Basic materials
Plywood
Plywood are real wood panel materials that are glued together crosswise. They are sturdy plates, which makes it easy to process. With plywood, one can choose a panel with specific properties.
Plywood-Birch is what is mainly used by Culion.
Birch – one of the most popular plywood. A sturdy type of wood which is glued moisture-resistant. The plate can withstand moisture well but is not recommended for outdoor use. See the overview below for the different qualities in top layers. The birch plywood is also available primed under the name Triprime multiplex.
Other Plywood types are:
Poplars – a light-colored type of wood which is also lightweight. This plate has an interior gluing and is therefore not suitable for damp applications.
Okoumé – this plywood is very durable and ideal for outdoor applications. Think of doors, dormers, fascias and the like. The type we carry is French plywood. It is of high quality unlike, for example, Asian varieties.
Flex plywood – 5 and 8 mm thick plywood with grooves in it. Ideal for making round shapes.
Aircraft plywood – This plywood is made of wafer-thin layers and is therefore super strong and flexible. The thinner the plate, the tighter the radius it can make. People use this type mainly for curved objects, models and, of course, (model) aircraft.
Meranti – this type of wood is almost exclusively used in stand construction. The wood has a good price/quality ratio and is easily paintable.
Finnish spruce (underlayment) – this board is constructed from spruce plywood through and through. Firing is lightweight and easy to handle. The panel is flat and stable and therefore very easy to process. There are many types of slabs that fall under the heading of underlayment. In this, Finnish spruce is by far the best quality board.
Concrete plywood (birch) – concrete plywood is a sheet that is completely covered with fenofilm. This plate is often used for construction purposes such as formwork, stages and the like. The phenol layer is standard dark brown but can also be ordered in black, white and all kinds of (variegated) colors. Concrete plywood is available with several types of core material, but only the birch plywood is of the best quality.
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What do the terms WBP and MR mean?
The letters WBP for multiplex stand for Water Boiled Proof. This means that the plywood is glued with an adhesive that allows the plywood to spend at least 72 hours in a cooking test, without the different layers of the plywood coming loose. If plywood passes this test, it is suitable for outdoor use. MR means Moisture Resistant which literally means moisture resistant and is an adhesive based on melamine and urea formaldehyde. The plate is for indoor use only. Terms like WBP and MR are still heard, but are in fact no longer relevant for permanent application in construction.Nowadays, we use standards according to the new European standard NEN-EN 13986 in which we distinguish three climate conditions:
- NEN EN 636-1, indoor
- NEN EN 636-2, damp inside / sheltered outside
- NEN EN 636-3, outside
MDF
MDF V313: A green moisture-resistant, glued MDF board. Made for applications in humid conditions. This board is not suitable for outdoor applications and must be provided with a sealer, primer and topcoat before use in damp areas. MDF V313 is moisture and mildew resistant and suitable for use in damp areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, etc.
MDF V313 White Structure: A variant of the MDF V313. Due to the white melamine finish, it is immediately usable (most used by Culion).
MDF Exterior/Tricoya: Suitable for outdoor applications, if properly processed according to the processing instructions.
MDF Deep Milling Quality: Deep Milling Quality MDF gives your object that extra look it deserves. Due to the high compression and fine fiber structure, you get an optimal result when deep milling MDF. This results in better profiling, finishing for spraying and sheeting with foil.
MDF fire retardant: A red board that is suitable for applications where low fire propagation and smoke production is required.
Ultra light MDF: Ultra Light MDF is produced in a different way than standard MDF. An important difference is that this plate is pressed less heavily. In addition, woods with a low specific weight are used. The maximum thickness is 30 mm. Due to the soft core, Ultra Light is less suitable for milling work. The screw resistance is also less than with other carriers.
MDF Ecologique (ZF – Formaldehyde-free): All MDF panels contain formaldehyde, of course within the guidelines set by the EU. Hout Import Reuver has a number of thicknesses in stock that do not contain formaldehyde. These plates are mainly used for interior work at museums. The yellowing of old parchments and paper, due to formaldehyde emissions, is then not an issue.Additional information MDF
Moisture-resistant MDF, also called waterproof MDF, is suitable for indoor applications where the relative humidity is up to 80% for short periods. The board is made with moisture resistant glues such as urea formaldehyde glue. As a result, swelling when exposed to moisture is less than with normal MDF and strength also decreases less.EN 622-5 distinguishes two types of moisture-resistant MDF: MDF.H for normal application under humid conditions and MDF.HLS for structural application. The best known are the green-colored V313 plates, which may or may not be provided with a lacquer carrier foil.
Moisture-resistant MDF is used for kitchens, bathroom furniture, flooring, window sills, skirting boards and architraves, among others. MDF Exterior is a special type of moisture-resistant MDF, waterproof glued MDF for exterior applications. This MDF is resistant to weather influences and is stronger than normal MDF. There are different versions available with varying lifespans from 10 to 50 years. This lifespan is often only achievable with the application of a good coating. Therefore always read the processing instructions of the manufacturer or supplier. A lifespan of 50 years is extremely long for board material, equalling the durability of teak. MDF Exterior is used in playground equipment, in facade joinery, as cladding and in window frames. In addition, it is used in wet indoor applications where normal moisture-resistant MDF does not suffice, such as in swimming pools and bathrooms.
