Fiberboard

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Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and hardboard Fibreboard 07877.jpg
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and hardboard

Fiberboard (American English) or fibreboard (British English) is a type of engineered wood product that is made out of wood fibers. Types of fiberboard (in order of increasing density) include particle board or low-density fiberboard (LDF), medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and hardboard or high-density fiberboard (HDF).

Contents

It is sometimes used as a synonym for particle board, but particle board usually refers to low-density fiberboard. Plywood is not a type of fiberboard, as it is made of thin sheets of wood, not wood fibers or particles. Fiberboard, particularly medium-density fiberboard, is heavily used in the furniture industry. For pieces that will be visible, a veneer of wood is often glued onto fiberboard to give it the appearance of conventional wood.

In the packaging industry, the term "fiberboard" is often used to describe a tough kraft-based paperboard or corrugated fiberboard for boxes. [1]

"Fiberboard" is also an intermediate product, an output of a pulp mill used as input for a paper mill.

Manufacture

Fiberboard manufacture begins with wood chipping: fresh or recycled wood material is cut and sorted to small pieces of similar size. Chips are washed to remove things such as dirt and sand. Metal scraps such as nails can be removed with a magnet placed over a conveyor belt on which the chips move forward. In the case of, for example, MDF (medium density fiberboard) and not particle board, chips are then steamed to soften them for defibration. Small amount of paraffin wax is added to the steamed chips and they are transformed into fluffy fibers in a defibrator and soon afterwards sprayed with adhesives such as urea-formaldehyde (UF) or Phenol formaldehyde resin (PF). Wax prevents fibers from clumping together during storage. Chips in the case of particle board are also sprayed with a suitable adhesive before the next steps. Fibers or chips are arranged into a uniform "mat" on a conveyor belt. This mat is pre-compressed and then hot-pressed. Hot-pressing activates the adhesive and glues the fibers or chips together. Board is then cooled, trimmed, sanded and maybe veneered or laminated.

UF resins are dominantly used in the MDF industry because of their low cost and fast curing characteristics. [2] However, pressures on the use of UF resins are mounting steadily due to potential problems associated with formaldehyde emission. [3] On the other hand, PF resins are more durable and do not emit formaldehyde after cure. The industry has traditionally shied away from using PF resins due primarily to their higher cost and much slower curing rate than UF resins. However, the press times for PF-bonded fiberboard can be substantially reduced by manipulating the fiber mat temperatures, molecular weight distribution of PF resins and pressing parameters. As a result, the press times for PF-bonded fiberboard can be made comparable to those for UF-bonded fiberboard. Also, the resin content required for PF-bonded fiberboard is less than 5% to achieve a good board quickly. This is considerably lower than that required for UF-bonded fiberboard.

Certain types of fiberboard can be considered "green" building products. Consisting of bio-based, secondary raw materials (wood chip or sugarcane fibers) recovered from within 100 miles (160 km) of manufacturing facilities, the binding agent used in this type of fiberboard is an all-natural product, consisting of vegetable starch containing no added formaldehydes.

Use

Fiberboard, classified by ASTM C208, Standard Specification for Cellulosic Fiber Insulating Board, [4] has many benefits and is used in residential and commercial construction.

Applications include:

Fiberboard is also used in the automotive industry to create free-form shapes such as dashboards, rear parcel shelves, and inner door shells. These pieces are usually covered with a skin, foil, or fabric such as cloth, suede, leather, or polyvinyl chloride.

RSI Direct, a bi-weekly e-newsletter covering the roofing, siding and insulation industries, [5] promotes the use of fiberboard as a coverboard in roof systems:

More than two billion square feet of this product have been installed in the U.S. roofing market. [ citation needed ]

Recycle

Currently, there is no commercially available method to recycle fibreboard, and landfilling and burning for energy are the main disposal methods. [6]

The challenges of recycling fibreboard include:

See also

Related Research Articles

Flooring is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor, or for the work of installing such a floor covering. Floor covering is a term to generically describe any finish material applied over a floor structure to provide a walking surface. Both terms are used interchangeably but floor covering refers more to loose-laid materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engineered wood</span> Range of derivative wood products engineered for uniform and predictable structural performance

