Review of new materials for the furniture industry, interiors and construction

Furniture is necessary to create comfort, coziness and convenience. These items are found in every home and it is impossible to imagine the life of a modern person without them. To create these necessary items, materials are used that are reliable and long-lasting, environmentally friendly and safe. No less important is quality such as strength. In addition, the cost of a modern furniture set directly depends on the material from which the structure was made.

Main materials used

The most commonly used material for furniture is wood. But there are furniture sets made of metal and glass, plastic or combinations thereof. The basis for the manufacture of furniture structures is wood or its materials obtained as a result of processing. Among them are:

Furniture material

• chipboard;
• laminated chipboard;
• MDF;
• melamine;
• postforming;
• veneer;
• array.

All of them are used in the production of furniture. These are fibreboards or particle boards. These furniture materials are similar in their basic qualities, but they also have many differences. The places and methods of their application differ. For example, natural wood has become widespread when creating furnishings in children's rooms, schools and preschool institutions.

Office furniture is assembled from chipboard or MDF, which are more suitable for the manufacture of sets intended for use under heavy load conditions. Modern artificial furniture materials are resistant to mechanical damage and exposure to negative environments. Such qualities are ensured by the fact that new technologies are used in the manufacture of furniture from lumber, allowing them to withstand high humidity or shock.

Chipboard used in furniture production is covered with a special film. This decorative coating can be laminated or melamine. The difference between films that increase the strength of wood boards lies in the percentage of melamine resin. In one case it is 20%, and in the other - 60%. It is this component that affects the heat resistance, impact resistance and moisture resistance of the material used for the manufacture of furniture structures.

Basic materials for furniture production

Today, the most common materials for furniture production are:

• Solid wood.

Natural wood, such as oak, walnut, ash, pine, maple, is considered the most expensive furniture material. It is important that the array looks expensive and is able to emphasize the status of the owner of the product. If you properly care for such a piece of furniture, it will definitely delight you for many years, becoming only more beautiful. It is not for nothing that restorers love to work with old wooden furniture, giving it new life - in skillful hands, such objects begin to look different and take their rightful place in the richest houses. But this is only possible with products made from natural wood, because we are talking about a strong, durable material that will never go out of style.

• Chipboard.

In the production of particle boards, wood processing waste is used: shavings and sawdust are combined with binders, namely formaldehyde resins, and then pressed under high temperatures. Since this technology is not difficult, chipboard is one of the affordable materials for the production of cabinet furniture.

Chipboard is divided into types in accordance with the fraction of the chips: the smaller the size of the chips, the more densely they can be compressed, which means the quality of the slab increases.

Chipboard can also undergo additional processing during production, such as lamination, when the board is sanded and marked with the letter “Ш”. Another processing option allows the chipboard not to be afraid of moisture - in this case, the letter “B” is placed on the slab. This material is excellent for making kitchen countertops and bathroom furniture.

As you understand, the main advantage of chipboard is its low cost, and the main disadvantage lies in its composition - formaldehyde resins, whose vapors are dangerous to our health. Therefore, if you decide to buy furniture made from chipboard, make sure that the product you like has a safety class that does not exceed E1. This is especially important when you are buying furniture for a children's room.

Such a slab also has another disadvantage: it crumbles under the influence of screws and nails, which is most noticeable when you have to reinstall them. For the same reason, shaped parts are not made from chipboard, since it breaks from contact with the cutter.

• Chipboard.

LDSP is an improved version of chipboard. In other words, the usual particle board is laminated with various polymer films in a cold or hot way. If we are talking about high-quality laminated chipboard, then in production it is coated with varnish to increase the strength and resistance of the material to moisture.

Let us immediately note that the quality of laminated chipboard depends both on the method of film application used and on the quality of the chipboard used.

If we compare chipboard and laminated chipboard, the advantage of the second is that a properly applied coating significantly reduces the evaporation of formaldehyde.

Important

. When purchasing furniture, check whether the ends and seams are properly processed. All damage and chips will release formaldehyde into the air you breathe.

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• White classic furniture: its types, features, photos and interior design tips
• The solid wood bedroom of your dreams: style solutions, photos
• Furniture in light colors: types, features, advantages, photos

• MDF.

