Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used extensively as a construction material. It is an organic and natural material. Most cabinets are made from hardwoods. Wood warps easily as its moisture content changes. That’s why it’s important that the wood be finished on all sides before it leaves the factory. Unfinished cabinetry should be finished on-site as soon as possible to prevent warping.
In woodworking, veneer refers to thin slices of wood, usually thinner than 3 mm that typically are glued onto core panels (wood, particle boarder medium-density fiberboard) to produce flat panels such as doors, tops and panels for cabinets, parquet floors and parts of furniture. Veneer is also a type of manufactured board.
Furniture made with wood veneer uses less wood than the same piece of furniture made with solid wood.
Plywood is an engineered board made from thin sheets of wood, called plies or wood veneers. Softwood plywood is usually made either of Douglas fir or spruce, pine, and fir (collectively known as Spruce-pine-fir), and is typically used for construction and industrial purposes. Hardwood plywood is used for some demanding end use.
Particle board, also known as chipboard, is an engineered wood product made from wood particles, such as wood chips, sawmill shavings, or even saw dust. This type of composite timber is generally cheaper, denser and more uniform than conventional wood and plywood. It is usually used as a substitution for them when appearance and strength are less important than cost.
Block board is composed of a core of softwood strips (up to about 25mm wide) placed edge to edge and sandwiched between veneers of hardwood, the ‘sandwich’ is then bonded under high pressure. The sandwich is then glued under high pressure. Block board is not suitable for outdoor use because the glues used are interior glues.
Oriented strand board (OSB) is made from long strands of wood and resin. Advantages of OSB: Less expensive than plywood and Unique appearance can be appealing as a design element.
Cabinetry that is not solid-wood or wood veneer is generally laminate or Thermo foil, both of which are applied to substrates. Laminate and Thermo foil come in a range of colors and patterns, including some that mimic wood. Laminates features the authentic appearance of real domestic woods such as oak. Exotic laminate mimics unique woods. Rustic laminate has a warm, country feel. With an array of patterns, laminate mimics the appearance of natural tile
Applications –
- Furniture
- Kitchen Cabinets
- Partitions
- Exteriors uses
- Counters
- Cabinets
- Wardrobes
- Construction
- Skirting
