Betterwood ” Consulting ” Wood panels ” Definition
Wooden panels are available in different materials. A basic distinction can be made between solid wood panels, chipboard and plywood panels. The variants differ significantly in appearance, properties and possible uses.
Solid wood panels are made of wood through and through. As a rule, wooden slats are glued in parallel to achieve the desired panel size. The advantage of these glued solid wood panels (also known as laminated wood) over a panel made from a single piece of tree is that they warp significantly less. The solid wood panels are extremely stable and can be easily cut to size, which is why they are suitable for individual cuts to size.
Particleboard consists of wood chips which are pressed into boards under high pressure and at high temperatures using binding agents. The pressed layer is then usually covered with a decor, a colored film. These panels are barely recognizable as wood. Chipboard is inexpensive, does not warp and has a smooth surface thanks to the coating. The disadvantages are their artificial appearance and the fact that scratches and nicks cannot be sanded off these panels.
Plywood panels are also called veneer wood, as several layers of veneer are glued together. Plywood panels are available cheaply with a plastic coating and somewhat more expensively than real wood veneer. It is important with these panels that the top and bottom sides are always treated the same, as otherwise one-sided stresses can occur. Plywood panels can hardly be sanded due to their thin layers.