MDF stands for “Medium Density Fiberboard”, that is, medium density fiber board. This material is made from very fine sawdust, which is bound using lignin and paraffin.

From an environmental protection point of view, MDF is a high-tech and safe material, because it contains no formaldehyde. We also note that MDF can be easily milled, so in production furniture can be decorated with relief volumes and patterns.

MDF is resistant to moisture, increased strength, the ability to withstand considerable loads, and is not afraid of screws being screwed in, which is also important.

If we talk about price, MDF is on average one and a half times more expensive than chipboard, but much more affordable than solid wood. At the same time, natural wood and MDF have the most similar properties.

• Fiberboard.

Fiberboard – fibreboard, or hardboard. On the front side this furniture material is smooth, but on the back it looks like gauze. This structure is associated with the plate manufacturing technology, in which steamed wood dust is pressed under high pressure.

The furniture itself is not made from fiberboard; it is used only as the back walls of sofas, cabinets, chests of drawers, and the bottoms of roll-out drawers. The most durable varieties of this board are not inferior to plywood in their properties.

• Veneer facing.

Veneer is very thin (from 0.2 mm) sheets of valuable wood (oak, beech, walnut, etc.), which retain their natural texture and structure.

This material is used in production for cladding, resulting in the effect of solid natural wood, while such a product is much cheaper.

Veneer is a natural, environmentally friendly material, but it does not like mechanical stress, moisture, or sunlight. To minimize these disadvantages, during production the veneer surface is coated several times with a protective varnish.

We have named all the main materials for furniture production. All you have to do is find out from the store consultants what class of a certain material is used in the product you like.

Important

. If there is a strong chemical smell coming from the furniture, be sure to read the hygienic certificates - the seller must provide them to you - and only after that can you make a purchasing decision.

Types of wood boards

The cost of furniture depends on the quality of the wood taken for its manufacture. Natural wood is highly resistant to negative influences, mechanical damage, humidity and temperature changes. Solid furniture structures are made from natural wood. As for cabinet furniture, the most suitable materials for its manufacture are wood panels obtained after processing wood.

MDF

Fiberboard is a material for furniture, the creation process of which requires dried wood fibers treated with special substances that act as binders. The layer-by-layer laying of fibers resembles the weaving of a carpet in its structure.

This material in the manufacture of cabinet and modular furniture is used only after the hot pressing process and application of the finishing (decorative) melamine coating or veneer. The cost of MDF is several times higher than the price of chipboard, but in terms of its qualities (strength and wear resistance) this material is better than others.

Chipboard

Chipboard, the positive quality of which (unlike natural wood) is the absence of knots and other defects. There are no internal voids or cracks in the chipboard. In order to make this material for furniture, sawdust and shavings are mixed with glue. After this, they are pressed and, after waiting for complete drying, they are sanded. The strength of the boards is given by melamine paper or veneer.

Chipboard is widely used in the manufacture of furniture for offices, educational institutions, and public reception areas. Finished structures have high strength, moisture resistance, resistance to aggressive environments and temperature changes.

laminated chipboard

Laminated chipboard. This stove is present in every home. Furniture structures and flooring are assembled from it; it can be seen as decoration on walls and ceilings. The surface of laminated chipboard is highly durable and resistant to mechanical damage.

The coating is created by applying a laminated film, which is a type of paper-resin film created on the basis of thermosetting polymers. This coating provides the material with reliable protection and guarantees a long service life in areas with high traffic or high humidity levels. Resistance to moisture can only be ensured if the laminated surface is free of chips and scratches.

Fiberboard

This furniture material is better known as hardboard. Lightweight, durable and easy to process. Holds self-tapping screws and screws quite firmly. Used for the manufacture of back walls of cabinet furniture as cladding for wood frames. It was used in this way because of its fragility and fragility.

Fiberboard

Most often, composite furniture elements are made from fiberboard, for example, the back walls of cabinets, drawers in bedside tables and sofas.

Fiberboard is a material produced by pressing multiple wood fibers, which are subsequently shaped into a carpet. The raw materials used are wood chips, debris accumulated during the woodworking process, and firewood. The biggest disadvantage of fiberboard is, perhaps, its narrow scope of application.

The raw materials used are wood chips, debris accumulated during the woodworking process, and firewood.

