (like chipboard). It is impossible to make something unusual from such raw materials. This limits design possibilities.
• Contains harmful resins. It is not recommended to purchase products made from laminated chipboard for a children's room; they should not be installed next to active heat.

Corner children's wardrobe made of laminated chipboard

Fiberboard: pros, cons

Fibreboards are suitable for the back walls of furniture made of chipboard or MDF

Fiberboard is made from wood waste that is subjected to high grinding. The manufacturing process is quite simple and does not require complex equipment or the investment of huge sums. There are two production methods.

1. Dry. During the process, resins are added and pressing is carried out at high temperatures.
2. Wet. The process occurs without adding additional substances.

Fiberboard can hardly be called a full-fledged raw material for furniture production. It's quite difficult to put together. For this reason, fiberboard is used to create rear walls and bottoms. Typically, raw materials are used in combination with chipboard. Then you get a fairly reliable, inexpensive, functional design. Many people call fiberboard pressed cardboard. It really does resemble cardboard in appearance. It's just as cheap.

MDF

MDF panels are used both for making furniture and for interior work.

The most practical good material for furniture production is MDF. It is created from very small shavings and sawdust. Its main difference is absolute safety for humans. The raw materials contain no harmful resins or substances. Lignin acts as a binder. This is a natural substance that is safe for human health. It is found in the intercellular substance of natural wood. It is safety that has become the main reason for the high popularity of MDF.

Another important advantage of MDF is its unlimited design possibilities. It is easily made into various shapes and creates attractive curves. This is important for creating an individual, unique interior of a living space. Water resistance and high strength are other significant advantages of MDF. It will last a long time and can be used in rooms with high humidity. The main disadvantages are the high price, fire hazard, and the ban on partial restoration. It is impossible to replace a damaged part of MDF. Instead, you will have to purchase a new product. This is expensive for a family with little income.

Beautiful bedroom set from MDF

Plywood

Plywood is a safe, inexpensive material for making homemade furniture

For the manufacture of furniture, basic materials (wood, chipboard, etc.) and auxiliary materials are used. Plywood belongs to the second group. They make it out of it rear surfaces cabinets, sides of drawers, cheap utility shelves. The plywood production process is simple: craftsmen glue together several sheets of veneer. The material is durable, easy to process, clean, and safe for others. But the properties of plywood are not enough for its use as the main raw material in the furniture industry.

Original budget kitchen made of plywood

Video: Materials for furniture production. Plywood. Chipboard Furniture board.

Furniture is necessary to create comfort, coziness and convenience. These items are found in every home and it is impossible to imagine the life of a modern person without them. To create these necessary items, materials are used that are reliable and long-lasting, environmentally friendly and safe. No less important is quality such as strength. In addition, the cost of a modern furniture set directly depends on the material from which the structure was made.

Main materials used

The most commonly used material for furniture is wood. But there are furniture sets made of metal and glass, plastic or combinations thereof. The basis for the manufacture of furniture structures is wood or its materials obtained as a result of processing. Among them are:

• melamine;
• postforming;
• veneer;
• array.

All of them are used in the production of furniture. These are fibreboards or particle boards. These furniture materials are similar in their basic qualities, but they also have many differences. The places and methods of their application differ. For example, natural wood has become widespread when creating furnishings in children's rooms, schools and preschool institutions.

Office furniture is assembled from chipboard or MDF, which are more suitable for the manufacture of sets intended for use under heavy load conditions. Modern artificial furniture materials are resistant to mechanical damage and exposure to negative environments. Such qualities are ensured by the fact that new technologies are used in the manufacture of furniture from lumber, allowing them to withstand high humidity or shock.

Chipboard used in furniture production is covered with a special film. This decorative coating can be laminated or melamine. The difference between films that increase the strength of wood boards lies in the percentage of melamine resin. In one case it is 20%, and in the other – 60%. It is this component that affects the heat resistance, impact resistance and moisture resistance of the material used for the manufacture of furniture structures.

Types of wood boards

The cost of furniture depends on the quality of the wood taken for its manufacture. Natural wood has a high degree of resistance to negative impacts, mechanical damage, humidity and temperature changes. Solid furniture structures are made from natural wood. As for cabinet furniture, the most suitable materials for its manufacture are wood panels obtained after processing wood.

Fiberboard is a material for furniture, the creation process of which requires dried wood fibers treated with special substances that act as binders. The layer-by-layer laying of fibers resembles the weaving of a carpet in its structure.

This material in the manufacture of cabinet and modular furniture is used only after the process of hot pressing and application of the finishing (decorative) melamine coating or veneer. The cost of MDF is several times higher than the price of chipboard, but in terms of its qualities (strength and wear resistance) this material is better than others.

