The production of both options is based on one component: most often it is a low-value softwood or hardwood species or residues in the form of chips, sawdust and rejected sections of logs of a higher class. But the manufacturing technology of plates differs significantly:

Both chipboard and MDF are made from waste products from the woodworking industry, but using different technologies.

1. Chipboard. The raw material undergoes preliminary cleaning, after which it is crushed to small chips of an elongated shape and dried well. Next, the mixture enters a special drum, where formaldehyde resin is applied to it. The essence of the process is that the entire surface of the dry component must be covered with an adhesive. After that, molding and pressing is carried out.
2. MDF. At the heart of such a product is a finer fraction, pre-prepared chips are crushed almost into powder. The resulting material is mixed with lignin and carbide resins, which are further modified with melamine. This technology can significantly reduce the level of harmful fumes. Next, the mass is shaped and sent for hot pressing.

In the future, the panels are subjected to decorative processing or remain unchanged if they are intended for roughing processes.

health hazard

The main harm is the binding components. There are opinions that often exaggerate the real impact of stoves on human health.

An increased concentration of such substances causes a disorder of the central nervous system which is expressed by dizziness and loss of appetite. There may also be irritation of the upper respiratory tract, a feeling of nasal congestion and exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Attention! A large amount of conflicting information has given rise to the myth that the harm of MDF and chipboard is huge, so you should completely abandon their use for internal works or furniture making. In fact, the danger emanating from materials is somewhat exaggerated.

Nuances affecting environmental performance

To determine how toxic fumes are, the following factors must be considered:

Many of the parameters in the regulations seem very serious, but they indicate the permitted content of the component in the panel itself. When determining the maximum concentration in a room, it is necessary to take as a basis the area of ​​​​the room, as well as the dimensions of the sections of the plates through which evaporation occurs. This is the only way to understand how harmful it is to be indoors.

How to choose a safe material

To purchase safe finishing products or furniture, the following recommendations should be considered:

In general, any low quality facing materials may pose a danger.

To date, find an apartment or private house in which the furniture is made exclusively from natural wood, very difficult. This is due to the high cost of this material.

An alternative to natural raw materials in the production of furniture is laminated chipboard, which is cheaper and more affordable. True, such office furniture, if you make the wrong choice, can be harmful to health. To avoid this, it is worth scrolling LDSP catalog and choose non-toxic and inexpensive materials for your furniture.

Many will ask why such furniture is toxic? The thing is that the composition of the bonding agent of the sheets of chipboard includes formaldehyde, which, when a certain concentration in the air is reached, can be harmful to health. Most people believe that only recently purchased furniture has negative properties. But in fact, you should not hope that after a couple of months all the harmful substances will “weather out”. After all, even in this case, the owners of the premises will breathe formaldehyde fumes.

Naturally, the risk of poisoning with harmful fumes can disrupt the well-being of all residents of the apartment. Formaldehyde emitted by MDF furniture may cause irritation to the eyes, upper respiratory tract and skin. If he will long time affect a person, the development of cancer, depression, asthma, headaches and insomnia is not excluded.

True, for the sake of fairness, it should be noted that the sheets Chipboard Rostov and other regions in terms of formaldehyde emission are very different from chipboard sheets. That is, laminated chipboard, due to its environmental friendliness, can be used for furniture in medical institutions, children's rooms without fear for health.

If we consider LDSP catalog and other materials used for furniture, the main advantage is immediately visible. We are talking about the cost of laminated chipboard, which is significantly lower than the cost of all its counterparts. Naturally, whoever has the opportunity to purchase more expensive furniture will choose valuable breeds trees. But in this case, cheaper does not mean worse, since chipboard sheets have high rates resistance to mechanical stress, thermal factors and moisture.

In order for all these advantages of the material to serve the furniture made from it for a long time, it is important to carry out proper care. All sustainability LDSP Rostov tied on a laminated film. It protects the chips from which the main plate is made from moisture, and if damaged protective layer, then it will be able to fall directly into the plate, which will become the main cause of swelling and destruction.

So the first rule of using and caring for such furniture is to preserve the protective layer. In case of damage, it is worth trying to restore the properties due to wax. Also, although the material is resistant to moisture, it is still worth protecting it from frequent and excessive moisture, since wood, serving as the basis for the material does not like moisture.

Used in many enterprises LDSP catalog allows the customer to choose the most suitable option furniture both in properties and in appearance. But at the same time, it is important to try to organize in the room for such furniture a certain temperature regime, which should be in the range from -1 to + 25-32 degrees Celsius. This suggests that even the most reliable things in a person's life need proper care for high-quality and durable service.

Replacement natural materials man-made analogue has become a common practice for humans. high cost natural wood and a clear shortage of it during the construction boom led engineers, chemists and technologists to create a similar material - chipboard.

Where and when did chipboard appear?

Few people know that the “birth” of chipboard might not have happened, since any sawdust in the first quarter of the 20th century in Europe was used exclusively for the manufacture of briquettes for heating. Thus, these were wastes applicable only for heating the home.