Recommended wood for furniture

To create the chipboard and fiber material used in furniture production, certain types of wood are required. Wooden furniture helps create comfort in a room, guarantees the safety of owners, and can withstand a variety of loads and negative influences. Before choosing such furniture, you need to clarify what kind of wood it is made of.

Important qualities of wood used to make furniture are strength, environmental friendliness and durability. Wood is selected according to several criteria:

Wood hardness chart

• texture and pattern;
• coloristics;
• hardness;
• strength;
• moisture resistance.

For example, soft woods include birch, alder and pine. They are easy to process, but can hardly withstand minor mechanical damage. Oak, walnut, cherry or beech are medium-hard woods. Maple and most exotic woods are considered hard.

If we talk about color, then light textures include birch, pine, maple, and ash. Darker are oak, larch and cedar; the darkest are walnut, wenge, and rosewood. To make furniture from solid natural wood, you should not choose species with a pronounced pattern.

Types of wood

Most often, furniture is made from wood with a medium-expressed pattern:

• oak;
• cherry;
• ash;
• maple.

Particular attention should be paid to such characteristics as moisture resistance. Wood of high hardness and strength may not withstand high humidity. Furniture made from it quickly loses its attractiveness and breaks down.

Varieties

There are different types of luxury furniture. These are sofas, armchairs, items for storing clothes and books, kitchen and dining sets. Each environment has its own characteristics.

Upholstered leather furniture includes sofas, armchairs, corners, poufs, couches, sofas, sofa beds, office chairs. The main feature of the items is that they are all made by hand, in a single copy. Made only from high quality natural materials. Often the products resemble objects of art rather than ordinary furniture - they are thought out to the smallest detail, every detail is perfect. The upholstery is in most cases leather, less often - expensive textile (velor, tapestry, silk).

As for office chairs, most often they are created for executives; they are solid, expensive products that are adjustable to the size and weight of the owner. They can be equipped with additional functions - swing mode, heating, and so on. Conventional chairs are made with an open and closed frame. The first look like chairs, the second are more massive, completely soft and comfortable.

Elite beds come in three types: forged, wooden, combined. Often made with a soft headboard. Cabinets for storing clothes, books, textiles or dishes are made from natural solids, for example, mahogany, walnut, oak, and exotic species. The facades are decorated with mirrors, glass, leather, carvings, and forged elements.

Luxury kitchen and dining sets are mainly classic furniture made from natural wood. Products made from white wood are considered prestigious - they fit perfectly into Provence and country styles. Furniture made of alder, ash and oak is also in demand. Such kitchens and dining sets are suitable for interiors in the minimalist style, as well as for high-tech, art deco, and loft styles. Facades are often made with inlay and carvings. The fittings are used from European manufacturers.

What furniture is chosen for libraries, the basic requirements for it

Cushioned furniture

Office chair

Bed

Kitchen set

Dining set

Using coating for furniture material

Various types of coatings have been developed and created to protect wood. Before pressing, all types of chipboard chips are treated with chemicals that act as binders. For the manufacture of furniture, they choose materials made without the use of formaldehyde resins, since during operation such slabs emit harmful fumes.

The quality and features of the decorative coating affect not only the cost of the chipboard used to make furniture, but also its visual appeal, durability, and strength.

Laminating

This is the fixation of special paper on the chipboard surface, which is later embossed or varnished. Furniture with such a coating can be installed in the living room or bedroom, but will quickly lose its attractiveness and become unusable if placed in places with high traffic or humidity.

Chipboard lamination

Melamine coating or artificial veneer

It has a fairly high level of strength and wear resistance. Resistant to aggressive environments, high and low temperatures, and humidity. Treatment of wood chips with melamine and formaldehyde resins increases the wear resistance of the coating several times, making it possible to make kitchen and bathroom cabinet facades and countertops from such boards.

Melamine coating

Lamination

One of the highest quality, durable and reliable coatings. Due to the application of a film created on the basis of melamine resins, the chipboard becomes several times stronger. Such materials are widely used in the assembly of kitchen furniture, sets for hallways, offices, and children's rooms. The main distinguishing feature of a laminated surface is its structure, the features of which depend on the class of the laminate. CPL class material is absolutely smooth, and HPL class products, made using high pressure, have a surface that imitates stone or wood.

