Brushing (from the English brush – brush) is a surface treatment used to achieve a decorative effect:
• An aged look for natural wood,
• A silky satin finish for metal.
Wood
There are two methods of mechanically brushing natural wood:
• Using special brushes on brushing machines,
• using a jet of sand in sandblasting equipment.
Brushing removes soft, porous fibres while leaving the harder growth rings intact. The surface takes on the texture of aged wood, weathered by wind and rain and dried by the scorching sun. Brushing is used on wood with pronounced growth rings, such as oak, larch, pine, walnut, ash and wenge. Wood with an even pore structure, such as beech, birch, alder, maple and teak, is generally not brushed.
To protect the treated wood and enhance its decorative effect, the following coatings are applied to the surface:
• clear or tinted lacquer, oil-wax finishes, impregnating treatments and wood stains enhance the sense of depth and give the wood the desired shade;,
• coloured enamel conceals the grain and emphasises the surface texture.
Note: brushed wood can be patinated, and the growth rings and porous areas can be coloured in different shades, among other decorative treatments.
Metal
Brushing and satin finishing techniques are used to give steel, aluminium, zinc alloy and other metal products a silky appearance. Wire brushes create directional scratch patterns on the metal: coarse for a brushed finish and fine for a satin finish. Furniture production uses decorative metal fittings, including handles, mounted fittings, hinge caps, dividers and supports, as well as furniture components such as aluminium frames and sinks, with satin or brushed finishes.
Reference: manufacturers of laminated and synthetic materials replicate brushed (satin) textures, creating realistic wood and metal finishes for flooring (laminate), compact laminate panels, splashbacks, HPL, postforming and chipboard (Feelwood by EGGER and brushed/satin metal finishes by Kronospan).
Decorative paper-based laminate is a composite material consisting of one or more layers of impregnated paper (saturated with thermosetting resins). Depending on thickness and production technology, paper-based laminates are classified as follows:
• LPL (English: low pressure laminate, “melamine”) is a roll material up to 0,5 mm thick.
It is a protective and decorative paper impregnated with melamine resin, used to surface substrates (chipboard, plastic, MDF and OSB) using lamination, postforming, softforming and profile wrapping technologies at temperatures of 160–175°C and pressures of 25–30 bar.
Reference: when a substrate is surfaced with LPL laminate in a high-temperature press, the thermosetting resin in the paper melts, bonding the paper to the substrate under pressure. This process differs from adhesive lamination, in which the surfacing material is bonded to the substrate using an adhesive.
• CPL (English: continuous pressure laminate) is a laminate supplied in rolls or sheets, with a thickness of 0,15 to 1,5 mm. It is manufactured in continuous belt presses at temperatures of 150–170°C and pressures of 50–70 bar.
• HPL (English: high pressure laminate) is a high-pressure laminate sheet with a thickness of 0,5 to 40 mm, manufactured in stationary presses at temperatures above 120°C and pressures of 50 to 90 bar. Compact laminate (HPL compact) is a self-supporting HPL in sheet or panel form, with a thickness of 2 mm or more.
HPL and CPL consist of layers of impregnated paper pressed together, each serving a different purpose:
• Kraft paper (several sheets, depending on the laminate thickness)
• Underlay – a barrier layer between the decorative layer and the kraft paper layers (prevents different resins from mixing and distorting the pattern)
• Decorative paper – the visible paper layer with a printed pattern
• Overlay – the transparent protective top layer of paper
The kraft paper used for the laminate core is impregnated with phenolic resins, which provide flexibility. The upper paper layers are impregnated with melamine-based resins, forming a strong compound resistant to external influences.
Note: Laminates (CPL and HPL) have the same structure and are manufactured using the same resins. When their thickness, finish and surface texture are identical, there is no difference between the two materials.
Properties of decorative laminates CPL and HPL:
• Abrasion resistance (wear resistance)
• Colour fastness (UV resistance)
• Impact resistance
• Water and moisture resistance
• Chemical resistance
• Heat resistance
• Environmental friendliness
• antibacterial properties
Decorative paper laminates HPL and CPL are used to surface chipboard, MDF, blockboard, plywood and other substrates using laminating, softforming and postforming processes. Applications include furniture manufacturing; joinery products such as window sills, doors and partitions; instrument, railcar, ship and automotive manufacturing; interior finishes for medical facilities, laundries, kitchens and other premises; and building façade cladding.
