Medium Density Fiberboard’s (MDF) surface is flat, uniform, dense, and free of knots and grain patterns, making it a preferred substrate for manufacturing furniture, kitchen cabinets, door parts, mouldings, millwork, and laminate flooring. Its low surface variance makes it extremely smooth and the ideal substrate for numerous finishes, including high gloss and paint.

MDF panels are manufactured with various physical properties and dimensions for many end-product design specifications. The consistent, homogeneous density profile allows for intricate and precise machining and finishing techniques, including routing, to manufacture superior products. Additionally, trim waste is significantly reduced when using MDF compared to other substrates. Stability and strength also are important assets of MDF, which can be machined into complex patterns that require precise tolerances.

MDF is a composite panel product consisting of cellulosic fibers combined with a synthetic resin or other bonding systems, joined together under heat and pressure. Additives may be introduced during manufacturing to convey specific characteristics, including additional moisture and fire resistance properties.
 

Inspiration: MDF can be machined into complex patterns with tight tolerances and is ideal for use in cabinetry, furniture, flooring, retail fixtures, millwork, trim, or other applications where edge shaping, embossing, laminating, or finishing is required.

MORE INFO   Design Portfolio Read the complete Design Portfolio: The definitive guide to sourcing decorative surfaces and composite panels.   Composite Panel Association  More information, plus industry news, testing & certification, policy and stewardship at the Composite Panel Association's website CompositePanel.org

Product Standards, Certification, and Environmental Specifications 
The ANSI A208.2 Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) for Interior Applications is the North American industry voluntary standard for use and specification. It classifies MDF by physical and mechanical properties and identifies product grades for MDF and thin MDF. Specifications identified in the Standard include physical properties, dimensional tolerances, mechanical properties, and formaldehyde emission limits. The Standard is sponsored by the Composite Panel Association (CPA) and is developed with industry stakeholders, including producers, users, and other interested groups. A summary of the MDF Property Requirements is shown below, and copies of ANSI A208.2 are available on the CPA website, CompositePanel.org.  

All manufacturers of MDF sold in the U.S. and Canada must meet the third-party certification and formaldehyde emissions testing requirements under EPA’s TSCA Title VI and CARB ATCM 93120 or the Canadian regulations (CANFER, DORS / 2021-148).

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are the widely accepted standardized specification format for communicating a product’s environmental footprint and performance. The EPD for MDF manufactured in North America was recently updated and serves as the definitive source of technical data based on life cycle analysis (LCA) and can be used to compare alternative product materials directly. 

For additional information, see the “Panels for the Planet” article.