A plain-language guide to furniture materials: how chipboard, MDF, and plywood differ, when to use each, and what to check when ordering.
When you order a kitchen or wardrobe, the manager will inevitably ask: "MDF or chipboard?" — and most people go blank. Here is a definitive breakdown of what these materials are, how they differ, and what actually matters when choosing.
Chipboard (also called particleboard) is made from large wood chips bonded under pressure. In furniture it almost always appears as melamine-faced chipboard (MFC): the same board with a melamine film laminated on both faces in wood, stone, or solid-colour decors.
For carcasses (side panels, bases, shelves) chipboard is a perfectly sound choice. Most kitchens in Europe are built on MFC carcasses 16 or 18 mm thick.
MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) is made from fine wood dust pressed at high pressure. The result is a dense, uniform, grain-free panel with no voids or unevenness.
MDF is the material of choice for cabinet doors, especially painted or routed ones. The carcass is still made from chipboard — that combination gives the best price-to-quality ratio.
If someone offers you a "fully MDF kitchen", ask exactly what parts are MDF. An MDF carcass is unnecessary extra cost with no real benefit. MDF belongs on the doors.
Plywood is made from thin veneer sheets glued with alternating grain directions. This cross-ply construction gives it high bending strength and good moisture resistance, especially in exterior-grade (WBP) or interior moisture-resistant grades.
Plywood is less common in mass-market furniture — it costs more and is harder to process. It does appear as back panels in premium cabinetry (instead of thin HDF), and in high-end kitchen carcasses.
| Chipboard / MFC | MDF | Plywood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Low | Mid | Mid–high |
| Strength | Adequate | Good | High |
| Moisture resistance | Low | Low | Mid–high |
| Paintability | Poor | Excellent | Good |
| Routing | No | Yes | Limited |
| Typical use | Carcasses | Doors | Shelving, structural parts |
The optimal kitchen looks like this: MFC carcass 16–18 mm, MDF doors (painted or PVC-wrapped), postforming or engineered-stone worktop. This is the standard used by most manufacturers.
On a tight budget, MFC doors are a reasonable choice — less attractive visually but practical and cheap to replace. For a painted or routed finish, only MDF will do.
The key principle: saving money on the carcass (chipboard) is fine. Saving money on hardware is not. Cheap hinges and runners will ruin the experience of any kitchen.