A rough guide to materials
MDF
What can we say, some hate it but we love it.
Flexible, cheap, machines like a dream
Loads of sizes, loads of types
Exterior, lightweight, Fire rated, Flexi, Veneered, Low formaldehyde, Melamine coated, Laminated.
| A rough guide to sizes and thickness. Some sizes can be hard to come by | |||||||
|
Standard MDF sheet sizes = S Exterior = E Fire rated = F Wood veneered = V |
|||||||
| Length | 2440 | 3050 | 2440 | 2745 | 3050 | 2440 | 3660 |
| Width | 1220 | 1220 | 1525 | 1525 | 1525 | 1830 | 1830 |
| Thickness | |||||||
| 2 mm | S | ||||||
| 2.5 mm | S | ||||||
| 3 mm | S | ||||||
| 3.2mm | S | ||||||
| 4 mm | S | S | |||||
| 6 mm | S E V F | S F | S | ||||
| 9 mm | S E V F | S | S | ||||
| 12 mm | S E V F | S E F V | S | S | S | S | S |
| 15 mm | S E V | S F | S | S | |||
| 18 mm | S E V F | S E V F | S | S | S | S | S |
| 22 mm | S | S | S | ||||
| 25 mm | S V F | S V F | S | S | S | S | S |
| 30 mm | S | S | S | ||||
| 35/36 mm | S | S | |||||
| 38 mm | S | S | |||||
| 45 mm | S | ||||||
| 50 mm | S | ||||||
| 55 mm | S | ||||||
| 60 mm | S | ||||||
There are three main type of plywood
Birch
clean & smooth used for furniture
pine
Used for shuttering
can produce interesting effects
Tropical hardwood
construction, sub frames
the light coloured ply's machine better than the dark reds
as a rule the darker the ply the bigger the splinters.
There are many other types of ply
Plywood - sizes...
Birch ply
|
1.5mm |
|
1500x1500 |
|
|
4mm |
2440 x 1220 |
1500x1500 |
1525x3050 |
|
6.5mm |
2440 x 1220 |
1500x1500 |
1525x3050 |
|
9mm |
2440 x 1220 |
1500x1500 |
1525x3050 |
|
l2mm |
2440 x 1220 |
1500x1500 |
1525x3050 |
|
l5mm |
2440 x 1220 |
1500x1500 |
1525x3050 |
|
l8mm |
2440 x 1220 |
1500x1500 |
1525x3050 |
|
2lmm |
2440 x 1220 |
1500x1500 |
1525x3050 |
|
24mm |
2440 x 1220 |
1500x1500 |
1525x3050 |
MDF, Ply, and Chipboard
can all be laminated
MDF panels can be edged with
great profiles
Laminated panels - sizes...
Panel sizes vary from manufacture to manufacture
most common size is
3050mm x 1220mm
Chipboard...
We don't use much chipboard these days.
The down side for use is can be tough on router cutters.
Any saving in materials can be offset by tool wear.
Lighter and cheaper than MDF chipboard it turns up in the strangest place, almost every acrylic bath & shower tray has a chipboard stiffener in it's base.
Veneered chipboard cuts well & is good for desk tops, furniture, wardrobe doors, loud speakers etc.
Plain chipboard is cheap but does not finish well.
Ok for sub frame work.
Chipboard - sizes...
|
Furniture grade chipboard sheet sizes |
|||||
| Length | 2440 | 3050 | 2440 | 2745 | 3660 |
| Width | 1220 | 1220 | 1830 | 1830 | 1830 |
| Thickness | |||||
| 6 mm | S | ||||
| 8/9 mm | S | S | |||
| 12 mm | S | S | S | S | |
| 15 mm | S | S | S | S | S |
| 18 mm | S | S | S | S | S |
| 22 mm | S | S | S | ||
| 25 mm | S | S | S | ||
| 30 mm | S | S | S | ||
| 38 mm | S | S | S | ||
MFC
Melamine Faced chipboard
comes in a vast range of colours
The most common thickness are
8mm, 12mm,15mm, 18mm, 22mm, 25mm.
Panel sizes vary from manufacture to manufacture
most common sizes are
2800mm x 2070mm, 2600mm x 2070,
2400mm x 1220mm (8 x 4) is unavailable in many sizes
MFC - sizes...
Melamine Faced chipboard
comes in a vast range of colours
The most common thickness are
8mm, 12mm,15mm, 18mm, 22mm, 25mm.
Panel sizes vary from manufacture to manufacture
most common sizes are
2800mm x 2070mm, 2600mm x 2070,
2400mm x 1220mm (8 x 4) is unavailable in many sizes
Plastics...
Acrylic
Polycarbonate
Polypropylene
Polystyrene
Tufnol