The LPL surface has lower wear, impact, moisture and colour resistance than CPL and HPL. Substrates surfaced with LPL therefore require careful handling and are used indoors, away from direct exposure to moisture and chemical agents.
Corrugated board is a modern packaging material available in two-, three-, five- and seven-layer constructions. The most commonly used type is three-layer corrugated board, consisting of two linerboard layers with a layer of corrugated paper (fluting) between them. This construction offers good tear resistance in both the cross and machine directions. Adding further linerboard layers alternating with fluting improves the strength of corrugated board and increases its cost.
HDF (English: High Density Fiberboard, high-density fibreboard) is a wood-based sheet material with a density of 800–1050 kg/m3 and a thickness of 3–4 mm.
Resource-efficient technology for manufacturing HDF and fibreboard
• Wood pulp preparation
HDF and fibreboard are made from wood chips measuring 25 × 20 × 15 mm, obtained from primary wood processing waste and off-grade material (log sections, peeler cores, etc.). The chips are washed in water, broken down into fibres using pressurised steam heated to 175°, and ground in refiners.
Note: A refiner (from the English Raffiner, meaning to purify or make finer) is a disc mill used to grind fibrous materials, primarily cellulose.
The ground wood fibres are mixed with a binder (urea-formaldehyde resins) and a hardener. Pressurised air is then blown through the mixture to dry it to a moisture content of 8–15%. Large resin particles and foreign matter are removed from the mixture.
• Dry pressing
After preparation, the dry wood pulp is laid as a mat in a cold press for pre-pressing and air removal. At this stage, the edges are also trimmed, and the offcuts are returned to the previous stage.
The formed mat enters a continuous hot press (pressing temperature: 240°), where molten resins with an added hardener bond the wood fibres together. The mat is also cut into sheets at this stage.
• Completion of the production process
The final production stage involves cooling the sheets and conditioning them for 72 hours to complete resin polymerisation and curing.
Differences between HDF and fibreboard
The materials differ in density and thickness. The higher density of HDF is achieved by applying greater pressure during hot pressing of the wood pulp. The density of HDF is 800–1050 kg/m3, while the density of fibreboard is 820 kg/m3. The thickness of HDF is 3–4 mm, while fibreboard ranges from 2,5 to 6 mm thick.
Surface finishes for HDF and fibreboard
Finished sheets of HDF and fibreboard are sanded and coated with clear lacquer, faced with PVC film, veneer or CPL-plastic, or laminated with paper. Material with a decorative face is known as “orgalit”.
Properties of HDF
• Strength
• Environmental friendliness
• Ease of processing and installation
• Durability
Applications of HDF
HDF is used for the back panels of cabinets and pedestals; drawer bottoms in pedestals and chests of drawers; backing for kitchen splashbacks; infill panels for aluminium profiles in sliding wardrobe doors and framed cabinet fronts; wall panels, laminate flooring, engineered wood flooring, interior doors and partitions; wall and ceiling finishes; and many other applications.
A damper is a shock absorber that cushions the impact and reduces the noise of a door closing against the cabinet carcass, creating a comfortable environment without loud, sudden noises. Dampers can be:
• Surface-mounted or recessed, installed independently where required;
• Integrated into the opening/closing mechanism (a hinge with a damper, a gas lift, a soft-close drawer runner, etc.).
Examples of standalone dampers:
• Surface-mounted buffer – a self-adhesive, mushroom-shaped silicone pad;
• Inset damper – a hydraulic or gas shock absorber whose piston retracts gently into its housing when pressed by the door or front panel. An inset damper is fitted into a dedicated hole.
An integrated damper is a shock absorber (soft-close mechanism) built into a fitting to ensure smooth, silent closing and opening of a front panel or door, even without handles or knobs.
Examples of fittings with integrated dampers:
• Gas lift – a lift mechanism for opening a front panel and holding it open. It incorporates a gas-and-oil shock absorber (damper) for silent closing;
• Hinges with integrated dampers for silent door closing from various angles differ in design but share the same operating principle. Examples include: Hettich Sensys, BLUM Blumotion, SALICE Silentia, SAMET Supreme, HAFELE Smuso and Duomatic Premium, among others.