Engineered wood, also called mass timber, composite wood, man-made wood, or manufactured board, includes a range of derivative wood products which are manufactured by binding or fixing the strands, particles, fibres, or veneers or boards of wood, together with adhesives, or other methods of fixation to form composite material. The panels vary in size but can range upwards of 64 by 8 feet and in the case of cross-laminated timber (CLT) can be of any thickness from a few inches to 16 inches (410 mm) or more. These products are engineered to precise design specifications, which are tested to meet national or international standards and provide uniformity and predictability in their structural performance. Engineered wood products are used in a variety of applications, from home construction to commercial buildings to industrial products. The products can be used for joists and beams that replace steel in many building projects. The term mass timber describes a group of building materials that can replace concrete assemblies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oriented strand board</span> Engineered wood particle board

Oriented strand board (OSB) is a type of engineered wood, formed by adding adhesives and then compressing layers of wood strands (flakes) in specific orientations. It was invented by Armin Elmendorf in California in 1963. OSB may have a rough and variegated surface with the individual strips of around 2.5 cm × 15 cm, lying unevenly across each other, and is produced in a variety of types and thicknesses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medium-density fibreboard</span> Engineered wood product

Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product made by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibre, often in a defibrator, combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming it into panels by applying high temperature and pressure. MDF is generally denser than plywood. It is made up of separated fibre but can be used as a building material similar in application to plywood. It is stronger and denser than particle board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thermosetting polymer</span> Polymer obtained by irreversibly hardening (curing) a resin

In materials science, a thermosetting polymer, often called a thermoset, is a polymer that is obtained by irreversibly hardening ("curing") a soft solid or viscous liquid prepolymer (resin). Curing is induced by heat or suitable radiation and may be promoted by high pressure or mixing with a catalyst. Heat is not necessarily applied externally, and is often generated by the reaction of the resin with a curing agent. Curing results in chemical reactions that create extensive cross-linking between polymer chains to produce an infusible and insoluble polymer network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masonite</span> Engineered wood made of steamed and pressure-molded fibers

Masonite, also called Quartboard or pressboard, is a type of engineered wood made of steam-cooked and pressure-molded wood or paper fibers. The fibers form a stiff, dense material in a range of weights.

Pressed wood, also known as presswood, is any engineered wood building and furniture construction material made from wood shavings and particles, sawdust or wood fibers bonded together with an adhesive under heat and pressure. This makes it different from densified wood, which is solid wood that has been compressed to increase its strength and possibly modify other properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baseboard</span> Lowest part of an interior wall

In architecture, a baseboard is usually wooden, MDF or vinyl board covering the lowest part of an interior wall. Its purpose is to cover the joint between the wall surface and the floor. It covers the uneven edge of flooring next to the wall; protects the wall from kicks, abrasion, and furniture; and can serve as a decorative molding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Particle board</span> Glued wood product

Particle board, also known as particleboard or chipboard, is an engineered wood product, belonging to the wood-based panels, manufactured from wood chips and a synthetic, mostly formaldehyde based resin or other suitable binder, which is pressed under a hot press, batch- or continuous- type, and produced. Particle board is often confused with oriented strand board, a different type of fiberboard that uses machined wood flakes and offers more strength.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hardboard</span> Type of fiberboard (engineered wood product)

Hardboard, also called high-density fiberboard (HDF), is a type of fiberboard, which is a pressed wood or engineered wood product. It is used in furniture and in the construction industry.

Urea-formaldehyde (UF), also known as urea-methanal, so named for its common synthesis pathway and overall structure, is a nontransparent thermosetting resin or polymer. It is produced from urea and formaldehyde. These resins are used in adhesives, plywood, particle board, medium-density fibreboard (MDF), and molded objects. In agriculture, urea-formaldehyde compounds are one of the most commonly used types of slow-release fertilizer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powder coating</span> Type of coating applied as a free-flowing, dry powder

Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. Unlike conventional liquid paint, which is delivered via an evaporating solvent, powder coating is typically applied electrostatically and then cured under heat or with ultraviolet light. The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermosetting polymer. It is usually used to create a thick, tough finish that is more durable than conventional paint. Powder coating is mainly used for coating of metal objects, particularly those subject to rough use. Advancements in powder coating technology like UV-curable powder coatings allow for other materials such as plastics, composites, carbon fiber, and medium-density fibreboard (MDF) to be powder coated, as little heat or oven dwell time is required to process them.

