While this can be true in certain cases, the opposite can also be true. Variability - Plywood isn’t as consistent throughout. Stereotypes are strong in this world. Plywood and particleboard are two building materials that can be used for the same tasks. What is Particle Board? In addition to a cheaper outer layer, some particle board has larger air gaps after being compressed which allows manufacturers to use less bonding resin and less wood material. HDF, MDF, Plywood & Particle Board Friday, August 19, 2016 8:13 PM HDF is a dense and strong board that provides a smooth and uniform surface wherever it is used. wood vs particle board kitchen cabinets Cabinet-grade plywood often has twice the number of plies, better lamination, and a smoother finish. But cutting costs by using these may come up more expensive in the end, renovating again after a few years. Particle Board Vs. Plywood Cabinets. The cost savings is generally 10 to 20 percent for mid-grade cabinets (most high-end cabinets use plywood, not particle board). I also know that cabinet doors are often made of hardwood (at least, for higher-end cabinets) and so are drawers. When undergoing kitchen renovations, particle board cabinets and countertops come up as a cheaper alternative. There are countless articles, videos, and testimonials that demonstrate the advantages of plywood over particle board. If you are currently shopping for cabinets, watch this video to be better informed on how to spend your precious kitchen remodeling budget! Everyone wants to know if plywood really is stronger and better than particle board. Or simply call us at: 866-685-9586. The two materials share similarities in terms of price, density, strength and durability. As already explained, plywood is simply a remnant from the solid wood cabinet days and is a vendor’s answer to keeping costs low while still being able to tout an all wood cabinet.  As a cabinet maker, we love the wide use and versatility of Melamine. Advantages of particle board Particle board is light in weight. Simply put, particle board is a waste-wood product made by heat pressing wood chips, sawmill shavings, or even sawdust and resin together. If the cabinets are going to be portable, birch is probably better because it's stronger for a given weight than particle board. plywood cabinet boxes are lighter than particle board boxes.. Plywood also weighs less than particle board, which can be significant when hanging large cabinets. I have full custom plywood cabinets in my kitchen and would do it again in a heartbeat. Yes, Plywood is Stronger Than Particle Board. Particle board has carried a negative connotation in the US. Plywood can have gaps in plies, and all but the best stuff can warp. Choosing between plywood and particle board doesn’t necessarily mean choosing quality over anything else. Most cabinetmakers offer both particle board and plywood options, but be aware that plywood can cost 10 to 20 percent more than particle board. Plywood consists of many layers of thinly sliced wood known as veneer stuck together with an adhesive. There have been a few recent threads dicsussing use of plywood vs. particle boards (ODS being one of them) for kitchen cabinets. So … Don’t fret, you’re not alone. The Advents I have use particle board (or pressboard, as it may be) as the cabinet material.But I also have several ARs, 2 pair of 2axs and a pair of 3as, and the cabinets seem to be made of birch plywood. Here we have given a brief comparison of all these engineered wood, along with solid wood, with reference to their strength, uses, life and cost. In order to match the direction of the grain in plywood, more material must be used, and there can be more waste when building cabinets. To begin with, let us try to understand more about each of these four types of wood. Neither one is superior to the other. Particle Board Vs. Plywood Cabinets. In an effort to meet higher environmental standards, the European Union has banned plywood use as a cabinet material, forcing manufacturers to dedicate time and resources into creating a quality alternative. Ever notice how light Ikea desktops are even though they’re 1 ½” – 2” thick? That’s why cabinet manufacturers use less expensive materials to build the cabinet box - the part you don’t see when the doors and drawers are closed. This gives Plywood an advantage since it tends to weight about 20lb less per sheet. To give particleboard cabinets a finished look, exposed surfaces are then finished with either wood veneers, by painting, or using a laminate. So, … No obligations to hire or purchase ever! However, many vendors use plywood for manufacturing all cabinets simply due to high demand. Cabinets made from solid wood, material cut from a single piece of lumber, were known for their fine craftsmanship and high quality but came at a steep price. Is often viewed as an inferior building product. The melamine coating gives color options and doesn’t need to be painted. Plywood The way it looks. Water and moisture resistance for both Melamine and Plywood are virtually the same. Melamine is actually a little better due to the glues used as well as its more protective outer surface. There are applications that require plywood and every material has an application and time but in general, Melamine is normally our go-to material. If cost is no issue then go with a high quality plywood cabinet box. As long as your cabinets are constructed from high-quality particle board, they can be sturdy and durable, not to mention economical. The wood layers in Plywood will wick water and the glue used to hold the layers together is not water resistant. Builders and homeowners often discuss differences between plywood and particleboard. Particle board is an engineered product manufactured from wood particles, such as wood chips and shavings, which are mixed with binding solution and then compacted into shape using extremely high pressure. Plywood is a Stronger Option than Particle