But already in the 30s, the situation changed: work began on the manufacture of a composite building material from sawdust and an adhesive. At the same time, the first practical experiments appeared.

The new direction developed rapidly. During the Second World War, plywood was already used, but due to the shortage of building materials, its price increased sharply. The German Max Himmelheber from the beginning of the thirties actively experimented with wood-shaving composite, the experiments brought results. Inexpensive material was created, the technology was perfected, and in the 40s mass production of chipboard began in Germany.

There were no interruptions in raw materials: non-commercial wood and any waste from sawmills were suitable for production. Phenolic resins became the binder, Himmelheber came to the conclusion that they are ideal for forming a strong composite board. Inexpensive and excellent technical specifications material became popular all over the world. Temporary housing is built from it, used for decoration residential buildings and offices, produce high-quality furniture.

The ability to improve the individual qualities of particle boards has further expanded the scope of their application: moisture-resistant material is suitable for kitchens and bathrooms, fire-resistant boards are also in demand.

Phenol-formaldehyde resin and health hazards

The first reaction of our ancestors to the achievements of chemists was the joy of the opportunity to use progressive technologies, the desire to quickly bring them to life. Subsequently, it turned out that some of the technologies not only made life easier, but also significantly shortened it. Therefore, today every product made by people is tested for toxicity and environmental safety.

• One of the substances, the attitude towards which is ambiguous, is phenol-formaldehyde resin. Having great importance for industry (high strength, corrosion resistance), it has toxic components - phenol and formaldehyde. Employees of enterprises that produce products containing phenols and formaldehydes can receive the greatest damage from their exposure, provided that they do not use the means personal protection. During curing in adhesive resins, oligomeric fragments are crosslinked with the participation of free phenol. As a result, the phenol content is reduced to trace amounts that allow sanitary norms RF.

As chipboard became ubiquitous, filling niches traditionally occupied by others building materials (wooden board, more expensive plywood, etc.), manufacturers losing the market, attracting environmentalists, began to publish materials that harm the reputation of chipboard manufacturers.

As time goes by, standards change and technology improves.

At a time when the dangers of phenols were not thought about, the percentage of their content in the adhesive mixture was higher than today. As awareness grew, so did the standards.

Today, there is hardly a house or office where chipboard is not used. This is due to its advantages:

• acceptable price;
• flat, smooth surfaces;
• strength, uniformity, the material does not delaminate, does not twist, does not dry out;
• the widest range of applications.

So, is chipboard furniture harmful?

On the human body daily exposure to many factors that cause harm: emissions industrial enterprises, tar and nicotine from cigarettes, car exhaust gases, electronic background, components household chemicals and cosmetics, etc. The least damage to a person is caused by the release of volatile resin components from furniture. Moreover, some types of wood evaporate harmful substances in the same amount as class E1 chipboard.

Rumors about the dangers of using high-quality chipboard are nothing more than speculation on consumer anxiety and the belief that everything created with the help of chemistry is harmful.

How to choose high-quality and safe material?

The key to maintaining health is the use of certified materials. Regardless of which type of chipboard is used, it is marked with which emission class for the release of free formaldehyde it belongs to:

• E1 - 100 grams of the composite emits no more than 10 mg of a volatile substance (formaldehyde content in chipboard within allowable rate). In Russia and abroad, it is allowed to make furniture for children's rooms and rooms where people are constantly located from this material;
• E2 - marking, which indicates the inadmissibility of the use of plates in children's and residential premises.

Children's furniture laminated chipboard - you can hear a lot of conflicting opinions about it. Someone considers such interior items absolutely harmless, but for someone it is a synonym for the strongest poison.

Children's furniture chipboard: harmful or not?

Children's furniture LDSP- You can hear a lot of conflicting opinions about it. Someone considers such interior items absolutely harmless, but for someone it is a synonym for the strongest poison. Modern manufacturing factories offer customers the widest range of furniture made from this material. In addition, the price for it is very attractive due to its availability. Therefore, the issue of harm to children's furniture chipboard is worth attention.

Children's furniture laminated chipboard: what is the emission class

chipboard (laminated chipboard) - a material that is characterized by high strength, beautiful shades and low cost. This combination of properties has made it incredibly popular. However, not all parents are aware of such a concept as an emission class. This is the percentage of formaldehyde resins that are released from the plate into the air. Why is this harmful substance there? The fact is that in the process of manufacturing plates, glue is used, which necessarily contains this substance. Formaldehyde itself is a carcinogen that can cause serious damage to health. In large doses, it causes cancer and severe allergic reactions. Formaldehyde resins are contained in chipboard. But in quantities that can not harm health. Chipboard children's furniture has advantages over chipboard, since the laminate layer (provided that it is of high quality) does not allow harmful toxins to escape into the atmosphere of the room.

