Chipboard is made in panels, and used for flooring, shelving and as a general use boards.
Chipboard is made by gluing together small fragments of softwood particles with an adhesive under heat and pressure, creating a rigid board
with a relatively smooth surface. It is available in a number of densities, normal, medium and high, the lowest grade is made up of fragments which are all the same size. The grading process is where smaller particles are used with the larger, making the board more dense on the outside, with the more coarse particles to the inside.
Chipboard can easily be damaged by water, and when used where water is present, it is covered in a material that protects and also hides its unsightly appearance. Kitchen worktops are made from chipboard, and covered over with a laminate of different patterns and colours. Kitchen base and wall unit carcasses are also made in this way and laminated with melamine. Iron on edging is often used to cover the edges of melamine shelving and panels.
The core of the fire door is also made using chipboard and covered with thin plywood on both faces. The edges are made of timber and finished with hardwood lipping. Uncovered, chipboard is used in areas were appearance is not important, such as storerooms, garages and warehouses, and is usually the standard grade. It is also used for flooring and made in tongue and groove panels so that they can be joined together. The flooring grade is much stronger and very dense with a smooth finish which can be used to replace floorboards.
Other grades of chipboard are flame-retardant, and moisture-resistant.
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