You must know these "professional words" for boards!

It's like a mountain between two different fields. It's very difficult for newbies who have just started to work in decoration. There is too much information and they are "completely confused".

The board materials used in decoration alone are very particular, and the editor believes that you need to know these definitions of terms related to the board materials. First, it can fill in your knowledge blind spots in case of emergency; second, you can have an idea in mind when purchasing to avoid being cheated.

For custom furniture, the board material is one of the most important components. The quality of a board can be determined by the following properties: transverse static bending strength, moisture content, formaldehyde emission, screw holding power, adhesive strength, and immersion peeling. Why are these properties so crucial? Let's explain them in detail:

01. Plate·Transverse static bending strength

What is transverse static bending strength? To sum it up in one sentence: transverse static bending strength is an important property that determines whether your cabinet will bend or even break during future use.

The transverse static bending strength of a board is related to the wood. Generally speaking, if the tree is too young, the transverse static bending strength will be lower. Therefore, the optimal age is around 15-30 years. In addition, the production process can also have a significant impact on the static bending strength of the board. Reasonable production process can ensure the board structure is stable and not prone to warping and deformation.

Of course, in fact, the deformation of the cabinet shelves is not only related to the lateral static bending strength, but also to the span of the shelves. Some consumers make the span of the cabinet shelves particularly large in pursuit of decoration effects. This unconventional production will most likely bend no matter what kind of board it is.

02. Board moisture content

Moisture content refers to the percentage of a material's water content to its absolute dry mass. Excessively high moisture content can cause board problems such as warping, deformation, mildew, and blistering. Moisture content is primarily caused by low adhesive solids content, short hot pressing times, low hot pressing temperatures, inadequate ventilation after hot pressing, and excessive moisture content in the raw materials. If used in environments with high moisture content, such as kitchens (where a small amount of water may accumulate under sink cabinets), the material will not swell or deform, affecting the countertop's balanced load and hinge grip. Furthermore, the edge banding process after cutting the board material also affects the board. When purchasing cabinets, it is recommended that you pay attention to the smoothness of the edge banding, any excess glue, or any peeling.

03. Board formaldehyde emission

Countries around the world have strict regulations on the formaldehyde emission of artificial boards. At present, the national mandatory standard GB 18580-2017 "Limits of formaldehyde emission from artificial boards and their products for interior decoration and renovation materials" stipulates that the formaldehyde emission limit is ≤0.124mg/m³, marked as E1 level.

The enterprise standards Q/TBB 0029-2018 "Blockboard" and Q/TBB 0022-2017 "Impregnated Film Paper Veneer Artificial Board" stipulate that the formaldehyde emission limit for E0 grade is ≤0.062mg/m³, the formaldehyde-free grade is ≤0.031mg/m³, and the formaldehyde removal grade: purification efficiency ≥75%; purification effect durability ≥60%, which is far higher than the requirements of national standards.

Regarding the environmental issues of various artificial boards, you won’t go wrong if you choose well-known brands such as the top ten board brands, because board brands focus on environmental protection research and development and upgrades, and the environmental protection level has reached formaldehyde-free and formaldehyde-removing levels. Choosing the top ten board brands is really a peace of mind to buy and use.

04. Plate and screw holding force

Screw holding strength refers to whether a screw will loosen, fall out, or crack after being driven into the board. For cabinets installed in our homes, the strength of the screw holding strength determines whether hinges will loosen or even fall off, drawer screws will loosen and make unusual noises, and the cabinet structure will not deform during the subsequent use for at least 10 to 20 years.

05. Board bonding strength

Bond strength refers to the degree of adhesion between the interlayer veneers, generally expressed as tensile shear strength. Unsatisfactory bond strength can result in delamination, peeling, and other issues. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including excessive moisture content in the raw materials (veneers), poor veneer quality, different veneer materials, alkaline veneer pH, too little or too little glue, uneven application, poor flour quality during glue mixing, excessive or short aging time, low hot pressing temperature or time, insufficient pressure or an improper depressurization process, gaps in the glue application, and contamination and debris in the veneers.

06. Sheet metal immersion stripping

The immersion peeling of the board reflects the ability of the artificial board to withstand the stress of the glue layer caused by swelling and shrinkage and resist peeling deformation or the degree of peeling. It is also an indicator for evaluating the bonding performance of each glue layer of the product.