- Density
- About 650 kg/m³
- Stability
- High
- Relative cost
- Low
- Target moisture
- About 5 to 10 percent as shipped, typical, depending on the mill and grade
Materials / Panel
Particleboard: Melamine Faces, Grades and How to Specify It
The lowest cost wood panel, made of wood chips and resin. Faced with melamine, it is the standard material for flat-pack furniture, cabinet boxes and office furniture.
Particleboard, also called chipboard, is made from wood chips, shavings and sawdust mixed with a synthetic resin and pressed into panels under heat. Fine particles go to the faces and coarser chips to the core, so the surface is smooth enough for laminating while the panel stays light and cheap. Much of the raw material is sawmill residue and recycled wood.
On its own, particleboard is rarely seen. Most of it is sold faced with melamine paper, called TFL (thermally fused laminate) in North America and MFC (melamine faced chipboard) in Europe and Asia. Melamine faced board comes in solid colors, wood grain prints and textured finishes. It is cut, edge banded and drilled into flat-pack furniture, kitchen and bath cabinet boxes, wardrobes, office desks and shelving.
Its limits are screw holding, edge strength and water. Particleboard holds screws in the face reasonably well but poorly in the edge, it chips if machined without the right tooling and it swells permanently when water gets past the face or edge banding. Good designs work around these with knock-down fittings, edge banding on every exposed edge and grades made for humid rooms.
Properties
| Density | About 600 to 700 kg/m³, typical. Faces are denser than the core. |
| Typical thicknesses | 9, 12, 15, 16, 18, 22, 25 and 30 mm. 16 and 18 mm are the most common for furniture and cabinets. |
| Sheet sizes | 1220 x 2440 mm typical. Also 1830 x 2440 mm and 2070 x 2800 mm in many melamine ranges. |
| Emission classes | TSCA Title VI and CARB Phase 2 (US, 0.09 ppm for particleboard), E1 or E0 (EU and Asia), F4-star (Japan). NAF and ULEF options exist. |
| Screw holding | Fair in the face, weak in the edge. Use panel screws, dowels, cam fittings or confirmat screws in pre-drilled holes. |
| Moisture behavior | Swells in thickness when wet and does not recover. Edges and drilled holes are the weak points. Moisture resistant grades swell less. |
| Bending strength | Lower than MDF and plywood. Long shelves sag under load unless thicker, shorter or supported. |
Typical published values for wood at about 12 percent moisture. Individual boards and panels vary.
Grades and classes
Face quality, core and emission class change the price more than thickness does. Name them on the RFQ.
- P2, interior furniture grade (EN 312)Non-load-bearing board for interior fitments in dry conditions. The usual grade for furniture and cabinets in Europe.
- P3, humid conditions (EN 312)Non-load-bearing board for humid conditions. Used for kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Often dyed green, though color codes vary by mill.
- P4 to P7, load-bearing grades (EN 312)Load-bearing boards for dry or humid conditions. Used for flooring and structural uses, not usually for furniture.
- M grades (ANSI A208.1)North American industrial grades, such as M-2 and M-3, defined by density and strength. Used for furniture and cabinet panels.
- Melamine faced board (TFL, MFC)Particleboard faced with resin impregnated paper. Specify the decor code, the texture and the face on one or both sides.
- Raw boardUnfaced particleboard for laminating, veneering or hidden parts. Sanded faces for laminating.
Where particleboard works
Products and parts where it earns its price, and where another material is the better buy.
Flat-pack furniture
Wardrobes, bookcases, desks and beds assembled with knock-down fittings.
Kitchen and bath cabinet boxes
Melamine faced sides, bottoms and shelves. Use humid grades near sinks.
Office furniture
Desks, storage units and partitions with thick edge banding.
Shelving and closet systems
Melamine shelves with line boring for adjustable supports.
Countertop and tabletop cores
Substrate for high pressure laminate and veneer tops.
