Coloured MDF
Through-Coloured MDF
Since its conception, coloured MDF has been improved in co-operation with technicians, architects and
designers, in order to assess and enhance the benefits for a variety of uses. It was created to offer
an innovative wood-based product with better qualities than those already on the market
This ongoing dialogue has helped to develop attributes that meet the needs of these designers, leading to new colours and enhanced performance for many applications.
Articles produced using coloured MDF will only require a clear finish to seal the surface once the panels have been given a finishing sand. This will bring out the full colour, which is integrated into the very fibres of the panel.
Sculptured panels in these designs can also be seen with plain or woodgrain surfaces.
(Click for larger image & details)
How coloured MDF is manufactured:
Coloured MDF is made in a similar way to normal MDF, except that organic pigments are mixed with the wood fibres before the board is pressed to make it 100% coloured.
MDF produced using this process, which is subject to tight quality control to ensure consistent end results, offers a uniform coloured piece of wood, equally resistant to daylight and to artificial light.
Colour Extra is a coloured MDF that is moisture resistant, with excellent deep rout properties and mechanical resistance some 30% higher than standard panels.
This deep-rout panel offers an extremely high level of performance, and can be cut and shaped in great detail using standard woodworking tools, as the high melamine content in the makeup of the panel acts as a lubricant.
This gives this particular coloured MDF panel its excellent machining properties, and the result is a surface that requires only a minimum amount of sanding and clear finishing to achieve a high standard of final product.
Colour FR-B is a through-coloured MDF that is available in the full range of colours & thicknesses. Manufactured to special order in a relatively small minimum production quantity of 10m3 per item (= approx 530m2 @ 19mm), this coloured MDF product is individually batch tested for conformance to EN13501 Class B-s2,d0, with all the through-colour characteristics of Colour Extra.
Colour Standard is a coloured MDF that can be cut and profiled with ease like a normal MDF panel. It is used whenever a self-coloured finish is required, where the deep-rout or moisture resistant properties of Colour Extra are not needed.
The possibilities are endless:
CNC and hand controlled routers, spindle moulders or other power tools may be used with Colour Extra in order to produce stunning, colourful products, as can be seen from the images to the right. These patterns (and any others you can design) can be supplied pre-machined, and we can also supply them with a pre-applied clear AC lacquer finish if preferred.
Virtually any pattern can be produced from a CAD drawing in single or multiple sheets of this high-grade coloured MDF.
Coloured MDF - colours & stock availability:
Colour Extra is available from stock in the full range of colours and thicknesses shown below in size 2500x1250mm, while Colour Standard is available in a limited range:
Special colours can be produced for orders in excess of 3 full mixed trailer loads per colour
-
From stock:
- 2500x1250mm - available in less than full pallets
- (Can be supplied precut/machined to size/pattern)
-
To order:
- 2500x1850mm
- 3750x1250mm
- 3750x2500mm
- (Other sizes possible, subject to mill's final confirmation)
Packaging:
| Thk | 2500x1250mm | 2500x1850mm | 3750x1250mm | 3750x2500mm | Approx per trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8mm | 90 | 60 | 50 | 25 | 3,950m2 |
| 12mm | 60 | 40 | 40 | 20 | 2,650m2 |
| 16mm | 45 | 30 | 30 | 15 | 2,000m2 |
| 19mm | 39 | 26 | 26 | 13 | 1,700m2 |
| 22mm | 36 | 20 | 20 | 10 | 1,600m2 |
| 25mm | 30 | 20 | 20 | 80 | 1,350m2 |
| 30mm | 27 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 1,200m2 |
Main advantages of coloured MDF:
- Uniformity of colour throughout
- Environmentally friendly
- Non toxic
- Can be fitted without further finishing - maintains its technical and decorative features.
- Can be waxed or varnished
- Mechanical resistance 30% higher than standard MDF(Colour Extra)
- Moisture resistant (Colour Extra)
- Excellent for deep and heavily patterned CNC machining (Colour Extra)
- Stock size of 2500x1250mm yields size 2440x1220mm, even in the case of edge damage in transit when delivered to site in less than pallet quantities
Examples of the boards in use:
Technical specification (Colour Extra):
| Thickness: | 8mm | 12mm | 16mm | 19mm | 22mm | 25mm | 30mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average density (Kg/m³): | 800 | 790 | 760 | 750 | 730 | 690 | 690 |
| Average weight (Kg/m²): | 6.40 | 9.48 | 12.16 | 14.25 | 16.06 | 17.25 | 20.70 |
| Thickness swell (%): In 24 hours |
10 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Internal bond (N/mm²): | 1.10 | 1.10 | 1.10 | 1.00 | 0.95 | 0.90 | 0.85 |
| Bending strength (N/mm²): | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 22 | 22 |
| Modulus of elasticity (N/mm²): | 2700 | 2500 | 2500 | 2500 | 2500 | 2300 | 2300 |
| Thickness swell (%): (24h after cyclic test) |
17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 10 |
| Internal bond (N/mm²): After cyclic test |
0.30 | 0.25 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 |
Cyclic test carried out according to BS EN 321
