Engineered Wood vs Plywood vs MDF vs HDF

In the market, there are different kinds of engineered woods available that can be used in any kind of construction or furniture manufacturing. If you are also looking to find the best quality and cost-effective wood material to use for your home or office furniture, you should know about all these different types of engineered wood so that you can make a better choice. Indeed, most of the people do not know the proper difference between all these wooden materials. Everyone needs to know about the pros and cons of all these types of materials to make the right choice.

If you also want to know the difference between Solid wood vs Plywood vs MDF vs HDF, here are some of the comparison points based on its strength, use, life and cost.

Read More: What is plywood & it’s types

Strength

First of all, you should know about the type of strength that you will get by using all these kinds of wooden materials for any kind of furniture or construction project.

• Solid wood is considered the strongest material based on the type of species of wood when compared to all other engineered woods.
• After the solid wood, plywood is considered the second strongest one among all other options.
• HDF is considered a stronger material as compared to the medium-density fibreboard MDF board.
• MDF is the weakest material among all these above given wooden types but it is stronger than the particle board.

Life Of The Material

Another important factor while using any kind of these would and materials is its lifespan. You can know about the lifespan of the materials below:

• Solid wood is considered to have the longest lifespan and it can last for centuries if you are taking proper care and picking the right type of wood.
• Veneered and laminated plywood can easily last for up to 50 years if you are taking proper care and using it in a dry environment.
• HDF is also considered a very durable material and you can use it for several years without any kind of damage with good care.
• If you are using MDF in a dry environment, it can last up to 10 years easily. With lamination, you can use it up to 15 to 20 years before the replacement.

Cost Of The Material

Everyone has a different budget or while looking to get wooden materials to use in any kind of furniture or other construction work. Here is an idea of the cost-effectiveness of all these materials that you can pick:

• Solid wood is considered as the most expensive material among all these other engineered wood materials available in the market.
• Plywood is less expensive than solid wood but it will be more expensive than both of the other two types of engineered wood. The cost will also depend on the type of wood veneer used in it.
• HDF board is less expensive than plywood and solid wood but it will be more expensive as compared to MDF material because of the more applied pressure during the manufacturing process.
• Among all these types of wooden materials, the MDF board is considered the cheapest one that you can get in the minimum budget.

Uses Of The Materials

Based on the type and strength of the materials, it is used in different ways. When you know what is engineered wood material and its differences, you should also know about the proper use of all these wooden options:

• Solid wood is commonly used to make wooden framed structures as well as in flooring. It is also used in the manufacturing of highly durable furniture items for indoor and outdoor use. In homes and buildings, it is also used for the doors, and window frames. It is also used in ships, aircraft, millwork, ladders, boxes, crates and much more.
• Plywood is commonly used in the manufacturing of custom furniture for homes and offices. It is also used in several ways in construction projects including the floor roof, walls and concrete shuttering panels. It is also used to make kitchen furniture and cabinets for the kitchen and bathroom.
• HDF is preferred for furniture in places having heavy traffic including cinemas, hotels, government offices and other commercial places. It is also one of the useful materials for laminate flooring due to its moisture-resistant features.
• MDF is also commonly used in several furniture items, cabinets and shelves for storage. It is also used in several kinds of decorative items and wall claddings.

Based on all these differences in engineered wooden material, you can make the proper choice according to your needs and requirements for any furniture or construction project.

Read Also: Top 10 Plywood Companies in India