WOODWORKING
Chapter 10CONSTRUCTION ALTERNATIVES:
VENEERS, PRESSBOARD, MDF, MASONITE
Introduction:
When selecting wood for a project, it is important to choose the right lumber. For panel construction –used for
large, flat surfaces such as cabinet sides, table tops, flooring, or even door panels - there are construction
alternatives to gluing planks of wood together. Manufactured lumber, such as a veneer or fiberboard panels, is also
an option. The term veneer refers to the process of gluing thin sheets of wood together in layers alternating the
grain direction in each layer. This provides a strong surface with less chance of distorting. Fiberboard, on the other
hand, is created by gluing wood fibers or wood chips together using heat and pressure. Both are typically found in
4 foot by 8 foot sheets of varying thickness. Four types of veneers and fiberboard panels popular today are:
Plywood
MDF
Particleboard, pressboard, or chipboard
Masonite
Plywood:
When constructing a wood project requiring large panels (flat surfaces) you have
many options. But if you plan on staining that project, you only have two: Glue wood
planks together or use plywood. Plywood, by far is the cheaper and more practical way
to go. Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood
veneer, or thin sheets of lumber. Because the outer “visible” veneer can be of any
type of wood you desire (oak, maple, walnut, etc.), you are not limited to the type of
lumber you can use for your project.
Plywood is one of the most widely used wood products today. It is flexible,
inexpensive, workable, and re-usable. It is used instead of plain wood because of its
resistance to cracking, shrinkage, and twisting/warping. Moreover, plywood has a general high degree of strength.
Plywood layers (called veneers) are glued together. Each layer is called a ply. When gluing the plies together,
the grain pattern of each alternating layer is placed at a right angle to the layer before it. This adds to the strength.
There are usually an odd number of plies so that the sheet is balanced—this reduces warping.
Advantages:
- Allows you to keep the wood look of a project.
- Can be stained
- Is strong and resistant to distortions
- Cheaper than wood planks
Disadvantages: - Splinters when routered
- Exposed edges show veneers
- Feathers, sheaves, or splits when screw fasteners are used or when hinges are applied
MDF
If you are constructing a large panel project and do not intend on
staining the project, by far the best choice is to use MDF, medium
density fiberboard.
MDF is an engineered wood product formed by breaking down
hardwood or softwood “left-overs” (the wood material left behind
after milling) into wood fibers. These left-overs are combined with
wax and a resin binder, which are then formed in panels by applying
Unit II: Understanding Wood