7 Best Uses for a Particle Board

a pile of particle board

Particle board is a low-density variety of fiberboard that is made from scraps of wood like sawdust or bits of wood. You can also find particle board made from green materials like fibers leftover from the production of sugarcane. These particles are collected, ground, and pressed together. A proper binding agent is added and when it is formed particle board is the finished product. Particle board is inexpensive and versatile, making it a great product for many industries. Particle board can be covered in a veneer so that it can be visible. The following article will share with you the best uses for particle board.

1. Furniture

Any time you buy a dresser or entertainment center you are usually purchasing a product made from particle board. This is because particle board is very inexpensive and easy to work with. Furniture that costs more can use a variety of fiberboard and natural milled wood. The same look can be accomplished with basic particle board and several mainstream furniture companies have had great success using it as their main material.

2. Cabinets

building cabinets

When you set out to have cabinets installed in your home the first thing you will notice is cost. They are very expensive and forget getting custom cabinets made because the expense could smother you. That is if you use all wood and not particle board. The best solution is to use particle board cases and real wood faces. This creates a fairly inexpensive cabinet and makes particle board a popular product in the industry.

3. Home Accents

There are many areas of the home that can be spruced up by adding accent pieces. The most popular place for accents is around windows, doors, floors, and ceilings in the form of trim and molding. These materials are made cheaper when they are created from particle board. Particle board is easy to install and even easier to paint.

4. Flooring

Particle board normally is not used as your main flooring, but is often used to cover hardwood floors that are already present in a home. The new particle board floor is then covered with carpet or tile. This is done to protect the natural hardwood and, if you choose to go back to the hardwood, it will not be hard to do.

5. Roofing

Particle board comes in several thicknesses which make it a versatile enough product to be used in roofing. Treated lumber is often used as the main material with thin sheets of treated particle board being placed on top and then shingles are attached. This is especially common on a low-slope roof.

6. Insulation

Due to the durability of particle board it is sometimes used as an added insulating material. Other products are used in conjunction with it to keep heat loss and moisture to a minimum.

7. Sound Deadening

a sound speaker

If you dismantle a speaker you'll notice they're made from particle board. This is because the material absorbs sound and does not bounce it back. This is why particle board is used in walls and floors in recording studios, concert halls, and media rooms.