HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF WITH THE MDF MEDIUM

Written by Yvan Besnard

THE MDF

								MDF or Medium is a particle board of wood particularly appreciated by woodworkers and furniture industry. Its success comes from the ease with which we work and dimensional stability.

GENERAL

								Those are fiberboard products following a dry process and in which are incorporated amino or phenolic binders. The resin is mainly used urea-formaldehyde, other resins such as melamine urea formaldehyde, phenolic resin and poly methyl di-isocyanate (PMDI) can be used depending on the type of MDF and use.

GENERAL

									The MDF can be made ​​from hardwood (dark color) or softwood (light shade). Most panels are made predominantly with softwood, but some fabrications contain a high percent-age of temperate hardwoods can not be used for other applications, depending on the forest resource avail-able. 

									It is used with a veneer instead of solid wood or other panels derived from wood.

									They cut easily with both hand tools and electrical. It emerges, is getting high, is carved pumice or just as easily.

GENERAL

									It tolerates most of the glues and offers good resistance to screwing. He replaces solid wood in almost all traditional carpentry joints.

									It accepts acrylic paints, glycero matt, gloss, satin or lacquered (reponce surfaces with a 180 grain) and can be stained. The application can be done by brush, roller or spray. 

									For a quality finish, provide an undercoat or primer. It can be varnished or waxed brush as the buffer. It can be cons-bonded or plated with a variety of materials.

PropERtIes

									This is the fiberboard most versatile of all. Its price / quality ratio is very good. It divides the manufacturing costs by 5. It were working very easily with all types of tools for par-ticular as profes-sional. There is no sense of fiber and can be worked out in all directions. It does not break, does not crack, does not split.

									Its cutting without burrs. It is perfectly homogeneous throughout its thickness. This is a material that does not deform under the action of the environment instead of the massif.

propERTIes

									The MDF has two surfaces sanded smooth and accepting directly flat paints or any type of contrecollage.Il can mimic other materials for printing rolls of textured steel.

									It is generally made of wood thinning (wood can not be valued in mass). It is fully recyclable and can be rein-troduced in the production chain.

propERtIes

								The fields of the panels are much more porous than the surface, they absorb more fluids which can create differences in color.

								It is a relatively heavy panel. Without waterproofing, the mediums swell and deform under the action of water. it can not be used outside without an insulating coating on all sides.

								Its fine sanding dust can cause irritation and respiratory problems.

APPLICATIONS

								* Furniture Industry midrange-high end (any part of furniture)

								* Packaging industry

								* Industry of the floor (floor)

								* Partitions

								* Toy Industry

								* Renovation of house

								* Layout of house, store or stand

								* Designer, decorative

								* Storage Boxes

technique

									There are several grades of medium:

									ULDF (Ultra Light Density Fiber) below 550kg/m3: for use only in dry

									LDF (Low Density Fiber) below 650kg/m3: for use only in dry

									MDF (Medium Density Fiber) to 740kg/m3: for use only in dry

									HDF (High Density Fiber) More than 800kg/m3: for use only in dry

									MDF-H: Quality waterproof for use in wet occasional

									MDF-F: medium grooved to make curves and rounded shapes by bending.

techniC

								The quality mark BTC-RH ensures that the MDF with the Label panels meet the requirements for increased resistance to moisture, given in standard EN 622-5.

								 The MEDIUM Panels :

								thickness : 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 22, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60mm

								Sizes : 1,22 x 2,44m - 1,52 x 2,50 m - 1,52 x 3,66 m - 1,85 x 3,66 m

								Pre-cut Sizes : 0,40 x 0,60m - 0,40 x 0,80m - 0,40 x 1,20m, 0,60 x 0,80m, 0,60 x 1,20m - 0,80 x 1,20m

TIPS

								By working the MDF, it is strongly recommended to wear a mask and goggles because of its fine dust.

								Some panels are coated on their surfaces with a thin silicone layer to protect it, which must be sanded before applying a finish.

								The Medium contains formaldehyde suspected to cause allergies and irritations. Panels without the CE cost certainly less expensive but much more relaxed formafdéhydes in your environment.