Formaldehyde Free Fibreboard & FSC Certified Fibreboard

Eco Home Alternatives

Source formaldehyde free fibreboard AND sustainably managed timber fibreboard, both are a better substitute for conventional fibreboard from a health and environmental perspective.

Conventional timber fibreboard is a poor choice from an eco friendly perspective. Resins and binders are the main issue as these contain chemical additives linked to ill health (e.g. carcinogens, respiratory conditions) through VOC emissions in your home.

Description

Fibreboard is a manufactured alternative to solid timber.
Made from timber dust and chippings that are a waste by product from manufacturing.
Base materials are compressed and bonded together with chemical formaldehyde resins that are hazardous to health and contribute to air pollution and poor indoor air quality.
There are different types of fibreboard sheets available: hardboard, medium board (MBL and MBH), soft board (SB), hard density fibreboard (HDF), and medium density fibreboard (MDF).
10% of the finished MDF product is made up of adhesives/binders/resins.
Some types of fibreboard contains a combination of materials such as flax which is 100% natural and sustainable.

Uses

Suitable for all interior and exterior construction uses as traditional fibreboard.
MDF is typically used for carcasses (kitchen, bathroom cupboards, cabinetry)

Cost

Formaldehyde free fibreboard and FSC certified fibreboards are more expensive than traditional fibreboards.

Advantages

Product contains a high percentage of natural materials.
A versatile board which is easily workable and machined.
Surface is smooth and straight.
Formaldehyde free products reduce the amount of toxic offgassing into your home.

Disadvantages

Formaldehyde free fibreboard is more prone to water damage as moisture resistance is lower.
Formaldehyde free fibreboard still offgas a lower level of formaldehyde contained naturally within timber.
Fibreboard does not hold the same visual appearance as real timber.
Fibreboards need to be finished with paint or varnishes - a number of coats of paint may be needed for an opaque finish, adding to cost.
Fibreboard can be faced with melamine so that the need for painting is avoided, however painting with non toxic finishes is preferred as melamine is typically non eco friendly.
Fibreboard materials sourced from non sustainable timber resources destroys forests, local habitats and adds to climate change.
Conventional fibreboards are cheaper and easier to source – which does not encourage the layman to purchase eco friendly alternatives.
Dissoynate resins are an alternative to formaldehyde, however these have been linked to asthma during production.

Embodied Energy

Transportation and distribution of product increases levels of embodied energy.
As some eco fibreboards are not widely manufactured, sourcing from overseas or long distances will have an impact on embodied energy.
Fibreboard is lighter in weight which means less fuel needed for transportation.
The manufacturing process increased the amount of embodied energy.

Source/Origin

Formaldehyde free and FSC certified fibreboards are not widely available.

Renewable

Timber is a renewable material, however fibreboard must be sourced from sustainably managed forests to limit the destruction of forests.

Recycled content

Fibreboard is manufactured using low quantities of waste timber by products, which recycles waste that would be bound for landfill sites and reduces the amount of forest/timber resources used.

Environmental & Health

Source sustainably managed forest timber (e.g. FSC) and formaldehyde free fibreboard for the least environmental and health impact.
Ensure that the forest is certified and that the timber has a chain of custody certificate.
Formaldehyde free fibreboard must be stored away from other products that contain formaldehyde otherwise they can be contaminated as the other products produce VOCs.
Use only formaldehyde free finishes, adhesives and sealants on these fibre boards so they maintain their eco status.
Formaldehyde within conventional fibreboard releases toxic VOCs into the air during manufacture, construction, use and disposal.
Higher levels of formaldehyde can be inhaled during sawing through dust particles, which causes respiratory irritation.
Formaldehyde is suspected as a carcinogen – please read my article on VOCs – formaldehyde in the health and wellbeing section to find out more information.