Wood products

Plywood

Plywood is a manufactured board composed of an odd number of thin sheets of wood glued together under pressure with grains of the successive layers at right angles. Plywood is strong, light, rigid, and resistant to splitting and warping. It can be molded into curved or irregular forms as well.

The two types commonly in use today are those made of softwood (such as pine) or hardwood (oak and birch are common types). Other material such as MDF may be substituted for the usual wood core.

MDF

MDF is basically a mixture of fine wood fibers and a binder that's pressed into plywood-like sheets. Since MDF has no "grain", it's very stable. The sheets are flat and will stay that way. And with carbide-tipped bits and blades, it machines smoothly and easily. Topping it all off, MDF is relatively inexpensive. Some drawbacks to MDF are its weight (a 4'x8' sheet will weigh ~90 lbs) and water resistance. MDF is more moisture tolerant than particleboard, but WILL swell upon contact with water.

MDF DUST IS TOXIC! CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO AVOID INHALING IT. BREATHING PROTECTION IS A MUST WHEN WORKING WITH THIS MATERIAL. EFFECTS OF INHALATION ARE EXTREMELY HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH

OSB

OSB is an engineered structural wood panel made up of three layers of oriented wood flakes. It is a sheet material in which strands of wood are bonded together with a synthetic resin adhesive. The alignment of the wood strands contributes to the boards strength and structural performance.

Particle Board

Particle board (sometimes called chipboard) is a composite material manufactured from wood particles (wood chips, shavings, or even saw dust) and a synthetic resin or binder, which is pressed and extruded. Particle board is an engineered-wood product and is very dense, heavy, and flat. It is used as a cheaper and less durable substitute for solid wood or plywood. It is very prone to expansion due to moisture.