MDP® -
Medium Density Particleboard
Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT) 31:000. 18-001

Manufacturers
Producer companies in the MDP segment have a nominal installed capacity of 4.8 million cubic metres per year.

Definition
MDP is a reconstituted wood panel, like MDF and HDF. MDP is the acronym for ‘Medium Density Particleboard’. The wood particles are arranged at different levels, with bigger ones concentrated at the centre of the board and finer ones on the outer surfaces, forming three layers. They are glued and compressed with synthetic resin through the combined application of heat and pressure in a state-of-the-art continuous press. This results from continuous press technology development leading to a new generation of medium density particleboard panels.

Base raw material
These panels are produced with pine and eucalypt wood from sustainable cultivated forests, so the board is environmentally friendly. Planted forests allow the large scale use of wood, so reducing pressure on native forests.

Characteristics
MDP is a homogeneous product with great dimensional stability (width, length, and thickness) that is resistant to bending and provides a good grip for screws.

Finishing options
Natural, laminated or painted.

1. Natural (uncovered)
The panels receive no covering and are processed by the user. They can be surfaced with natural wood veneers or with a plastic laminate such as PVC. Another type of finish is painting or printing directly on to the panel’s surface.

2. Low pressure laminated
The low pressure laminate comprises a paper-based sheet, impregnated with melamine resin which is sealed to the board with a combination of heat and pressure, resulting in a panel ready for use.

3. Finish Foil (FF) or ecological laminate (LE) covered
A specially varnished paper-based overlay is laminated to the MDP board through a process of heat and pressure. It is supplied in a plain colour, wood grain pattern or a fancy design, with various finishing options including standard, recoatable or ready varnished with a high gloss or semi-matt finish.

4. Painted (gloss or semi-matt)
A panel is painted or lacquered with a plain colour, wood grain pattern or a fancy design.

Uses and applications
Because of its properties, MDP is particularly suitable for the furniture and cabinet making industry in the production of residential and commercial pieces of furniture with straight edges. Its principal applications are: for flush doors, the sides of furniture, shelves, partitions, table tops, post formed work tops, and the sides, bottom and front of drawers. Make certain that both sides of the panel are duly finished and the edges are sealed with edge banding.

Maintenance and cleaning
 Cleaning finished wood panels should be carried out using a clean soft cloth, free of impurities, dry or lightly dampened with mild soap and water.  If moist, the cloth must be squeezed out so as to remove excess water. Abrasive material, such as steel wool, or sharp objects must not be used to clean the panels. To remove stains from MDP, use a cloth, dampened with a solution alcohol solution and water in equal measure.