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Medium density fiberboard (MDF) may appear completely uniform at first glance; however, the hot-pressing process gives it different density layers.
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) has good mechanical properties, a very smooth surface, excellent processing characteristics, and is a homogeneous board material.
These superior properties are partly due to the fact that medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is made of fibers. An equally important factor behind MDF's impressive performance is the way these fibers are compressed into the board.
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) uses wood raw materials ranging in size from cell fragments to fiber bundles, some of which are large enough to resemble wood chips; however, even these are still much smaller than the wood shavings used to make particleboard. The homogeneity of the paving is evident in Figure 1, which shows an MDF blank after pre-pressing and trimming, but before hot pressing.
The aspect ratio of wood fibers is approximately 100-in other words, their length is 100 times their thickness. This factor, combined with a very uniform adhesive distribution, partially explains why medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is stronger than particleboard.
A typical medium-density fiberboard (MDF) has a surface density of approximately 1,000 kg/m³ (62.4 lb/ft³), which accounts for about 1–2 mm of the board's thickness. The density of the rest of the board is much lower, at approximately 600–700 kg/m³.
This density distribution, relative to weight, imparts excellent flexural properties because surface stress is highest during bending. High surface density equates to good resistance to deformation and high strength. Due to its dense surface, it also exhibits scratch resistance and low liquid permeability, which significantly reduces surface treatment costs when painting and coloring the surface.
The advent of continuous presses has enabled manufacturers to fine-tune their density profiles to meet specific customer requirements, thus maintaining the reputation of medium-density fiberboard (MDF).