Chipboard (particleboard or composition panels) is a popular woodworking material, particularly here in Australia, where it is easily available. It is a cheap and very versatile material, though rather heavy. Providing it is kept dry, chipboard has an excellent resistance to warping and shrinkage, a bonus in hot climates and today's centrally heated homes.

Wood chipboard is made by applying heat and pressure to wood chips which have previously been coated with a binder adhesive. The chips usually softwood make up about 90 per cent of the board. The rest of the material comprises synthetic resin and additives. This mixture can be varied to increase the board's resistance to pests, fungi, fire and wetting.

Uses of chipboard Chipboard finds uses in many areas of do-it-yourself including roofing, flooring, ceiling lining, partitioning and concreting. But the specialist techniques of cutting and joining chipboard really come to the fore in furniture making, where a neat and accurate finish is essential.

Here, the wide variety of finishes of chipboard and the large number of special hinges and knock down fittings available, put all kinds of projects within your reach.

Designing furniture in chipboard can also be made easier by incorpor­ating some of the pre-formed units on the market, though this may work out more expensive than building them yourself. Doors, drawers, shelves and shelf supports are all available ready for use. Always design your furniture after buying them, so you can be sure they will fit in with the construction.

Furniture Making

In furniture building, faced boards are by far the easiest to work with. By designing sections to accommodate standard sized boards, you can simplify construction and keep cutting and edging to a minimum. If you decide to use plain chipboard, 16-18mm thickness should be suitable for most furniture carcasses without timber framing.

The board should be of a high density with a fine chip finish. Flooring grade board satisfies these requirements but is available only in 22mm thick sheets 2440mm long and either 1220 or 610mm wide.

Finishing

The best finish for plain, unsealed chipboard is paint. You can use almost any type and though it may be brushed on, using a lambs wool roller or a spray gun gives better results.

Veneer surfaces can be finished with two coats of brushing cellulose sanding sealer, rubbing down between coats with fine glass paper. After­wards, the veneer can be either waxed or given two coats of clear melamine wood lacquer or polyurethane lacquer.

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