Board. Because Melamine is made from recycled material, it is more cost-effective than Plywood. Since it is essentially made from recycled wood materials, Particle board is not only environmentally friendly but more cost effective than using plywood. There is absolutely no doubt that most plywood cabinets are stronger than most particle board cabinets . Particle board vs plywood is a much bigger topic that has an upcoming blog post in the works, but here is a secret about why Chinese manufacturers use plywood instead of particle board: boats. Plywood Vs. If humidity is a concern, your vendor may cover every exposed edge of particle board to seal it up. Now that you know what particle board means, it is important to differentiate clearly between the advantages of particle board vs plywood. High-quality 11-ply plywood, including veneer, is used in this custom-cabinet drawer. Clients with particle board cabinets typically replace their cabinets with plywood. Particle board also has a better color. But considering other factors such as cost and availability, particleboard cabinet boxes can be a wise choice. When undergoing kitchen renovations, particle board cabinets and countertops come up as a cheaper alternative. Look - Many people like the look of plywood better than particle board, although some people aren’t concerned at all with the way the inside of their cabinets look. Plywood. Many people claim high humid areas are not good for particle board. Since plywood is a natural product, it will carry the same characteristics as the tree species its made from. On the whole, kitchen and bathroom cabinet boxes entirely constructed of plywood are sturdier, more durable, and hold veneer better than particle board cabinet boxes. Over the past 30 years of building and remodeling homes, I get asked about particle board vs plywood cabinets almost every time we design a kitchen. Strength - Even high-quality particle board isn’t as strong as plywood. Watch two cabinet experts compare particle board and plywood cabinetry. For years plywood has been pushed down the throats of consumers. We face many decisions in any home renovation – not least of all is the kitchen. Plywood is a composite material, similar to particle board, but made differently. Constructing cabinets entirely of hardwood is cost prohibitive. Plywood and MDF are useful materials for many DIY projects around the home. For custom made furniture which supports heavy loads and for kitchen cabinets, plywood is recommended. Hence, here we have tried to give you a brief comparison of particle board vs plywood to help you make the correct choice. MDF, made from fine wood fiber, is primarily used in cabinetry, shelving, furniture and molding. This gives additional mechanical strength to the board. It also comes in a variety of color and textures, giving consumers more options while staying at a certain price point. Plywood vs MDF vs Particle Board vs OSB - Pros & Cons. It is also more resistant to moisture, scratching and denting. Compare free price quotes from multiple companies and save time and money instantly! Plywood vs. While cases like Hawaii are the exception, coastal homes like those found in Orange County will be fine. Plywood vs MDF vs Particle Board vs OSB – Pros & Cons. Say you purchase a $7,000 set with particle board; the same set with plywood might cost $7,700 to $8,400. In this consumer-driven society, they are pushed to sell any job and typically will not fight the consumer or contractor. Chinese cabinet makers only use plywood construction because the cabinets come over on boats. Watch two cabinet experts compare particle board and plywood cabinetry. Plywood Vs Particle Board Kitchen Cabinets: How to Choose. Are you searching for the best yet most affordable wood composite to use for your office or home furniture? Expensive cabinets will use 3/4-inch plywood while less expensive models will use 1/2-inch plywood. Plywood is generally the better product when it comes to cabinet boxes. That is an indisputable fact. High-quality particle board is strong and stable. Particle Board vs. Plywood When it comes to cabinet construction, the box material is just one of many selections to make. In this case, a premium product is actually being used and the added price is justified. Large production manufactures will cover the show faces of particle board with very thin paper, giving it a finished appearance but leaving it prone to peeling. It is rare for cabinets to be constructed entirely from solid wood these days, and manufactured wood products are often used to build the cabinet boxes. However, it is actually a denser material than plywood. Melamine vs. Plywood Cabinet Construction If you have begun the process of remodeling your kitchen, you are probably facing the decision between melamine or plywood kitchen cabinets. Plywood vs Particle Board. Compare Products. Plywood can have knot holes, rough surfaces, or other defects that require finishing. Cabinets made of MDR are just plain heavy. When used and constructed properly, each material can result in the same kitchen cabinet quality. But even the “Birch” portion of Chinese plywood is deceptive, as the wood grown in other parts of the world often comes from a far off cousin of the Birch tree. Cost. Plywood is sold in different thicknesses. You might need extra supports if you’re installing a heavy countertop over particle board cabinets. Some furniture manufacturers go as far as to simply put particle board parts on the edges while using honeycombed cardboard in the center. The lighter the cabinet the easier it is for manufacturers and installers to lift and handle. When it comes to kitchen cabinets, you certainly want them to not only look beautiful but also be sturdy, well built, and last for a long time. Plywood The way it looks. Plywood also weighs less than particle board, which can be significant when hanging large cabinets. Most woods will be softer than compressed melamine, leaving