Wood board materials and panels

You will find a large selection of sheet materials in the hardware store or at the timber trade. Here we list the most common and tell for which applications they are good and less suitable.

There are many types of wood board materials, but we can divide them into two main groups: construction boards and furniture and carpentry panels.

Construction plates

Almost every do-it-yourselfer whoever works on his house will work with construction plates. There is a wide choice available and each type has its own applications and sets its own requirements for processing and finishing. As the name implies, construction plates serve mainly for the construction and not 'for the beautiful'. If you use them for visual work, a finish with a paint layer will often be necessary. Here you can visit wood building materials NZ

Plywood and plywood

Plywood and plywood consist of three or more thin layers of wood glued together. The wood used can be both hardwood and softwood - for example, poplar or birch. Plywood is also suitable for the construction of partitions, tabletops, floors, and all kinds of interior paneling.

Chipboard

Chipboard consists of compressed and glued wood chips. It is a fairly heavy board material with little structural strength. On the other hand, it costs relatively little. Chipboard is often used to level floors for laying laminate or carpet. It is less suitable for visual work with its coarse structure. And one more thing: working with chipboard makes your tools dull.

Hardboard

A thin sheet material, made of high-pressure pressed wood pulp. It often has a smooth and a rough side. Hardboard is cheap and also looks cheap. Therefore, it is usually used for leveling floors, as a bed base or as a back panel of cabinets, all applications where it is kept out of sight. It is easy to process material, which you can also attach in curved shapes.

Also, visit cross laminated timber NZ

Tip: Hole board - a hardboard plate with all holes - is useful for hanging all kinds of things, such as tools in your hobby room.

Softboard

Softboard is made by pressing wood fibers under less high pressure. This produces a light sheet material, which is easy to process but has no structural strength whatsoever. Except for pinboards, it can be used as an underlay.

MDF

MDF stands for Medium Density Fireboard. It is made by pressing and gluing wood dust under high pressure. The result is a smooth sheet that can be seen as wood and is easy to paint or varnish. MDF is also easy to mill, but if you are going to screw it, it is wise to pre-drill the holes to avoid splitting. MDF cannot be used outdoors, but indoors there are many applications: from all kinds of furniture to paneling and moldings.

Concrete plex

This plywood variant gets its name from the original application: formwork for pouring concrete. Concrete plywood consists of layers of spruce or poplar wood finished with a smooth and waterproof layer of epoxy resin. This makes it suitable for outdoor applications. Consider, for example, homemade garden furniture. Concrete plywood is quite heavy and relatively pricey.

OSB

OSB (Oriented Strand Board) is a coarse sheet material, made of glued wood shavings. Due to the rough aspect, it is not suitable as furniture material, but it is an inexpensive solution as an underlay for parquet floors or wall constructions. OSB plates are available with tongue and groove.

Underlayment

Underlayment plates consist of layers of glued pine or pine wood. It is a strong and relatively inexpensive construction board, which is widely used for floors and walls. The somewhat coarse structure makes it less easy to finish.

Furniture panels and carpentry panels

Unlike construction panels, these panel materials are specifically designed for furniture, and the appearance is as important as the structural properties.

Furniture panels

Furniture panels are chipboard finished with a plastic coating. This top layer is often white, but there are all kinds of designs available. Popular is the 'just real' wood designs, where you can even feel the wood grain. After sawing, you can finish the cutting edge with an edge band in the same design. Stick this on the edges with an iron.

Tip: The top layer of furniture panels shatters quickly. Always use a sharp, fine-toothed saw to minimize this risk and cut with gentle movements.

Carpentry panels

Carpentry panels are the only ones in the list that consist of solid wood. They are made by gluing slats together into panels of various thicknesses and sizes and are available in pine, spruce, beech, oak, and other woods. Carpentry panels are strong and easy-to-use material for furniture. Finished with oil, varnish, or transparent stain, they retain their natural look.

How do you Treat scaffolding wood

Treating scaffolding wood ensures that the life of your wood lasts longer. Treating scaffolding wood ensures that your wood is protected against moisture, UV light, dirt, mold, and all kinds of deposits. In addition to making it last longer, it also ensures that your scaffolding wood continues to look more beautiful. If the treated scaffolding wood gets dirty, it is much easier to clean. In short: enough reasons to treat your scaffolding wood if it has not already been done. We would like to tell you more about this, along with some useful background information. 

Wood species at Steigerhout

Scaffolding wood is made from softwood. The most common types of softwood that are used for this are pine, Douglas fir, and spruce. Untreated, softwood does not really have a long life. Depending on the type of softwood, the lifespan is between 5 and 15 years. Another feature is that softwood easily absorbs moisture. In addition, the wood will quickly age without treatment. Treating scaffolding wood ensures that this graying does not take place. Click here to visit wood products NZ.

