Medium density fibreboard (MDF)

The material got its start in the United States in 1966, at a plant in upstate New York. As it became clear that making MDF offered a far better use of residual wood than disposing of it, production soared. It is today produced and consumed worldwide and is internationally traded. It is now in a phase of the product life cycle where cyclical factors are determining market supply and demand balances, prices, and profitability. Today there are some 27 plants in the US and Canada, and more than 100 worldwide. Recently the industry has expanded its use of recovered materials to include agricultural by-products such as wheat straw and post-consumer recycled wood.

Medium density fibreboard (MDF) is a composite panel product typically consisting of cellulose fibres combined with a synthetic resin or other suitable bonding system and joined together under heat and pressure. Additives may be introduced during manufacturing to impart additional characteristics.

The surface of MDF is flat, smooth, uniform, dense and free of knots and grain patterns. The homogeneous density profile of MDF allows intricate and precise machining and finishing techniques for superior finished products. Trim waste is significantly reduced when using MDF compared to other substrates. Stability and strength are important assets of MDF, which can be machined into complex patterns that require precise tolerances.

MDF is widely used in the manufacturing of furniture, kitchen cabinets, door parts, mouldings, millwork and c laminate flooring. MDF panels are manufactured with a variety of physical properties and dimensions suited to the design of the end product. Common end products include doors, jambs, millwork, edge shaping and machining, embossing, laminate flooring, laminating and finishing, moulding, office and residential furniture, panelling and store fixtures.