Chapter 10

Copyright © 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

Chapter 10

Panel Products


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


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


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


Figure 10-1 Cabinet grade plywood.


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


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


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


Figure 10-4 High-density fiberboard, or hardboard.


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


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


Fiberboard (continued)• Low-density fiberboard

– Not used by cabinetmakers– Primary use is in upholstery industry


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


Particleboard (continued)• Hard on cutting edges of tools• Heavy• Does not hold fasteners well


Figure 10-6 Particleboard.


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


Melamine (continued)• Requires no finishing; resin-saturated paper acts

as a finished surface• Since it has a particleboard core, its disadvan-

tages are same as those of particleboard


Figure 10-7 Melamine.


Advantages and Disadvantages of Panel Products

• Advantages– Stability– Reduced production time in building cabinets– Their use makes good ecological sense


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


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

Chapter 10

Documents

cengage learningfigure

cabinet plywood

panel productscopyright

various panel productsexplain

solid lumber

fasteners wellcopyright

melaminethese products

low densities copyright