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For custom furniture, the board should be one of the most important parts.
The quality of a board can be defined by four properties: static zone strength, water absorption expansion rate, formaldehyde emission, and screw holding force. Why are these four properties so important? Let's explain them in detail:
1. Static bending strength
What is static bending strength?
To sum it up in one sentence: static bending strength is an important property that determines whether your cabinet will bend or even break during future use.
The static bending strength of a board is related to the raw material. Generally speaking, wood grown in alpine forests has more stable physical properties. If the tree is too young, the static bending strength will be lower. Therefore, the optimal age is between 15 and 30 years. Furthermore, the production process also has a significant impact on the static bending strength of the board. Proper production process can ensure a stable board structure, preventing warping and deformation.
Of course, the deformation of the cabinet shelves is not only related to the static bending strength, but also to the span of the shelves. In order to pursue the so-called effect, some consumers require designers to make the span of some cabinet shelves particularly large. No matter what kind of board it is, it will most likely bend in the future.
2. Water absorption expansion rate
I believe you can all understand from the literal meaning that this attribute represents whether your cabinet is "moisture-proof".
But one point must be corrected here: any board, no matter what type, brand, or craftsmanship, is afraid of water!!!
If you want a cabinet that is not afraid of water soaking, there are two ways to do it. One is brick/cement, and the other is a solid stainless steel cabinet!
So, for the board, moisture resistance is really just about ensuring that it doesn't swell or deform in the presence of relatively high moisture content in the kitchen (a small amount of water may accumulate under the sink cabinet), which could affect the countertop's force balance and the hinge's nail grip. This is not only related to the board's water absorption expansion rate, but also to the edge banding process after the board is cut.
It is recommended that you pay attention to two points when buying cabinets:
Whether the board materials used in the cabinets meet the national water absorption and expansion rate standards (less than 8%);
Take a quick look at the edge sealing process of the sample cabinets of the brand you bought: observe whether the edge sealing is flat, whether there is any glue overflow, whether it is falling off, etc.
3. Formaldehyde emission
Countries around the world have strict regulations on formaldehyde emissions from wood-based panels. "E0," as a more stringent grading system for wood-based panels and their products, is not entirely foreign, but rather possesses distinctly Chinese characteristics. The current national standard for "E0" is found in GB/T 18102-2007, "Impervious Paper Laminated Wood Flooring," which stipulates a formaldehyde content of ≤0.5 mg/L, equivalent to the F★★★ (≤0.5 mg/L) star rating in Japan's JAS standard.
Regarding the environmental protection of various artificial boards, it's always a good idea to stick with well-known brands. Some environmentally friendly brands may even exceed the so-called E0, so there's no need to worry about environmental protection when using these boards. If a brand uses unknown boards, or even if the salesperson is vague about the board's origin, please be cautious when purchasing. Some news reports about formaldehyde poisoning often come from these unbranded, small-scale workshop-made boards.
4. Screw holding force
The screw holding force refers to whether the screw will loosen, fall off, or crack after being driven into the board.
For the cabinets we install in our homes, the strength of the screw grip determines whether the hinges will loosen or even fall off, whether the drawer screws will loosen and make strange noises, and whether the cabinet structure will deform during at least ten to twenty years of use.
So when you buy custom furniture, how do you judge the nail holding strength of the board?
The quality inspection report is certainly one of the important ways, but the most intuitive way is simple, that is, to ask the sales representative of the brand whether you can sit on the cabinet door after it is opened. Of course, don't do it yourself!
Although this method is not rigorous, and is closely related to the load-bearing capacity of the cabinet doors and drawers and the quality of the hinge and drawer tracks, it is indeed the simplest and most direct method.
Above, the editor has relatively completely introduced the four more important properties of artificial boards. Everyone should have a preliminary understanding of the boards.