Glossary: Particle Board

Particle board is a composite material made by compressing a mixture of ground up scrap wood and resin glue to produce a sheet stock used by most furniture manufactures for veneered panels.  In some cases, the veneers are genuine wood, in some it's a wood grained plastic.  Particle board offers somewhat better strength than chipboard, but raw edges still damage easily and it doesn't hold wood screws well.  This material is used extensively by manufacturers of K.D. furniture.  If properly engineered and special fasteners designed specifically for use in this material are used, these pieces can offer sturdy, attractive furniture at low cost that is easily and cheaply transported in it's disassembled state.  Just don't expect the piece to be passed down to the next generation.

For several years I worked as a furniture repair technician for a well known furniture chain in St Louis, MO.  One day I was in one of their show rooms performing cosmetic repairs on a piece and overheard a salesman telling a customer, "Yes ma'am, this entertainment center is solid wood." The piece was built of wood veneered particle board and he and I both knew it.  After the customer left I confronted this less then reputable fellow and asked him what he meant by telling her that it was solid wood. He said, "Well, what is particle board made of?  Ground up wood, right?  So it's wood.  I didn't lie to her."

"I suppose you think a hamburger is a steak sandwich too."

"Hey, it's all meat ain't it?

So if a salesman of mass-produced furniture tells you "It's solid wood", you'd better check the facts before you believe him.

For more details on this topic, visit Wood Magazine's Sheet Goods Selector