Postforming

Designed for making furniture with rounded corners. Its base is plastic, made of paper and plasticizer. This material perfectly retains the shape that the master gives it using heat.

Veneering

Furniture veneering is the process of gluing a sheet of natural wood onto a chipboard surface. This coating guarantees a high level of strength, visual appeal, and resistance to minor mechanical damage.

The processing method and the chosen coating for wood panels used in the production of furniture play an important role in giving the finished product the most desired qualities.

Tips for choosing

In order not to make a mistake when choosing luxury furniture, you should consider the following points:

1. Interior style. For example, a leather sofa is suitable for loft or high-tech, but not suitable for classics. A cabinet decorated with wood carvings would be out of place in art deco.
2. Purpose. Sofas, sofas and armchairs are used to furnish the living room, beds, wardrobes, cabinets - for the bedroom and so on. You cannot place furniture intended for an office in the kitchen, and vice versa.
3. Manufacturing materials. Not only the facades, but also the upholstery and fittings must be of high quality.
4. Functionality. The furniture should be comfortable. It is advisable to choose products that can be adjusted, for example, on legs that can change height.

Features of modern fashionable furniture, current styles and trends

Before purchasing furniture, you need to think about the interior of the room. It is advisable to plan where and what item will be placed. Products should not only be combined with the design of the room, they should also be in harmony with each other and fit in size.

Rules for choosing finished furniture products

When choosing furniture, you should consider what material it is made of.

When choosing furniture, it is important to clarify not only the features of the coating, but also the source material from which the chipboard is made. This choice is based on the characteristics of the upcoming operation and the installation location of the furniture structure. A living room set may not be highly resistant to temperature changes or wear-resistant, but furniture for a kitchen or hallway must be truly durable.

Beautiful, strong, durable furniture made from solid natural wood is very attractive, but such a set is expensive, and not every consumer is able to purchase it. Veneered products would be an excellent alternative. Externally, they are not much different from natural wood and in terms of performance they are not inferior to the most durable wood.

A budget option is chipboard or laminated chipboard, but these materials can guarantee the owner long-term use of the furniture with careful handling and proper use. When choosing furniture, it is important to know what kind of wood was used in the manufacture of chipboards, the degree of their moisture resistance, the level of permissible load and the warranty period.

Fillers

Upholstered furniture has also been influenced by progress and has undergone significant changes. First of all, innovations affected fillers.

Air

Air is one of the most used fillers for mattresses and poufs. Not a single material can compete with it in terms of cheapness and lightness, which makes it a favorite in this area.

To successfully use air fillers, it was necessary to improve the structures themselves, which previously had welded seams. Such seams on thick rubber or PVC quickly came apart even with careful and careful use. The load affected especially quickly when used by people with large weights. If you consider that such structures were practically not repaired, then you can understand how unjustified their acquisition was.

At the moment, seamless technology has been mastered, which has eliminated all previous shortcomings. Models produced on the modern market have a warranty period of at least 10 years.

Another useful feature is the ability to adjust the internal pressure, which allows you to change the rigidity of the product and adjust it in such a way as to meet the individual requirements of each customer.

Sintepooh

Filler in the form of light siliconized fiber made from artificial raw materials is very popular. There are several reasons for this:

• it springs perfectly and restores its original shape after deformation;
• does not interfere with air circulation;
• has low thermal conductivity;
• not afraid of getting wet;
• lightweight and non-toxic.

At the moment, it is actively used to fill decorative pillows, backs and armrests.

Plastic

Multi-colored plastic chairs in a modern style

This is an artificial material widely used in the production of various household items. It makes practical, cheap, lightweight furniture. It is usually purchased for use in bathrooms and restrooms. You can often find them in cafes and in summer cottages. Everywhere she looks organic.

Plastic garden furniture is affordable and comfortable

Plastic chairs and tables are not afraid of harsh weather. They do not lose their original appearance even after frequent exposure to moisture and water. It is easy to build a structure of any shape from plastic. The production process does not require large investments and is technologically simple.

Light plastic furniture

This material has few disadvantages: it is very fragile, has an unattractive appearance, and does not last long. However, today more advanced types of plastic have been developed. They lack the listed disadvantages and are more expensive.

Original plastic chairs for outdoor or indoor use