Note: Some hinge models can be fitted with a damper (shock absorber) at the customer's request. These hinges have a mounting point for a soft-close mechanism but may also be sold without one. One example is the clip-on damper Hettich Silent System.
• Drawer runners with a built-in spring damper and soft-close function Blumotion, or with an integrated damper Silent System, prevent the drawer from striking the pedestal carcass when closing.
In its furniture production, SOFTFORM uses surface-mounted and inset standalone dampers, inset hinges with shock absorbers, self-closing hinges with built-in dampers Hettich Sensys push to open, concealed full-extension ball-bearing drawer runners Hettich Quadro V6 with dampers Silent System, and other fittings.
In addition to cushioning impact and reducing noise, they also act as closing mechanisms when no front-mounted hardware is fitted.
Tempered glass is silicate glass heated to 650–680° C and rapidly cooled by a jet of cold air under pressure. This rapid cooling under pressure creates residual compressive stress in the surface layer, dramatically increasing the glass's impact toughness—its ability to absorb destructive energy during deformation and impact—and giving it mechanical strength and thermal resistance.
Moderate impacts on tempered glass may cause internal microcracks, while stronger impacts may cause cracking across the entire surface and a loss of transparency. If the external impact load exceeds the glass's impact toughness, the tempered glass shatters into small, safe fragments without sharp corners.
Safety is the key advantage of tempered glass.
Tempered glass is used in:
• For side and rear windows in automotive, railcar and machinery manufacturing;
Note: Windscreens use laminated glass made from non-tempered or tempered glass (English: tempered — tempered glass, designated by the letter “T”).
• As a decorative and structural element in architectural façades and interiors;
• For building glazing (window and balcony units, insulating glass units, etc.);
Note: The thermal resistance of tinted tempered glass (resistance to temperature fluctuations) makes it suitable for glazing building façades.
• For barriers around playgrounds and sports grounds and in courtrooms; as screens at cashier workstations and reception desks; for internal partitions, shop display windows, etc.;
• In the manufacture of tableware and domestic and industrial electrical equipment;
• For glass furniture fronts, frameless floor-standing and desktop partitions in furniture applications, kitchen splashbacks, etc. (in accordance with Customs Union Technical Regulation 025/2012 “On the Safety of Furniture Products”).
Tempered glass can be tinted. Tinting takes place during the production of silicate glass by adding metal oxides to the molten glass. Tinted tempered glass offers high transparency and optical uniformity, and its properties remain unchanged under exposure to UV radiation, precipitation and prolonged use.
However, tempered glass has certain drawbacks:
• The edges are vulnerable, and an impact to an edge can cause the entire pane to shatter.
• Tempered glass cannot be machined (cut, milled, ground or drilled).
Therefore, to obtain a finished product with the properties of tempered glass, an ordinary glass blank must first be machined and then tempered.
Impregnated paper is a sheet material consisting of high-density kraft paper impregnated with thermosetting resins. During impregnation, the kraft paper is saturated with liquid melamine-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde, phenol-formaldehyde or acrylic resins in an immersion bath. Excess resin is then removed, and the paper is dried in a drying chamber, cooled, trimmed and wound into rolls.
Reference: Kraft paper is made from softwood pulp and offers high air permeability, uniformity, tear strength and moisture resistance. In its untreated form, kraft paper is used for packaging food and non-food products and for sterilising medical instruments.
Impregnated paper is used to manufacture decorative paper-based laminates HPL, LPL, CPL, edge banding and insulating materials, laminate flooring, adhesive tapes, paper filters, etc. These products are manufactured using multilayer hot pressing (t 100–120 °C), during which the thermosetting resins used to impregnate the paper melt, filling the spaces between the cellulose fibres and bonding the layers together.
Hot-melt adhesive is a thermoplastic polymer-based material supplied as granules, tape, film, cord or beads. It melts at high temperatures and hardens as it cools, forming a strong bond between the surfaces. In woodworking, hot-melt adhesive is used to bond paper-based laminates, veneer, textured paper and other facing materials to chipboard, MDF, blockboard and other substrates; to apply edge banding to chipboard and MDF components; and in furniture assembly.
