Blockboard is made up of softwood strips and veneers. They are manufactured by placing softwood strips edge to edge and sandwiched between veneers and then this sandwich is glued together with high pressure.
Blockboards are generally used to make wardrobe doors, doors, paneling, and partition walls. Blockboard is mostly used when there is lengthy piece of wood is required which makes furniture stiffer or and prevent it from bending. While using Blockboard always take care that core of Blockboard runs length wise to achieve maximum strength.
Sizes of blockboard available in the market
Block board is commonly available in the following sizes in market
1. 8ft X 4ft
2. 7ft X 4ft
3. 7ft X 3ft
4. 6ft X 4ft
5. 6ft X 3ft
Block board also comes in various thicknesses like 16 mm, 19 mm, 25 mm, 35 mm and 50 mm
Any other dimension Blockboard can easily manufactured on site using veneers and softwood strips but in that condition appropriate thickness softwood strips has to properly sandwiched between veneers and then this sandwich has to glued together with high pressure.
For example, if you want to manufacture 35mm thickness Blockboard then you have to use less than 35mm softwood strips and has to place them edge to edge and sandwiched between veneers. While placing softwood we should take one care that there is no gap between these strips.
Types of Blockboard available in the market
1. Boiling Water proof (BWP) Blockboard
This type of Blockboard is useful in the area where it is likely exposed to humidity and water prone areas. BWP Blockboard is suitable to use in prefabricated houses, railway coaches and kitchen.
2. Moisture Resistant (MR) Blockboard
This type of MR Blockboard is used in internal areas such as Partitions, Internal areas, Ceiling and paneling etc.
Properties of Blockboard
- Poor conductor of Sound, Heat, Electricity
- Blockboards are stable, light and easy to cut
- It has good dimensional stability so is highly resistive to wrapping and cracking. This is the reason why blockboard is used mostly for manufacturing doors
- It is light in weight than plywood due to its softwood which extend life span of furniture
- Compare to another competitive material life span of Blockboard is more than plywood.