Store fixtures
Low cost melamine or laminated parts in dry interiors.
Where it is a poor fit
- Any part exposed to standing water, outdoor use or damp floors. Swelling at the edges is permanent.
- Parts that must be taken apart and reassembled many times. Screw holes wear out quickly.
- Routed profiles, painted edges and carved faces. The coarse core does not machine or paint cleanly. Use MDF.
In the factory
How particleboard behaves in machining, gluing, finishing and drying. These points explain most price and quality differences between quotes.
- MachiningCut melamine board with a scoring blade or a nesting router with compression bits to prevent chipping of the face.
- Edge bandingBand every exposed edge with PVC, ABS, PP or melamine banding, typically 0.4 to 2 mm thick. EVA hot melt is common, PUR or laser edges resist moisture better.
- FasteningUse cam fittings, dowels and confirmat screws in pre-drilled holes. Do not drive screws into edges without a pilot hole.
- DrillingLine boring and hinge cups must be drilled to depth and position to drawing. Holes too close to edges blow out.
At each process step
- 05CNC routingChips easily at edges and does not hold a routed profile. Fine for parts that will be edgebanded or hidden.
- 08Veneering and pressingLow cost core. Needs a fine surface grade to avoid telegraphing and holds screws poorly at the edges.
- 09Joinery and assemblyJoined with dowels, cam locks and connector screws. Holds screws poorly on edges and cannot be reassembled many times.
How to specify particleboard
Example RFQ lines you can adapt.
- Melamine faced particleboard, P2 grade, 18 mm, both sides white matte, TSCA Title VI compliant and CARB Phase 2 labeled.
- P3 moisture resistant particleboard for sink base cabinets, 18 mm, 2 mm PVC edge banding with PUR glue.
- Particleboard core, 25 mm, E1 or better, sanded faces for high pressure laminate.
What to check on samples
Approve one sample in writing and keep it as the reference for every shipment.
- Measured thickness and flatness of panels and finished parts
- Melamine face for chips, scratches and color match to the approved decor sample
- Edge banding adhesion, trimming and glue lines at corners
- Drilled hole position and depth against the drawing
- Emission certificate and label matching the panel grade and mill
- Assembly of a sample unit using your hardware, to check fit and screw holding
Alternatives to particleboard
When price, supply or the use case points elsewhere.
- MDFDenser and smoother. Better for routed profiles, painted parts and doors, at a higher price.
- PlywoodStronger, lighter and much better screw holding. The upgrade for cabinet boxes that need to last.
Products often made in particleboard: panels and veneer, CNC routed parts.
Product lines in particleboard: RTA furniture kits, retail display fixtures.
Questions about particleboard
Related guides:
- MDF vs Plywood vs Particleboard: Choosing a Panel for Wood Products
- Compliance Rules That Apply to Manufactured Wood Products
- Furniture Joinery Types for Production: Dowel, Mortise and Knock-Down
Reference: Wikipedia: Particle board
What is the difference between particleboard and MDF?
Particleboard is made of wood chips, MDF of fine wood fibers. MDF is denser and smoother, so it routes and paints better. Particleboard is lighter and cheaper and is mostly used with a melamine face.
What do TFL and MFC mean?
Both mean particleboard or another panel faced with melamine impregnated paper. TFL, thermally fused laminate, is the North American term. MFC, melamine faced chipboard, is used in Europe and Asia.
What is the formaldehyde limit for particleboard in the US?
Under TSCA Title VI the limit is 0.09 ppm, the same as CARB Phase 2. Panels must be certified by an approved third party, and finished goods must be labeled.
Can particleboard be used in kitchens?
Yes for cabinet boxes, when it is a humid grade such as P3, all edges are banded and the area under the sink is protected. It should never sit in standing water.
How do I stop screws pulling out of particleboard?
Use knock-down fittings, dowels and confirmat screws in pre-drilled holes, keep fasteners away from edges and avoid repeated assembly.
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