Melamine Faced Chipboard

If you are not already familiar with melamine faced chipboard, often called MFC or Conti-board, you might be surprised by how common it is around you. It is a popular choice for furniture, cabinetry, shelving, wardrobes, and joinery tasks in the UK, owing to its affordability and good performance.

What Is Melamine Faced Chipboard?

Melamine faced chipboard is a composite board made by bonding wood particles with resin and overlaying one or both sides with a melamine-impregnated decorative paper.

The overlay is cured under heat and pressure to give it durability and a smooth finish. It’s worth noting that the melamine surface is more durable than veneer and can come in pre-finished colours or wood grain patterns.

Uses of Melamine Faced Chipboard

Here are some common applications and general uses for MFC:

Kitchens

Because it is easy to clean and pre-finished, MFC is ideal for kitchen carcass panels, shelves, and units.

Shelves

MFC chipboard is utilised to construct shelves since it can be cut to any size and faced with different shades. Besides, you can edge your Conti-chipboard with either complementing or contrasting coloured edging tape to match any interior design.

Wardrobes

MFC allows builders to create a seamless and personalised bedroom wardrobe without breaking the bank!

Interior fixtures (Caravans, boats, offices)

Because melamine-faced chipboard is light, decorative, and stable, it is often used for interior linings, such as in canal boats or caravans

Advantages of Melamine Faced Chipboard

There are various advantages of MFC chipboard. They include.

• MFC does not require any finishing – After fitting the laminated chipboard sheets in position, no further treatment is needed. If you were to use plywood or timber instead, you would need to do extra work after fitting, such as sanding after applying each layer. It is time-consuming, and considering that melamine is more stain-resistant than varnish, the extra effort doesn’t justify the time spent preparing timber or plywood.
• Durable – The melamine portion of the material allows water to run off. It is also shatterproof and scratch-resistant, making it more durable than other materials that are vulnerable to water and scratches.
• Cost effective – MFC is cheap to buy and also to lay.
• Aesthetically appealing.

Note: While the Conti-board (face) chipboard is waterproof, if water penetrates the chipboard underneath, the dampness could distort melamine. Similarly, while melamine chipboard is robust and long-lasting, if the installation was done improperly so that the MFC chipboard damages the particleboard, the melamine could chip.

Why choose our MFC Board?

We offer a wide selection of melamine faced chipboard boards in various finishes (smooth, white, wood-effect etc.), sizes, and thicknesses.

Our boards are FSC® certified, where stated, giving assurance of responsibly sourced wood. You can also get trade prices and bulk discounts for affordable options that don’t compromise your construction.

We also offer edging tape to match or contrast with your boards and for proper edge finishing.

Get durable, decorative, and affordable board solutions in our melamine faced chipboard range. We have it in different styles, finishes, and thicknesses. Order today for a quick UK delivery.

FAQs

Can you paint melamine faced chipboard?

Yes, it is possible to paint melamine faced chipboard even with the slick surface. However, this requires preparation of the surface with a high quality bonding primer to ensure the paint sticks. You should also clean and lightly sand it to dull the sheen and create a surface for the primer to adhere.

How to cut melamine-faced chipboard?

The process is simple and breaks down as follows:

• Mark where you are going to make the cut on both edges of the board and put down masking tape between the points.
• Use your measurements to make a clean line between the points.
• Use a sharp knife to score the laminate surface to create a guideline, with a steel ruler to guide your action.
• Once scored, use a traditional handsaw/circular saw/jigsaw to cut the board following your guide line.

Clean up the edge with a sander, router, or planer to ensure it doesn’t start chipping due to irregular edges.

Is melamine faced chipboard waterproof?

MFC is more moisture resistant than other finished chipboard products due to the melamine overlay. However, if moisture makes it into the chipboard core through unbanded/exposed edges, it can cause swelling, distortion from internal stress, and chipping.

Will melamine peel off?

Melamine doesn’t peel off like paint since the resin hardens and keeps its structure over time. It can bend or warp from the chipboard swelling or from heavy loads, but it does not peel off by itself without some stress or exposure to harsh conditions over long periods.