Chipboard, the positive quality of which (unlike natural wood) is the absence of knots and other defects. There are no internal voids or cracks in the chipboard. In order to make this material for furniture, sawdust and shavings are mixed with glue. After this, they are pressed and, after waiting for complete drying, they are sanded. The strength of the boards is given by melamine paper or veneer.

Chipboard is widely used in the manufacture of office furniture, educational institutions, public receptions. Finished structures have high strength, moisture resistance, resistance to aggressive environments and temperature changes.

Laminated chipboard. This stove is present in every home. Furniture structures and flooring, it can be seen as decoration on walls and ceilings. The surface of laminated chipboard is highly durable and resistant to mechanical damage.

The coating is created by applying a laminated film, which is a type of paper-resin film created on the basis of thermosetting polymers. This coating provides the material with reliable protection and guarantees a long service life in areas with high traffic or high humidity levels. Resistance to moisture can only be ensured if the laminated surface is free of chips and scratches.

This furniture material is better known as hardboard. Lightweight, durable and easy to process. Holds self-tapping screws and screws quite firmly. Used for the manufacture of back walls of cabinet furniture as cladding for wood frames. It was used in this way because of its fragility and fragility.

To create the chipboard and fiber material used in furniture production, certain types of wood are required. Wooden furniture helps create comfort in a room, guarantees the safety of owners, and can withstand a variety of loads and negative influences. Before choosing such furniture, you need to clarify what kind of wood it is made of.

Important qualities of wood used to make furniture are strength, environmental friendliness and durability. Wood is selected according to several criteria:

• texture and pattern;
• coloristics;
• hardness;
• strength;
• moisture resistance.

For example, soft woods include birch, alder and pine. They are easy to process, but can hardly withstand minor mechanical damage. Oak, walnut, cherry or beech are medium-hard woods. Maple and most exotic woods are considered hard.

If we talk about color, then light textures include birch, pine, maple, and ash. Darker are oak, larch and cedar; the darkest are walnut, wenge, and rosewood. To make furniture from solid natural wood, you should not choose species with a pronounced pattern.

Furniture is most often made from wood with a medium-expressed pattern:

• cherry;
• ash;
• maple.

Particular attention should be paid to such characteristics as moisture resistance. Wood of high hardness and strength may not withstand high humidity. Furniture made from it quickly loses its attractiveness and breaks down.

Using coating for furniture material

Designed and created to protect wood different kinds coverings. Before pressing, all types of chipboard chips are processed chemicals, acting as binders. For the manufacture of furniture, they choose materials made without the use of formaldehyde resins, since during operation such slabs emit harmful fumes.

The quality and features of the decorative coating affect not only the cost of the chipboard used to make furniture, but also its visual appeal, durability, and strength.

Laminating

This is the fixation of special paper on the chipboard surface, which is later embossed or varnished. Furniture with such a coating can be installed in the living room or bedroom, but will quickly lose its attractiveness and become unusable if placed in places with high traffic or humidity.

Melamine coating or artificial veneer

It has a fairly high level of strength and wear resistance. Resistant to aggressive environments, high and low temperatures, and humidity. Treatment of wood chips with melamine and formaldehyde resins increases the wear resistance of the coating several times, making it possible to make kitchen and bathroom cabinet facades and countertops from such boards.

One of the highest quality, durable and reliable coatings. Due to the application of a film created on the basis of melamine resins, the chipboard becomes several times stronger. Such materials are widely used in assembly kitchen furniture, sets for hallways, offices, children's rooms. home distinguishing feature laminated surface - a structure, the features of which depend on the class of the laminate. CPL class material is absolutely smooth, and HPL class products, made using high pressure, have a surface that imitates stone or wood.

Designed for making furniture with rounded corners. Its base is plastic, made of paper and plasticizer. This material perfectly retains the shape that the master gives it using heat.

Veneering

Furniture veneering is the process of gluing a sheet of natural wood onto a chipboard surface. This coating guarantees high level strength, visual appeal, resistance to minor mechanical damage.

The processing method and the chosen coating for wood panels used in the production of furniture play an important role in giving the finished product the most desired qualities.

Rules for choosing finished furniture products

When choosing furniture, it is important to clarify not only the features of the coating, but also the source material from which the chipboard is made. This choice is based on the characteristics of the upcoming operation and the installation location of the furniture structure. A living room set may not be highly resistant to temperature changes or wear-resistant, but furniture for a kitchen or hallway must be truly durable.

Beautiful, strong, durable furniture made from solid natural wood is very attractive, but such a set is expensive, and not every consumer is able to purchase it. Veneered products would be an excellent alternative. Externally, they are not much different from natural wood and in terms of performance they are not inferior to the most durable wood.

A budget option is chipboard or laminated chipboard, but these materials can guarantee the owner long-term use of the furniture with careful handling and proper use. When choosing furniture, it is important to know what kind of wood was used in the manufacture of chipboard, the degree of their moisture resistance, the level permissible load and warranty period.