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1. Reference standards for selecting environmental protection levels of panels
According to domestic environmental protection standards and the concept of formaldehyde emission limits, the formaldehyde limit levels in panels are divided into the following three levels:
grade
Formaldehyde content
E0
≤0.5mg/L
E1
≤1.5mg/L
E2
≤5.0mg/L
The E0 standard allows for the presence of formaldehyde in wood panels, but it cannot exceed 0.5 mg/L, which is the upper limit. The lower limit is the maximum formaldehyde content of the wood itself (the wood's own formaldehyde content is generally 0.12 mg/L-0.04 mg/L), so the lower limit is 0.12 mg/L. "Zero formaldehyde" means that the materials used are formaldehyde-free, and no formaldehyde is produced during the production process; it poses no pollution or harm to the environment or production workers. Therefore, we can define "zero formaldehyde" panels as those whose free formaldehyde content is less than or equal to the wood's own formaldehyde content (generally 0.04 mg/L-0.12 mg/L). "Zero formaldehyde" panels are not the same as E0; in principle, "zero formaldehyde" panels are one level higher than E0. In China, panels meeting the E2 standard are sufficient, meaning E2, E1, and E0 panels are all considered environmentally friendly. However, due to increasing consumer awareness of environmental protection, E1 and even E0 panels are now more common on the market.
2. Main categories of panels:
Commonly used board materials for home decoration can be broadly categorized into nine types: density board, particle board, veneer, wood board, plywood, melamine board, laminated wood, OSB, and formaldehyde-free straw board. However, due to varying household requirements, the most commonly used board materials on the market today are primarily wood board and laminated wood (finger-jointed boards), with smaller quantities of melamine board, veneer (molded board), density board, particle board, and plywood. Home decoration requires different types of board materials depending on the intended use. These materials generally have a fixed size of approximately 2440 x 1200 mm, meaning each sheet covers approximately 2.88 square meters. Homeowners can calculate the required number of sheets based on their household needs. Currently, most households only require wood board and finger-jointed boards, which are superior to the other types in terms of environmental performance, quality, and practicality.
(1) Wood board:
Blockboard, scientifically known as "blockboard," is made of two veneer sheets glued together and pressed together. It's made of parallel, tightly joined strips of wood of equal thickness and varying lengths, typically a five-layer structure.
Uses: Making door frames, window frames or suspended ceilings, as well as some closets.
Specifications: Thickness ranges from 1.2CM to 2.5CM. A normal thickness for home use is 1.6CM to 2.0CM. Large cabinet doors require thicker thickness. E1 grade is generally suitable for most households, and prices vary significantly depending on the grade and core material.
Environmental protection level: Big brands commonly have E1, E0, and zero formaldehyde; small brands also have E2 grade boards.
Selection: The wood core can be spliced by hand or machine. In addition to being environmentally friendly, a good wood board should have a tight wood core with no gaps. This can be seen from the sawn section.
(2) Glued wood (finger-jointed boards)
Also known as plywood, the most common type of plywood on the market is made of poplar or fir wood joined by finger jointing, notch jointing, etc. The direct jointing is also called finger jointing board.
Uses: The integrated board has high utilization rate and good processing performance. It can be directly manufactured into straight and curved shapes. It is natural and beautiful. It is mainly used to make cabinets.
Specifications: The thickness is generally 18mm, and 16mm is also available.
Environmental protection level: Big brands commonly have E1, E0, and zero formaldehyde; small brands also have E2 grade boards.
Purchase: Generally speaking, good finger-jointed boards have fewer scars, a uniform and rounded wood color, and tight and dense joints. Prices vary depending on the thickness of the board, with the most common thickness being 18mm.
(3) Melamine board
Melamine-impregnated paper panels are commercially available. They are made by soaking colored or textured paper in a melamine resin adhesive, then drying it to a certain degree of solidification. This paper is typically applied to particleboard, medium-density fiberboard, or hardboard, and then heat-pressed to create a decorative panel.
