Features of furniture facades from MDF, types of coatings and important nuances
Each owner dreams of a cozy room design, but wooden furniture is expensive and hard to care for. Board sets are not always paintable. To the fans of unusual interiors come furniture facades from MDF. This is a great way to place interesting pieces of furniture in the kitchen or in the room. Manufacturers offer the owners to purchase products of different colors and shapes, thanks to this, anyone can create a perfect home environment.
Advantages and disadvantages
There is nothing perfect in this world, and furniture facades from MDF are no exception. They have their positive and negative sides, which you must familiarize yourself with before buying furniture. First of all, each owner looks at the advantages of the material, they must be presented by the manufacturer, so it is not difficult to find out the required information:
- The material does not emit odors and can be found in any room;
- Furniture from MDF panels is not afraid of fungi, microorganisms and other biological threats;
- Low cost of material;
- Unlike natural wood, MDF is able to withstand temperature extremes and high humidity. Material will not crack and collapse for a long time;
- Simplicity of production of elements of a bent form.
The disadvantages of the material are much smaller, but they are still present. When ordering furniture, it should be remembered that the material is less durable than a solid mass of wood, and the coating, even of high quality, can eventually peel off at the corners.
Wooden furniture looks expensive, it can talk about the welfare of the owners of the house, but it is undesirable to place wood products in the kitchen. In a humid environment with a constant temperature difference, the elements will quickly become unusable.
For use in rooms with adverse environments, MDF panels are excellent. Furniture from MDF can be located in any part of the apartment, it is a universal material that looks good in all rooms. Thanks to high-quality coatings, the surface easily imitates natural wood.
Varieties
Each MDF panel is a chipboard. Sawdust is connected to each other by lignin - this is a substance released by wood when it is heated to high temperatures. Phenol-formaldehyde resins harmful to humans are not involved in the production of the product. The factories produce panels of various sizes and shapes, they may differ in thickness or the presence of decorative elements, but the division into types occurs depending on the coating:
- Laminated MDF is a plate covered with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film. Manufactured materials can be of various shades. Of all types of coating, PVC is the most resistant to mechanical damage, is not afraid of accidental scratches, bumps and chips;
- High-gloss film - the choice of colors for this coating is limited, but at the same time includes enough shades to decorate the room. The coating during application envelops the front side of the plate and its edges. The film is perfectly smooth, without seams. Glossy material is very durable, but due to the high reflectivity on the surface, fingerprints and small defects are clearly visible;
- High gloss enamel means the largest selection of shades of the coating. The furniture facade is painted in several stages. First, the surface is covered with a thin layer of primer, after which MDF furniture facades are manually painted;
- Natural veneer - MDF facades are very similar to natural wood, they can be used when designing furniture in a classic style;
- Bent elements are made to order according to individual sizes.
The color scheme allows you to make absolutely any furniture, details are custom-made, which allows the owner to easily create a unique interior at home.
LaminatedHigh gloss filmHigh gloss enamelNatural veneerBentWhat insertions can be made
It is very uncomfortable to be in a room with furniture, whose facades are painted in the same color. It “presses” people and seems very dimensional. To avoid this, use a variety of inserts. Facades in this case are made of MDF profile, located around the perimeter of the future element. The desired element is inserted into the profile groove. The standard groove size is 8 mm. If a designer needs to use a smaller insert, then a special sealant is used to help tightly fix all parts of the structure. There are several types of inserts that allow you to create original facades for furniture:
- MDF inserts - the inner part enclosed in profiles completely repeats their color and texture. The element is used together with other inserts and allows the closed part not to get out of the general design;
- Glass frames can be placed in the frame facades. The furniture set will become much more interesting. Depending on the desire of the owners, choose film, transparent or patterned glass. The fragile part is secured with a silicone seal. Thus, showcases of any size and shape are created;
- Fans of bright colors can choose frame facades with MDF inserts, with bright coatings: matte, glossy, metallized, structural. The choice of coating options in this case is limited only by the imagination of the designer;
- Inserts from materials unusual for cabinet furniture look like tapestry or leather. Both of them are incredibly durable, and for a long time will not lose their original appearance. Each product wears the most on the faces, and in this case they are covered with a frame made of MDF and the service life of the textile material is very high.
Quality and selection criteria
The first step in choosing MDF panels is to determine the required dimensions. Sometimes you can immediately choose the elements from the parts presented in the store, but most often each part of the furniture set is separately ordered at the factory. Wood fiber boards are made according to GOST 20400-80. The document is subject to slight deviations:
- Almost imperceptible risks up to 8 mm long can be located under the film;
- A metallic effect film may contain microspots and small stripes. This is due to its properties;
- The direction of the texture can be skewed up to 5 mm;
- Under the film, the manifestation of the texture of the wood slab is allowed;
- On the surface, small chips, embedded in a suitable color material, may be located;
- Technological openings on the wrong side are allowed. Their size cannot exceed 6 mm, should be no more than 3 per 0.3 square meters.
List of invalid defects:
- Any wrinkles of the film;
- The presence of foreign particles under it;
- Bubbles
- Scratches. Their length cannot exceed 50 mm;
- Dents;
- Milling defects (chips, ribbing, waves at the edge);
- Any peeling of the coating or the wrong side;
- Not completely cut foam;
- Slip coating;
- Defects of grinding: worn parts, scratches;
- Folds at the corners of complex products;
- Difference of shades on different parts of furniture;
- Glue residues located anywhere on the part;
- Whitening film on corners and edges.
To choose the perfect panel, before buying you need to look at each copy and, if necessary, order a reissue.
Care Rules
After purchase and installation, furniture sets look great, but for a long time to maintain their original appearance, you need to properly care for them:
- MDF panels do not tolerate temperatures below +10 and above +40 degrees;
- Permanent strong moisture differences can adversely affect the strength characteristics of furniture;
- The paint or film on which the boards are coated must be washed regularly. To do this, use a mild soap solution, non-aggressive cleaning agents. But during cleaning you can not use a large amount of water;
- In addition, there are specialized tools that are designed specifically for MDF. Usually they are available as a spray. Spray the composition onto a contaminated surface. Take a soft, lint-free cloth and wipe the surface dry. Repeat if necessary.
Compliance with tips for choosing quality furniture and subsequent proper care will help extend the life of the products.