Ways to handle scaffolding wood 

Before you finish with oil, stain, or paint, there is a choice in scaffolding wood that is preserved or not. Sustainability ensures that the wood is more resistant to wood rot so that it lasts longer. When purchasing, you can recognize the wood by the green haze that is visible. 

Both the untreated wood and the preserved wood can be treated with different finishing methods. If you are going to work with oil, paint, or stain, it is wise to first degrease and sand the scaffolding wood. 

Below we would like to explain a bit more about the different treatment methods for scaffolding wood. 

Treat with oil 

Treating scaffolding wood with oil ensures that the wood is protected against the aforementioned matters. It is important to do maintenance with oil on the wood once every three to four years. The beauty of oil is that the wood retains its original matt appearance and original color. It is possible to obtain oil that colors for a gray or whitewash appearance because color has been incorporated in the oil. 

Staining scaffolding wood

Staining scaffolding wood also produces a matt appearance. In general, this variant is more chosen if you want to give the scaffolding wood a different shade. The stain is also available in semi-opaque colors. It is often used for a gray or whitewash. For stains, too, maintenance is required every three to four years to keep the wood well protected. 

Also, visit cross laminated timber supplier

Treat with paint 

Paint is used to give the scaffolding wood a truly opaque color. In contrast to the previously mentioned treatment methods, paint does give a film over the wood and has a covering effect. The wood structure remains clearly visible. Paint requires less maintenance. Generally speaking, servicing every four to five years is sufficient. 

It goes without saying that the final choice depends on personal taste. Within the PontMeyer range, we have a wide choice when it comes to treating scaffolding wood. If you would like to seek advice or if you have any substantive questions, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service. 

Related post:

https://woodspan.blogspot.com/2020/04/3-tips-for-finishing-solid-panels.html

https://woodspan.hatenablog.com/entry/2020/04/22/115117

3 Tips for Finishing Solid Panels

How nice that you are going to do odd jobs with solid panels! Before you get started, it is good to read the following points carefully and take them into account. This way you ultimately have the best result with your job!

Humidity
It is important that solid wood is stored and processed in an environment where the relative humidity is between 40% and 60%. This is because wood absorbs moisture faster than it releases. Is the air drier or more humid? Then it may be that the panel warps; the wood is going to work.

For comparison: ideal humidity in the home is also between 40% and 60%. So do not put the material in a damp shed until you get started with it, but keep it indoors. After you have protected your project with a lacquer or oil, it is protected against possible changes in humidity and will not warp as quickly.

Warped? Then turn the panel over, put something heavy on it and make sure it is in the right environment (humidity). The panel will straighten again and you can still use it for your job!

Sanding
The panels are lightly pre-sanded and have yet to be sanded. Due to the processing of the panel (picking it up with a forklift truck, pulling it through the sawing machine, transporting it in the truck), it may be that the surface is scratched. To make your panel completely cool, it is therefore important to first sand it well yourself with a fine grain; at least 180.

You not only sand away any scratches, but also any discolouration of the untreated wood. It is a natural product, which means that it will discolour over time. Also because it is simply in the warehouse. When you sand the panel well, the original color of the wood will come back, so you can immediately protect it with a lacquer or oil.
Read more: wood products nz

To protect
So it is very important to protect the panel! For example, you can use a lacquer or oil for this, depending on the effect you want to achieve. Get advice from a paint specialist and pay close attention to the processing instructions of the protective agent you use.


WOODEN WALL PANELS - STONE WALL DECORATION 
We have wall panels in different materials including: teak strips, wood strips, 3d wooden panels, smooth wooden wall cladding, very rough wooden wall decoration, Teak wall panels and recycled Teak shelves. But also very decorative coconut mats and flexible stone as wall decoration.

If desired, we can also mount your wall coverings.

Subtle wooden wall covering
Subtle wall decoration is made of high-quality real wood and is available in 17 different types of wood. The different types of wood all have their own warm, unique and exclusive look, where every room small and large gets its own sophisticated look. In addition to a natural and luxurious appearance, our wooden wall coverings provide extra warmth and sound insulation. The wall covering is for sale per m2 and suitable for any room.

Robust teak wall coverings
These wall panels consist of robust planks constructed with thick pieces of wood from recycled teak wood from Javanese houses and fishing boats. The construction of different thickness and shapes of teak wood give a special and exclusive 3D wall. There is a choice of 10 different types. The wooden wall panels can be used in all types of spaces. Wet areas such as bathrooms are also possible.

Cocos Wall Covering
This residual product is made suitable in the country of origin (Vietnam) for use as a natural wall covering and / or furniture covering.

Stone as wall covering
Beautiful thin sheets with a top layer of real stone, slate and quartzite. Very flexible and can be used almost anywhere in 22 different shades.