Plywood v/s MDF

Plywood

MDF

Raw Material Plywood board is made by gluing the thin sheets of wood layers at high pressure. It is easily available in the local market has very good strength. It is very widely used in making furniture and for other purposes. There are three styles of plywood available as follows: Interior plywood Exterior plywood Shuttering grade plywood Style/Finishing Plywood is used in both for home as well as for commercial purpose and it is less expensive and flexible. This can be used for home décor, paneling, roofing, lining, flooring, and furniture. The plywood does not have grains so it is finished with paint. In case you wish wood grain finish and polish style then you would need to put veneers or teak ply on it  Maintenance Plywood due to its structure is inherently more resistant to termite, moisture but if you finish it with veneer and polish then the same can be damaged by moisture.  Advantages Plywood is a strong wood made from many thin layers of peeled wood glued together so it has more strength compared to block boards, MDF and HDF. Plywood is free from shrinking and warping. Plywood is cheaper compared to other options with similar strength Disadvantages Buy plywood from a good vendor otherwise lower quality plywood may peel into layers after extensive use

Raw Material MDF is Medium density fiberboard.  It is a type of mechanically manufactured wood product formed by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibers and then by combining by wax/glue. and pressing it under heat and pressure. It is stronger and much more dense than normal particle board. Style/Finishing MDF gives a smooth and uniform surface wherever it is applied. It can be easily worked upon by carpenter and as it has small sized particles and fibers it can be cut into shapes very easily which gives the end product a smooth finish. MDF does not have any grain and it can be finished by applying paint on it. If you want wood grain finishing then you would need to put a veneer or teak ply on the MDF board Maintenance To protect MDF the steps below should be taken. Make sure that the board does not  get in touch with water as it can damage it. Clean the board with a clean soft cloth to remove the dust.  Do not mop with damp cloth. Advantages Carpenters find it easy to work with The board can be molded easily Medium density Less expensive than hardwood and solid wood. Disadvantages MDF does not have good strength when compared to solid wood so make sure it is not used in applications where heavy load is expected to be borne by the board.  MDF boards also do not have very good holding strength for nails/screws. If a furniture piece needs to be moved frequently or dismantled and then rebuilt frequently then the MDF board might loose the grip on the nails.