Uses: Can be used to create any pattern, with vibrant colors. It's used as a veneer for various artificial boards and woods. It's hard, wear-resistant, and heat-resistant. Its smooth surface makes it easy to maintain and clean. It can also be used as a cabinet frame.
Specifications: Thickness 16-20mm
Environmental protection level: E1 and E2 are more common.
Purchase: Check the side edge sealing condition, which should generally reach 1-2mm.
(4) Decorative panels
Also known as veneer or plywood, it is made from natural wood sliced or peeled into thin sheets 0.2-1mm thick. It is usually made by patchwork and then pasted onto a substrate such as plywood, fiberboard, or particleboard. This material has a clear texture and natural color, making it a high-end decorative material.
Usage: The veneers on the market generally include teak veneer, walnut veneer, southwest birch veneer, maple veneer, ash veneer, beech veneer, etc. They are generally used as partitions for the visible part of the cabinet.
Specifications: generally 2.6-3mm
Environmental protection level: E1 and E2 are more common.
Purchase: The price of decorative panels varies greatly depending on the material, so when owners use decorative panels, they usually have to find out the material and grade of the decorative panels in order to have a safe guarantee in terms of price and quality.
(5) Particleboard
Also known as particle board, bagasse board, it is an artificial board made of wood or other lignocellulosic materials, which is glued together under heat and pressure after applying adhesive, also known as particle board.
Uses: A small amount is used as an auxiliary material for wood panels, built-in closets and display cabinets. The main advantage of this type of board is its low price.
Specifications: Particleboard is categorized by density: low density (0.25-0.45 g/cm³), medium density (0.55-0.70 g/cm³), and high density (0.75-1.3 g/cm³). Particleboard comes in a variety of sizes, with 19 mm being the standard thickness, and 13, 16, and 19 mm being the most commonly used thicknesses.
Environmental protection level: E1 and E2 are more common.
When choosing a particleboard: First, look at the cross section. The larger the particles, the better, as particleboard with large particles is more secure when nailed. Secondly, look at the environmental protection level.
(6) Density board
Fiberboard, also known as fiberboard, is a type of man-made board or composite board. It's made from wood fiber or other plant fibers, coated with urea-formaldehyde resin or other suitable adhesives. Due to its poor nail-holding properties, it's not suitable for home decoration.
Uses: Based on density, it is classified as high-density fiberboard (HDF), density fiberboard (MDF), and low-density fiberboard (LDF). In foreign countries, particleboard usually refers to low-density fiberboard. A small amount is used as an auxiliary material for woodworking boards.
Specifications: The general thickness ranges from 8 to 25 mm, and the specifications vary slightly depending on the brand.
Environmental protection level: E1, E2, E0 are available
Purchase: The surface of the density board with good surface cleanliness should have no obvious particles; it should feel smooth when you touch the surface with your hand; the surface of the density board should be bright and flat. Harder boards must be inferior products.
(7) Plywood
Also known as plywood, commonly known in the industry as thin core board, it is made by gluing and hot-pressing three or more layers of 1mm thick veneer or thin sheet. Plywood is made by peeling logs into veneer or planing wood into veneer, then gluing three or more layers together with adhesive. Plywood comes in odd numbers, such as three-ply, five-ply, and seven-ply.
Application: A small amount of auxiliary material for wood panels
Specifications: Plywood is generally available in six sizes: 3cm, 5cm, 9cm, 12cm, 15cm, and 18cm (1cm is 1mm). 21cm and 25cm are also available. Environmental ratings: E1 and E2 are more common.
Purchase: The panel should not have any damage, bruises, decay, knots, cracks, indentations, pollution, or rough defects; use a sharp blade to pry open the plywood along the glue layer. If the glue layer is damaged but the wood is not damaged, it means that the gluing quality is poor.