Strength of High-Density Wood-Based Panels Reinforced with Melamine Films

Wood-based panels are a group of products with a wide range of applications. They are not obtained from solid wood, but are made from wood fragments, such as wood chips, sawdust or wood dust, which are usually waste from production. The recycled material, after being mixed with a binder, is compressed. As a consequence of such a process, different types of boards are obtained: MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard), HDF (High-Density Fiberboard), fiberboard or particleboard. In response to the problems accompanying the use of MDF and HDF boards, a new type of wood-based boards has been developed, called CDF (Compact Density Fiberboard). In this study the strength properties of CDF panels reinforced with melamine films were investigated for four thicknesses: 6.4 mm, 8.4 mm, 10.4 mm and 12.4 mm. Young’s modulus E, tensile strength Rm and percentage total extension at fracture At were determined by a static tensile test. The results of the strength tests of wood-based panels were subjected to statistical analysis to determine the effect of the thickness of the panel on its strength. CDF boards have a low total elongation at break of about 0.5%, and exhibit greater stiffness, with a Young’s modulus of at least 5,600 MPa. The statistical analysis shows that for boards up to 12.4 mm thick, their thickness usually does not affect the strength properties. The only exception is in the Young’s modulus values for a thickness of 12.4 mm.