Fiberboard

medium-density fiberboard (MDF)

Description

Oil on canvas mounted on fiberboard; MFA# 23.521

Wood fibers

An engineered rigid composite Board made of cellulose fibers. First patented in 1858, fiberboards were composed of wood chips or plant fibers, such as Grass, Reed, Straw (Ecoboard), Bagasse (Celotex), Jute, Flax, or Hemp. Manufacturers have also recycled waste materials such as Sawdust, Bark, oat hulls, spent hops, newspaper (Homasote®) and peanut shells. The fibers are compressed and bonded with heat and pressure. Many fiberboards are held together by the interlocking fibers and natural adhesives (wet process); other fiberboards have additional adhesive components such as Urea formaldehyde resin, Water glass, Dextrin, Asphalt, Rosin, Paraffin wax, Plaster, and/or Clay. The standard size for fiberboards is 4 x 8 feet. Very dense fiberboard is called Hardboard. Some commercially available formaldehyde-free fiberboards are Masonite® Presdwood®, Medex, Medite II and Iso-board (Hatchfield 2002).
Fiberboards are placed in three classifications:

Classification	Construction	Uses	Characteristics	Risks	Brands
High-density Fiberboard (HDF)	Closest to solid wood, thin sheet, exceptionally strong; may be bound with resin primarily composed of compressed wood fibers at high temps and pressure; some may have urea or phenol formaldehyde resins and/or wax (for water resistance)	Door panels, cabinet backs, drawer bottoms; automobile dashboards; flooring, furniture; siding	Stable, durable, easy to use, cost efficient; works best in high stress environments like flooring	Heavier than most woods; resin bound material can off-gas formaldehyde; moisture can cause swelling and deformation	Masonite®, Upson Board, Marinite®, Homasote®
Medium-density Fiberboard (MDF)	Flakes of hardwood and softwood with resin binder and wax; lighter and less expensive than plywood; new types may include paper scraps, wood scraps and carbon fibers	Cabinetry shelving, furniture, paneling	Split resistant, malleable and inexpensive; used as substitute for plywood but has greater strength and flexibility; is heavier than plywood	Can off-gas formaldehyde; may break when wet and shrinks in low humidities	Medex, Medite, Ecoboard
Low-density Fiberboard (LDF)	Typically made from recycled wood fibers, due to lower density it contains less raw materials thus reducing overall footprint	Like particle board, backing panels, temporary structures, insulation; packaging	Lighter, coarser, weaker; least expensive; easy to cut, shape and drill	Should not be used outdoors unless sealed	Celotex

Synonyms and Related Terms

fibre-board (Br.); fibreboard (Br.); hardboard (Br.); carton-fibre (Fr.); carton fort (Fr.); aglomerado de madeira (Port.); particle board; composition board; engineered wood; wallboard; hardboard; fiber board; high-density fiberboard (HDF); medium-density fiberboard (MDF); low-density fiberboard (LDF)

Brand names: Masonite® [IPI]; Presdwood®; Medex; Medite®; Duron® [IPI]; Upson; Homasote®; Insulite; Beaver Board; Cornell Board; Feltex; Fir-Tex; Nu-Wood; C-X Board; Quartrboard; Celotex;

Applications

• Exhibit - case construction, mountmaking
• Artwork support

Personal Risks

• Health risks associated with elevated concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs): respiratory irritation, irritability, inability to concentrate, and sleepiness.
• All types have low moisture and fire resistance unless specifically modified (green=moisture resistant; red=fire resistant)
• Dust and chemicals released when worked.

Collection Risks

• Any wood product may release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) such as aldehydes, terpenes, and acids. The types and quantities of VOCs released depends on wood species, as well as the presence of coatings. Generally, the most VOCs are released when the product is new. Barrier layers (i.e. coatings, or films) can be applied to limit the release of VOCs.
• Fiberboards are susceptible to dry rot, fungal growths and termites.