it more vulnerable to dents and damage. When I show customers a quality veneered piece of Plywood vs. a piece of Particle Board or MDF for cabinet construction, 9 out of 10 customers, after looking at the quality, depth, construction, and strength of the plywood, ask for the plywood constructed cabinets. But mostly because: a) I only paid the $800 upcharge in materials to the cabinet maker and . Generally, plywood is more expensive than melamine. Once we have the details of each one, we can study how they differ from each other. When we compare particle board vs plywood, there arises confusion as they both are recommended for uses like to make furniture for home. Or how it is almost impossible to re-assemble an Ikea cabinet in the event of a move? There’s no question that plywood cabinets are much stronger than the majority of particle board options. Many homeowners worry about furniture board cabinets being weaker. This material is for you if you are working with a limited budget. Instead of being constructed using wood fibers or veneers, it's chiefly constructed of sawdust and wood scraps that are bound using resin, and contain higher levels of VOCs than particle board or plywood. We will also take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Because Melamine is made from recycled material, it is more cost-effective than Plywood. Figure out what your price range is and how sturdy and moisture-resistant you want your cabinets to be before choosing the cabinet material for your kitchen. In addition, plywood holds glue joints together better than particle board and is more resistant to dents and scratches. Always ask your vendor what type of wood they’re using, since they very well may be using cheaper Chinese material but still selling it at a premium price. A $10,000 set of cabinets with particle board might cost $11,000 to $12,000 with plywood. While for bedrooms where load is less particle board furniture may be used to lower the cost. Particle Board vs Plywood Plywood. The two major choices for box construction materials are plywood or particle board. Any major leakage or flooding can ruin both particle board and plywood. What American consumers don’t realize, however, is that plywood is outlawed in many other parts of the worlds. In addition, plywood holds glue joints together better than particle board and is more resistant to dents and scratches. Chinese cabinet makers only use plywood construction because the cabinets come over on boats. You can upgrade to plywood for the sink base, where moisture is a problem, but use particle board everywhere else. One of those materials is particle board, which is made from wood chips or shavings that have been compressed together with glue. There are different types of engineered woods available in the market like plywood, MDF, hardboard, particle board, blockboard, etc. Constructing cabinets entirely of hardwood is cost prohibitive. b) they look fantastic on the inside as compared to the fake woodgrain melamine you find on the insides of most particle board cabinets. The bottom line: The type of project will guide your decision, MDF vs. plywood. Plywood often adds significant cost to an overall project, but some consumers are willing to spend the extra bucks. Plywood is also much easier to drill and screw into making the assemble much easier. To begin with, let us try to understand more about each of these four types of wood. Plywood is simply a remnant from the solid wood cabinet days and is a vendor’s solution to keeping costs low while still allowing the consumer to think they are getting an all wood cabinet. We will also take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Particle Board? Though there are several options, the two materials that steal the limelight for cabinet construction are Plywood and Particle board.However, if you are a first-time shopper, you might be finding hard deciding between these two materials for your kitchen cabinets. dave roxin. This precision makes it easier to install without flaws. This is the primary reason people have a poor impression of Melamine because it does not hold up well. However, keep in mind that these prices are just general guidelines. Cabinet Material: Particle Board vs. Furniture-Grade Plywood, MDF, and Solid Wood . The two materials have very different characteristics, so it’s good to become familiar with the pros and cons of each before choosing your kitchen cabinets. Most of our cabinets feature 7-12 ply layers. Plywood is a sturdy material made from wood sheets that are compressed and then covered with a veneer. Blogs No Comments April 26, 2019 cabinetera. To make the end product water resistant, fireproof, and/or insect-proof chemicals … The application of either of … Moisture damage - Particle board is not as water resistant as plywood, so it is more susceptible to moisture damage. Today I am answering the age old question if you should select Plywood or Particle Board constructed cabinets for your kitchen remodel. Plywood is used more often than particle board for cabinet boxes and has long been considered the better choice for its strength. While this can be true in certain cases, the opposite can also be true. The quality of plywood can vary drastically. Now you know why. Only if the consumer is budget minded will the cabinet vendor offer Melamine as an alternative to prevent losing the sale completely. Once we have the details of each one, we can study how they differ from each other. We're getting new cabinets, but only plan to be in this house for a few years. Compare Particle Board vs Plywood Cabinets Costs Particle Board Cabinets . These tips can help you check the quality of plywood cabinets: The wood should have many thin plies -- at least 7-ply for ¾-inch plywood (including the veneer), but you can go as high as 13-ply. Melamine is made from compressed wood chips and is denser than Plywood, averaging about 90lb for a 4×8 sheet. When it comes to the inside of