Substrate selection

Gunns veneers can be used to manufacture wood veneered panels using the following substrates:

Particleboard: Particleboard is an inexpensive, strong, stable substrate and is a widcly used substrate for wood-veneered products in Australia. It is available in two forms standard particleboard and HMR particleboard for interior application where high moisture resistance is required (e.g. for use in tropical regions, kitchens, bathrooms, etc).
Whilst manufacturers produce veneered particleboard on both standard and HMR particleboard, HMR particleboard is recommended as the superior substrate for veneered products.

Medium-density fibreboard ('MDF'): MDF is suitable a substrate for wood-veneered products although it is slightly more expensive than particleboard due largely to the high energy cost involved in reducing woodchips to fibre. MDF, is particularly suitable for applications where the edges of the panels are moulded and/or machined. Contrary to popular belief, MDF does not have significantly superior water-resistant properties to standard particleboard. However, MDF is also available in a HMR form with similar properties to HMR particleboard for applications when high moisture resistance is required.

Plywood: 4-mm and 6-mm decorative plywood with veneers on both faces is the most common form of decorative plywood sold and for most applications is sold as a Good-One-Side (G1S) product. Some manufacturers produce a bending or micro ply as thin as 1.5mm, this is generally used in bending and wrapping applications.

Blockboard: Blockboard is a composite panel consisting of parallel strips of solid wood, edge glued individually to form a thin laminated core. Two cross band veneers are then normally laid on either side of the core, followed by face veneers on each side, In Australia, blockboard is mainly used in the manufacture of solid core doors.

Other substrates: At times specialty substrates are specified, these may be: plastic based, metal cored or made of other materials. It is important that the manufacturer's instructions or application guidelines are strictly followed.

 

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