Links to Oddy Test results posted on AIC Wiki Materials Database Pages for individual materials below

• Newmarket MDF tested in 2006
• Newmarket MDF tested in 2006 with polyurethane coating

Environment Risks

Many fiberboards are considered 'green' because the use secondary raw materials (wood chips, sawdust, sugarcane fiber, straw) or recycled fibers. However, fiberboards themselves cannot be recycled because they have often been mixed with resins and waxes or have been further treated or painted.

Physical and Chemical Properties

	Density	Face screw holding strength	Edge screw holding strength	Modululs of Elasticity (MOE) (flexiblity)	Modulus of Rupture (MOR) (strength or load carrying capacity)
HDF	800-1450 kg/m3; 50-90 lbs/ft3; sg = 0.8-1.0	275 lb (1.223 N)	325 lb (1.446 N)	3.10-5.52 GPa (0.45-0.80psi)	31.02-56.54 mPA (4500-8200 psi)
MDF	600-800 kg/m3; 48.5 lbs/ft3; sg=0.6-0.8	300 lb (1.334 N)	275 lb (1.223 N)	3.59 GPa (0.52psi)	35.85 MPa (5.2 psi)
LDF	160-450 kg/m3; 45lbs/ft3; sg=0.15-0.45	230 lb (1.023 N)	210 lb (934 N)	2.76-4.14 GpA (0.45-0.80)	15.17-24.13 MPa (2200-3500 psi)
Oriented strandboard	sg=0.5-0.8			4.41-6.28 GPa (0.64-0.91 psi)	21.80-34.70 MPa (3161--5027 psi)
Plywood	sg=0.4-0.6			6.96-8.55 GPa (1.01-1.24 psi)	33.72-42.61 MPa (4890-6180 psi)
Glulam	sg=0.4-0.6			9.0-14.5 GPa (1.3-2.1 psi)	28.6-62.6 MPa (4150-9080 psi)
White oak	sg=0.68			12.27 GPa (1.78 psi)	104.8 MPa (15200 psi)
Longleaf pine	sg=0.59			13.65 GPa (1.98 psi)	99.97 MPa (14500 psi)

Working Properties

Dust and chemicals released when worked. Degree of “tear out” (how jagged edge is when sawed) depends on the size of the pieces, with MDF having lower tear out (smoother edge) than Particle board.

Forms and Sizes

The standard size for fiberboards is 4 x 8 feet.

Resources and Citations

• Exhibit Guidelines Technical Notes: Using Composite Panels in Exhibit Case Construction
• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000.
• Melissa G.D. Baumann, Linda F. Lorenz, Stuart A. Batterman, and Guo-Zheng Zhang, “Aldehyde Emissions from Particleboard and Medium Density Fiberboard Products,” Forest Products Journal 50 (9): 75–82, 2000.
• G.S. Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971.
• Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996.
• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "wood." (Accessed 14 Mar. 2005).
• C. Gould, K. Konrad, K. Milley, R. Gallagher, "Fiberboard", in Twentieth-Century Building Materials, T. Jester (ed.), McGraw-Hill: New York, 1995. link
• A.Katlan, "Early Wood-Fiber Panels: Masonite, Hardboard and Lower-Density Boards" JAIC 33:301-306, 1994.
• Pam Hatchfield, Pollutants in the Museum Environment, Archetype Press, London, 2002.
• Illinois Department of Public Health, “Formaldehyde,” Environmental Health Fact Sheet, http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/formaldehyde.htm (Accessed 25 Sep. 2020).
• Kevin Ann Reinhart, “What Is the Difference Between Particle Board and Medium Density Fiberboard?” SFGate, https://homeguides.sfgate.com/difference-between-particle-board-medium-density-fiberboard-99189.html, (accessed 25 Sep. 2020), 2018.
• Megan Salas, contributed information, MWG group, 2020.]