The four panels in one table
All four are engineered wood panels: wood raw material bonded with resin under a hot continuous press. What changes is the size and shape of the wood element, and that one variable drives density, surface, machining behaviour and price.
| Particleboard | MDF | HDF | OSB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood element | Particles / chips | Fine fibres | Fine fibres, pressed denser | Large oriented strands |
| Typical density | 600 to 700 kg/m³ | 700 to 800 kg/m³ | 800 kg/m³ and above | 580 to 640 kg/m³ |
| Surface | Smooth, ideal under melamine and veneer | Very smooth, ideal for paint and lacquer | Very smooth and hard, ideal for lamination | Visible strand pattern, F-OSB sanded finer |
| Machining | Cuts and drills cleanly; edges best banded | Routs, profiles and carves cleanly | Machines cleanly; thin gauges die-cut | Cuts well; texture stays visible |
| Thickness range at Ningfeng | Up to 30 mm | 2 to 30 mm | 0.8 to 12 mm | Furniture and interior range |
| Cost position | Most economical per m³ | Mid | Mid to high (thin gauges priced per m²) | Mid |
| Signature uses | Cabinet carcasses, shelving, flat-pack furniture | Fronts, doors, mouldings, coloured MDF | Laminate flooring core, backs, drawer bottoms, door skins | Feature walls, furniture with visible texture, packaging |
Choose by component, not by brand of panel
A wardrobe shows the logic in one object. The carcass and shelves are EN 312 P2 particleboard, usually melamine-faced, because they need stiffness per euro over large areas. The doors are MDF when they are profiled or lacquered, or melamine-faced board when they ship flat. The back panel and drawer bottoms are thin HDF at 2 to 3 mm, dense enough to hold staples and keep the frame square. Nothing in that wardrobe uses the most expensive panel where a cheaper one performs.
Wet rooms shift one specification: the carcass moves from P2 to EN 312 P3 moisture-resistant particleboard (24-hour thickness swelling of 14% or less per EN 317), or to MR MDF for profiled parts. Flooring shifts another: laminate flooring cores use 6 to 12 mm HDF, where density above 800 kg/m³ holds the click profile.
OSB enters when the surface itself is the design. The oriented-strand texture has moved from workshops into retail interiors, desks and shelving; the fine-faced F-OSB variant adds a sanded surface for painting or lamination on the same core.
The cost logic behind the table
Particleboard is the most economical because particles need less refining energy than fibres and the mat presses fast. MDF costs more because fibre preparation adds a refining stage, and it pays that cost back wherever the panel is machined or painted. HDF concentrates more fibre into the same thickness, so it is priced above MDF per cubic metre; in thin gauges it is bought per square metre, where a 0.8 to 3 mm sheet undercuts plywood and solid alternatives. OSB sits mid-table: large strands are cheap to prepare, and orientation gives stiffness that particles cannot.
Formaldehyde class is a cross-cutting choice, priced independently of panel type. At Ningfeng every family runs from E1 and E0 through CARB P2 and JIS F★★★★ to ENF (formaldehyde-free), so the emission grade follows your market, and the panel type follows the component.
Questions buyers ask
Is MDF stronger than particleboard?
MDF is denser (typically 700 to 800 kg/m³ against 600 to 700) and machines far better, with higher face quality for paint and profiling. For flat, faced furniture panels at lower cost, particleboard is the standard choice; specifiers pick MDF where routing, carving or lacquered finish is involved, and particleboard where economics over large areas win.
Which panel is best for kitchen cabinets?
Carcasses: EN 312 P3 moisture-resistant particleboard (24-hour swelling of 14% or less per EN 317), usually melamine-faced. Doors and fronts: MDF for profiled or lacquered designs, or melamine-faced board for flat designs. Backs and drawer bottoms: thin HDF at 2 to 3 mm.
What is the difference between MDF and HDF?
Density. Both are dry-process fibreboards; MDF sits around 700 to 800 kg/m³, HDF at 800 kg/m³ and above. The extra density makes HDF the panel for laminate flooring cores and for very thin sheets (Ningfeng presses HDF from 0.8 mm) that still need stiffness and screw-and-staple holding.
Can OSB replace plywood in furniture?
In many interior and furniture applications, yes: backs, shelving, visible design surfaces and packaging, where OSB delivers strand-board stiffness at a lower cost than plywood. Specify F-OSB when a smoother, sandable face is needed for painting or lamination.
Does the formaldehyde grade depend on which panel I choose?
No. Emission class is set by the resin system, and at Ningfeng every panel family (particleboard, MDF, HDF, OSB) is available in E1, E0, ENF formaldehyde-free, CARB P2 and JIS F★★★★. Choose the panel by component, then set the grade by target market.