Determining the emission class can help the buyer with the purchase of truly safe furniture for his beloved baby. Chipboard and chipboard marked "E0" are the most desirable material options. The percentage of formaldehyde is extremely low. Such material can still be called medical chipboard, since it is used in medical institutions. In medical institutions they use made and environmentally friendly safe materials. The material is produced mainly by foreign manufacturers. Domestic factories offer their customers E1 class materials. Here the content of harmful substances is quite small. Classes "E2" and "E3" are highly undesirable as raw materials for residential use. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers are honest with their customers. Therefore, if when buying in a store or factory they cannot provide you with quality certificates and documents confirming the environmental standards of materials, refuse such a purchase.

No matter how small the price is and no matter how attractive the laminated chipboard children's furniture looks, without documents confirming the quality, you get slow-acting poison for your beloved child. When buying inexpensive pieces of furniture for a child's bedroom, you should pay attention to the factories involved.

Children's furniture laminated chipboard: correct cutting and edge gluing

But what to do with the materials of class "E1"? After all, they contain formaldehyde resins, albeit in small quantities. Here conscientious manufacturers also found a way out. This is an edge banding. It should be well glued, because it has not only an aesthetic role. How to determine the quality of the edge and cuts? Take a close look ready product. All ends of the parts must be neatly cut, without chips or cracks. Such a marriage not only gives way to formaldehyde, but also worsens appearance furniture, shortening its lifespan. The edge must be processed all the details even in places not visible to the eye. For example, removable shelves should be glued on all sides, including the one that is located end to the back wall of a cabinet or cabinet. The edge is a reliable barrier that does not allow harmful substances to penetrate into the air that the child breathes.

1. Why is the air in our apartments sometimes as polluted as the air on a busy highway?
2. Which furniture is better for health and which is worse?!
3. What is important to consider when buying furniture.

- WHAT SMELLS?!

A strong smell from new furniture usually reminds you of a purchase for more than one week, or even a month. But we don’t always think about what we actually breathe while sitting at a recently purchased table or near a new headset.

The result of research on this topic is not too happy. In many cases, the “fumes” coming from new furniture made of chipboard, fiberboard, etc. are a real poison. The composition of the air in a newly furnished room can be so polluted that breathing it is like breathing car fumes on a busy highway at rush hour!

Most of the chipboard, fiberboard, MDF, polymers, paints and varnishes that are used in the manufacture of mass furniture generously endow us with all kinds of poisons: here and phenol, and formaldehyde, and ammonia, and benzene, and a dozen more toxic substances. It should be noted that fiberboard is often less toxic than chipboard, but still they can “succumb” in excess of the norm, in excess of the MPC.

But we have, in addition to furniture, in the premises there are already enough toxic materials such as linoleum, plastic panels or ceilings, etc.

As a result, for our own money, along with a new interior, we get new problems: with sleep, immunity, headaches, in the worst cases - acute respiratory infections, bronchitis, asthma, conjunctivitis, allergies, dermatitis ...

By the way, children suffer from this more than adults. For example, a link has been established between formaldehyde emitted from furniture and childhood myopia, which has become increasingly common in recent years.

How to buy furniture without harming yourself

1. Prefer natural wood

The most environmentally friendly is, of course, furniture from natural wood. Especially when we are talking about the bed or about the bedroom furniture. Although there may be reservations: it is important if the tree did not grow somewhere in the Chernobyl region, it is important what they glued it with, what kind of varnish they covered it with, etc. But these are, in general, trifles compared with a wardrobe or a bed made of cheap chipboard, in which the concentration of phenol-formaldehydes emitted is often higher than the maximum allowable.

In general, natural wood is a topic for a separate big conversation. Indeed, in our time, furniture is made and bought not for centuries, as before. On the contrary, for many it has already become the norm to constantly update the interior, just like updating clothes or hair. And in the case of furniture from natural wood such a “renewal race” will very quickly lead to to the final cutting down of those forests that are still on the planet.

Therefore, we are not going to agitate only for furniture made of natural wood.

2. And if you still prefer a wardrobe or a bed made of chipboard, fiberboard, MDF?

If you still decide to buy furniture made of chipboard, fiberboard or MDF, then ask the seller for a quality certificate (or a certificate of conformity) and a hygienic conclusion. Make sure that the formaldehyde emissions comply with GOST or European standard E1 (E2 is worse, because it allows for a stronger release of toxic substances).

Manufacturers who think about the health of their customers are sure to veneer all surfaces and edges Chipboard protective film or veneer, and all drilled holes glued. This at least partially protects against harmful fumes. When choosing furniture made of chipboard, fiberboard or MDF, pay attention to this.

3 more things to consider when updating the interior

In any case, it is advisable not to update all the furniture at once, but to do it slowly, in parts. This is quite reasonable: it will hit your pocket less, and you will not once again test your health “for strength”.

If you still decide to replace all the furniture in a room or apartment at once, then it makes sense at first ventilate more often this room and be less in it.

And if you have a good old wooden furniture, and it is not damaged by fungus and other pests, then maybe the best way- is it not to buy anything at all, but just leave the old one? Moreover, it can be restored.

One way or another, everyone chooses what is more important to him - to update the interior at any cost or to maintain health.