In this article we will discuss the different types of materials available in the market today, their detailed description, price range, their pros and cons. This will give you insight in what issues you could face when using a specific material, and how you can avoid those by using an alternate material.
The following is the list of materials used for building or manufacturing Kitchens and Wardrobes.
Particle Board or Chip Board
This is a board made from chips of wood or fiber from bagasey which is a byproduct of production of sugar manufacturing, the left out fiber after removing the juice from sugarcane. The other raw material for this from various trees like eucalyptus, silver wood etc, they are usually low price woods without much oil. The wood is shredded or acquired in a shredded form and then pressed into a sheet form by adding glue to the mixture to form a board. This comes in various thickness like 9mm to 30 mm. The board is then finished with sheet of white paper on one side which is called blanching and with a printed laminated paper on the other side, this is the side which has wooden grains printed over it and makes it look like natural wood in color. Once the sheet is pasted it is covered with a thin plastic film and sent out to dealers to be sold. This is also called compressed wood.
Price Range for 18 mm : Rs.40 - Rs.60 depending on the brand
Benefits of using Particle Board
Very low price : This is probably the lowest priced product for making furniture on earth, so this is the cheapest you can get to make your wardrobes and furniture.
Easy Working : Your carpenter will love this as it is very easy to cut and does not spoil his blades.
No Finishing needed : The top of this board needs no finishing like spraying, painting or coloring etc. Only the edges are pasted with a self adhesive tape made from plastic which is similar shade to the wooden color. This feature saves the finishing cost.
Drawbacks of using Particle Board
Very bad Screw Holding Capacity : Since the board is made from chips of low cost wood, there are gaps in between the chips and the fibers are too weak to hold a screw, this caused the fitted hardware like the hinges, tower bolts, handles etc to come off easily after using it for a very short time.
Extremely Delicate : This board is extremely delicate and has to be used very carefully. There are chances it will get damaged if not used carefully and start wearing off, causing the furniture/wardrobes to fall apart.
Not Water Resistant : This board is not water resistant and will easily spoil is exposed to water to steam, so this not something you will use in your kitchen.
Edges tear off : The edges which are finished with the plastic tape will start coming off over a period of time or if they get hit by any object.
Short Life Span : Since the board is made from chips and paper, it has a very short life span, maximum of 5 years if used well.
Restriction on Design : You cannot have any design or 3d objects on it as it is a flat board and you cannot afford to damage the top paper or film. There are vendors who will make some designs for you on the doors etc but the cost of adding such designs involves a very expensive process and adds to the cost of the material making it expensive.
I will keep posting more on the materials shortly, do look forward to more in this article and more to come.
I would love to hear back from you with any comments or questions you have. Please feel free to post your comments and questions below.
The following is the list of materials used for building or manufacturing Kitchens and Wardrobes.
Particle Board or Chip Board
 |
| Particle Board in raw form without Film on top |
Price Range for 18 mm : Rs.40 - Rs.60 depending on the brand
 |
| Finished Particle Board top film |
Very low price : This is probably the lowest priced product for making furniture on earth, so this is the cheapest you can get to make your wardrobes and furniture.
Easy Working : Your carpenter will love this as it is very easy to cut and does not spoil his blades.
No Finishing needed : The top of this board needs no finishing like spraying, painting or coloring etc. Only the edges are pasted with a self adhesive tape made from plastic which is similar shade to the wooden color. This feature saves the finishing cost.
Drawbacks of using Particle Board
Very bad Screw Holding Capacity : Since the board is made from chips of low cost wood, there are gaps in between the chips and the fibers are too weak to hold a screw, this caused the fitted hardware like the hinges, tower bolts, handles etc to come off easily after using it for a very short time.
Extremely Delicate : This board is extremely delicate and has to be used very carefully. There are chances it will get damaged if not used carefully and start wearing off, causing the furniture/wardrobes to fall apart.
Not Water Resistant : This board is not water resistant and will easily spoil is exposed to water to steam, so this not something you will use in your kitchen.
Edges tear off : The edges which are finished with the plastic tape will start coming off over a period of time or if they get hit by any object.
Short Life Span : Since the board is made from chips and paper, it has a very short life span, maximum of 5 years if used well.
Restriction on Design : You cannot have any design or 3d objects on it as it is a flat board and you cannot afford to damage the top paper or film. There are vendors who will make some designs for you on the doors etc but the cost of adding such designs involves a very expensive process and adds to the cost of the material making it expensive.
I will keep posting more on the materials shortly, do look forward to more in this article and more to come.
I would love to hear back from you with any comments or questions you have. Please feel free to post your comments and questions below.