your kitchen cabinets (the box construction or carcass) there are two main choices: plywood or particle board. If all other factors are equal, plywood cabinets are best. Plywood vs. Screws and hardware are less likely to hold their place when drilled into lower quality boards. Uniform texture - Particle board is precisely machined to create a consistent, uniform texture without gaps or holes. The main drawback is that it does not have interior strength and … Some cabinet makers offer a combination of particle board and plywood. Particle Board. There may be gaps or holes where the boards were combined. Instead of being constructed using wood fibers or veneers, it's chiefly constructed of sawdust and wood scraps that are bound using resin, and contain higher levels of VOCs than particle board or plywood. Kitchen cabinets are most commonly made of either plywood or particle board. Because particle board is made with scrap materials, it costs significantly less than plywood. I also know that cabinet doors are often made of hardwood (at least, for higher-end cabinets) and so are drawers. Aside from the tricky aesthetics such as countertops and backsplash, wall color, and front finish of the cabinets, there are all of the structural issues as well. I am not here to contest that fact. Particle Board Cabinets – Part 1. The common misconception here is that plywood is always better than particle board. 2) The vendor will charge more for a “premium” product. For the vendors who refuse to lower their standards, domestic maple plywood is often the material of choice for cabinet construction. it cuts cleanly, with little splintering or damage. Particle board has developed a bad name that is somewhat unfair. This positive and somewhat false, impression of plywood has become ingrained into consumers’ minds and is constantly being reinforced thanks to the abundance of Chinese wood cabinets available. Particle Board. And while technically still under the “Birch” family, this product usually results in poorly made boards with a micro-thin veneer outer layer. They are particle board. Plywood and particleboard are two building materials that can be used for the same tasks. Plywood Plywood Substrate. Not quite ready to jump off the plywood bandwagon? Is the Plywood upgrade really worth the money? Over the years many customers have found themselves in front of an important decision for their cabinet box material selection: particle board or plywood. A woodworker expects to work with wood. Plywood is a composite material, similar to particle board, but made differently. Instead of being made from wood chips, it consists of wood sheets that are compressed together and then veneered. After all, it is usually easier to give a customer what they want versus trying to educate them on alternatives. Plywood vs MDF vs Particle Board vs OSB – Pros & Cons. This all lead to the cabinet being more non resonant. Particle Board. Strength - Plywood is a stronger material that can hold greater weight, mostly because of the interweaving design of the boards. Cost - Again, plywood tends to be more expensive. © 2021 KompareIt.com - Contact Us - Privacy Policy - All Guides - Charitable Giving, Request Price Quotes From Cabinet Pros >>, Ionization vs Photoelectric Smoke Detectors, Modern Cabinet Look: Stainless Steel Kitchen Cabinetry, Make Your Builder-Grade Cabinets Look Custom. I know plywood boxes are supposed to be stronger, better, longer-lasting etc. cabinet-grade plywood tends to be 3/4-inch thick and may be veneered on one side with inexpensive wood, such as birch. When compared to plywood, particle board is soft, brittle and less strong, which makes it less resistant to damages and deformities. You may be looking at products on our site and asking "what is the difference between MDF, particle board, and plywood?" When it comes to kitchen cabinets, you certainly want them to not only look beautiful but also be sturdy, well built, and last for a long time. Like what you see? But like all products, buyers need to be wary of cheap knock-offs. than particle board (aka "furniture board") for cabinet boxes, but I'm wondering what you would do if you were me. Plywood Plywood Substrate. (909) 605-8800. This positive and somewhat false, impression of plywood has become ingrained into consumers’ minds and is constantly being reinforced thanks to the abundance of Chinese wood cabinets available. With new tariffs placed on Chinese Birch Plywood, consumers can expect plywood cabinet prices to steadily increase. Particle board also scratches and dents more easily. Plywood Vs Particle Board Kitchen Cabinets: How to Choose We face many decisions in any home renovation – not least of all is the kitchen. Answer a few short questions & get free cost estimates for your project from trusted companies in your area. Medium density fiberboard, or MDF, and particle board are both pressed wood products often used for cabinets, shelving, furniture and paneling. Most of our cabinets feature 7-12 ply layers. Cabinet Material: Particle Board vs. Furniture-Grade Plywood, MDF, and Solid Wood . Particle Board. One of the most frequently asked questions we get at Cabinets Quick is what’s the difference between these two materials, and is plywood really superior to melamine aka particle board. The two major options when it comes to types of kitchen cabinets are plywood construction or press board (sometimes referred to as particle board) construction. Particleboard products are classified by their particle size and overall density and are graded based on quality control standards set by the industry. When I show customers a quality veneered piece of Plywood vs. a piece of Particle Board or MDF for cabinet construction, 9 out of 10 customers, after looking at the quality, depth, construction, and strength of the plywood, ask for the plywood constructed cabinets. It is great for interior cabinetry and shelving. 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