Wood glue is an adhesive used to tightly bond pieces of wood together. Many substances have been used as glues. Traditionally animal proteins like casein from milk or collagen from animal hides and bones were boiled down to make early glues. They worked by solidifying as they dried. Later, glues were made from plant starches like flour or potato starch. When combined with water and heated, the starch gelatinizes and forms a sticky paste as it dries. Plant-based glues were common for books and paper products, though they can break down more easily over time compared to animal-based glues. Examples of modern wood glues include polyvinyl acetate (PVA) and epoxy resins. Some resins used in producing composite wood products may contain formaldehyde. As of 2021, “the wood panel industry uses almost 95% of synthetic petroleum-derived thermosetting adhesives, mainly based on urea, phenol, and melamine, among others”.

Cement-bonded wood fiber is a composite material manufactured throughout the world. It is made from wood, chipped into a specially graded aggregate that is then mineralized and combined with Portland cement. Combination of wood and cement paste has been shown to result in a degradation (hydrolysis) of wood components, namely hemicellulose and lignin.

William H. Mason was an American research engineer and inventor, who developed in 1924 the Masonite process, by which wood is converted in fibers and subsequently into fibreboards without the use of any resin.

Deinking is the industrial process of removing printing ink from paperfibers of recycled paper to make deinked pulp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardboard</span> Heavy-duty paper of various strengths

Cardboard is a generic term for heavy paper-based products. The construction can range from a thick paper known as paperboard to corrugated fiberboard which is made of multiple plies of material. Natural cardboards can range from grey to light brown in color, depending on the specific product; dyes, pigments, printing, and coatings are available.

Impregnation resins are slightly viscous, organic liquids that are used in the forest products industry for wood modification. They typically contain formaldehyde and are composed of dimers and trimers of the main molecule. These can become polymer solutions upon curing inside of a wood substrate, imparting stabilizing properties. Impregnation of these resins involves a vacuum chamber procedure that completely disperses the resin into the wood. Once inside of the wood, the resin can diffuse into the cell wall and enhance the physical strength of the wood even further.

Solenis, formerly Ashland Water Technologies, is an American manufacturer of specialty chemicals for the pulp, paper, oil and gas, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power and municipal markets. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, in the United States, the company operates 71 manufacturing facilities located around the globe in 130 countries and more than 15,000 employees. Its product portfolio includes a variety of process, functional and water treatment chemistries, as well as monitoring and control systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natural Fibre Board</span>

Natural Fibre Board (NFB), or otherwise natural fibreboard or natural fiberboard, is a registered European trademark representing wood fibre boards produced without the use of binding agents, for instance, formaldehyde-based resins or other synthetic resins.

References

  1. Soroka, W (2008). Illustrated Glossary of Packaging Terms. Institute of Packaging Professionals. p. 81. ISBN   978-1-930268-27-2.
  2. Mantanis, George I.; Athanassiadou, Eleftheria Th.; Barbu, Marius C.; Wijnendaele, Kris (2018-03-15). "Adhesive systems used in the European particleboard, MDF and OSB industries". Wood Material Science & Engineering. 13 (2): 104–116. doi:10.1080/17480272.2017.1396622. ISSN   1748-0272.
  3. "Formaldehyde in indoor air of new apartments in Greece" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-12-24. by George Mantanis, Eleni Vouli, Chariclea Gonitsioti and Georgios Ntalos; Presentation at the COST Action E49 Conference “Measurement and Control of VOC Emissions from Wood-Based Panels”, 28-30 Nov. 2007, WKI, Braunschweig, Germany
  4. "C208 Standard Specification for Cellulosic Fiber Insulating Board]". ASTM.
  5. Russo, M. (1 November 2001)."Coverboards enhance roof system performance", RSI Direct.
  6. Zimmer, André; Angie Lunelli Bachmann, Suyanne (2023-09-15). "Challenges for recycling medium-density fiberboard (MDF)". Results in Engineering. 19: 101277. doi: 10.1016/j.rineng.2023.101277 .