Fine Custom Cabinetry that is Made to Last a Lifetime: Particle Board vs. Plywood
It wasn’t long ago when shopping for custom cabinets, many homeowners would focus only on the look of the cabinets; and sometimes to their detriment and long term dissatisfaction, ignore the most important feature of the cabinets- the material used to make the cabinet box.
This is why at Crossroads Academy, we go to great lengths to educate all kitchen cabinet consumers on the various construction types, the differences between framed cabinetry and full access cabinetry, the best places to buy kitchen cabinets, and even to introduce quality and luxury features inherent in fine custom cabinetry to those that haven’t had the opportunity to experience them first hand.
Now, we will set out to clarify, in a series of posts, a topic that is growing in controversy (and confusion), Plywood vs. Particle Board. So let’s begin with a simple question and a not so simple answer.
Question: Which is better Plywood vs. Particle Board?
Answer is “it depends”.
Both plywood and particle board have features and benefits that make it suitable for different situations; however, since our focus at Crossroads is that of making the luxury of fine custom cabinetry affordable for all, I will cut through the persuasive rhetoric and take an early stand for particle board. I don’t feel this is a disclaimer however, as most major cabinet manufacturers are in agreement.
As you venture out to read up on the topic, you’ll quickly discover that it isn’t easy to separate fact from fiction, and that there are compelling sounding arguments on all sides. So in order to gain a greater understanding of particle board and plywood and what will be right for you, we will examine the nature of these two products by diving into several stories, which fuel these debates, with the goal of using our best logical and analytical reason to identify the facts.
So this introductory post will be followed up with a three-part series, stories if you will, on why particle board is taking the LEED.
1. The All Wood Story – This story looks into the appealing sound of all wood, what actually is all wood or who is charged with defining and enforcing what constitutes all wood, how does plywood and particle board relate, and finally, what’s does it all mean to you, the consumer.
2. Made to Last Story – In terms of any product having a long usable life, we are all interested in having our investments last as long as possible relative to our investment. For cabinetry, we hear a variety of terms including dimensional stability, structural integrity, and resistance levels to the elements such as temperature, light, moisture, pressure, etc. Warning: One thing you will take away from this story is that many products are NOT made to last a lifetime.
3. The Environmentally Friendly Story -For anyone that is actively trying to make environmentally conscious decisions, they know that many times, it is the simple and small choices we make in our homes that can make a world of difference to our environment. This post will focus on how these building materials impact the environment; and the best ways to protect the air quality in our homes by selecting products that minimize the release of fumes and gases.
If you are getting ready to make a purchasing commitment and need to know the conclusion on this final post now; ultimately, you will be able to conclude that when you select new cabinetry made from today’s engineered wood, such as Crossroads custom cabinetry, you can be assured that you are making a decision that contributes to better indoor air quality.
Let’s conclude this Introduction to this series with some loose definitions.
Plywood is a series of wood veneers, sheets of wood cut from a log, glued together in a cross grain pattern making a composite sheet. Because of the cross grain pattern, plywood is more stable than solid wood. Wood expands and contracts in the direction of the grain. By alternating the grain pattern in each layer of veneer, plywood balances most of the stresses caused by moisture and heat cycling. Exposed plywood faces are finished with veneers of cherry, maple, birch etc.., painted, or have a sheet of low pressure melamine applied. (melamine is a paper product with a print or image on the surface hardened with an aluminum oxide coating)
Particle board, or particleboard (or chipboard in the UK, Australia and some other countries), is a composite material/sheet wood product. The sheet is made by combining wood particles with a binder and either shaping via a mold and press operation or a continuous heat and press process. Since the sheet is a composite of wood fibers that are distributed in random orientations, there is little or no directional movement. Particle board products are classified by their particle size and overall density. The higher the density the heavier the product, in general terms. Additionally, sheet products have grades based on quality control standards set by the industry. Exposed surfaces can be finished with either wood veneers, painting if the material is suitable, or a laminate low pressure melamine.
The term particle board is very misleading and a favorite of marketers who are promoting plywood as superior to particle board; they typically prey on consumers’ misperceptions of particle board which is not difficult to do since there are different grades of particle board like flake board, chip board, oriented strand board, etc. They even drop in my favorite ‘saw dust’ to pigeon hole someone’s view.
So we will conclude by saying that the industrial grade particle board utilized in today’s manufacturing of cabinetry will be better served when we refer to it as Engineered Wood; and I will continue to refer to this more as we reason together and as the stories unfold.
Before we move to the All Wood Story, stay tuned as we lay the ground work on formaldehyde emissions and C.A.R.B. Compliance--without which nothing else will matter.