Hot-melt adhesive contains the following components:
• Polymer—the main component of hot-melt adhesive, with a high melting point (ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), amphoteric polyalphaolefin (APAO), polyamide (PA), reactive polyurethane (PUR), etc.);
• Filler—fills large pores in the bonding surfaces and reduces adhesive consumption (talc, zinc, wood flour, etc.);
• Tackifier—reduces adhesive viscosity and improves adhesion (rosin, phenol-formaldehyde resin, etc.);
• Plasticiser—provides flexibility to the bond line (dibutyl phthalate, polyamide, etc.);
• An antioxidant prevents degradation of the adhesive bond throughout the service life of products in which hot-melt adhesive is used (phenols, phosphates, etc.).
Note: hot-melt adhesive contains no solvents.
The bonding properties of hot-melt adhesive are assessed using two criteria:
• Adhesion — the strength of the bond between the adhesive and the material.
• Cohesion — the internal strength of the adhesive layer (internal adhesion).
Bond quality depends not only on the composition and bonding properties of the hot-melt adhesive, but also on surface preparation. The surfaces to be bonded must be free of dust and warmed to room temperature or to 45–60°C if required by the surfacing or bonding process.
Compact laminate is a decorative paper-based laminate HPL (high press laminat) with a thickness of 2 mm or more. Compact laminate is manufactured by hot-pressing layers of impregnated paper at temperatures above 120°C and pressures ranging from 50 to 90 bar:
• core layer – several sheets of kraft paper,
• decorative surface layer – paper with a printed pattern (imitating wood, metal, stone, sand, etc.),
• top protective layer – transparent overlay paper (Overlay), which improves the surface’s wear resistance and colour fastness.
All paper layers are impregnated with thermosetting phenolic and melamine-based binder resins. In hot presses, the resins melt and bond with the cellulose fibres, forming a dense, solid material.
Note: an underlay barrier layer may be placed between the kraft paper layers and the decorative layer. It prevents resins from mixing between layers during heating and protects the decorative pattern from distortion.
The core of compact laminate is usually white or black, although some manufacturers offer other colours. Compact laminate edges require no additional treatment.
Compact laminate offers enhanced strength and abrasion resistance, high resistance to elevated temperatures and humidity, and resistance to chemical agents. The addition of silver ions gives compact laminate antibacterial properties that prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
Compact laminate is a non-porous, strong structural material used to manufacture:
• bathroom and kitchen furniture
• worktops and furniture fronts
• storage lockers
• cubicles in changing rooms, showers, washrooms and other facilities
• medical and laboratory furniture
• retail fixtures (open display units, counters, shelving units, etc.)
Note: thanks to its antibacterial properties, compact laminate is suitable for wall cladding in sanitary and medical facilities.
Fastening and connecting hardware is concealed from view and is used to join furniture components into a finished unit (various types of connectors and shelf supports), or to secure the unit to a surface (hinges, dowels, runners, brackets and other fittings). It performs functional and load-bearing roles.
Fastening hardware is manufactured from a variety of materials, including metals and alloys, wood, plastic and rubber.
Connecting hardware must be easy to install, withstand repeated assembly and disassembly, and meet safety, reliability and durability requirements. It must also remain free of unwanted noise under load.
SOFTFORM sources fastening hardware, hinges and furniture components from leading global and European manufacturers: HÄFELE (Germany), GTV (Global Technology Vision, Poland), BOYARD (Russia).
Edge banding materials (ABS edge banding, PVC, soft edge banding, PMMA acrylic edge banding and natural veneer edge banding) are designed to finish, decorate and protect the exposed edges of chipboard and MDF against mechanical damage and swelling, and to prevent potentially harmful substances from being released from the boards into the air.
Edge banding can be matched to the main surface finish or used as a contrasting decorative feature.
SOFTFORM furniture uses edge banding in various thicknesses, made from the full range of available modern materials and applied using several methods on different types of equipment.
ABS/ ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) edge banding is an impact-resistant, heat-resistant, lightfast and colourfast material that is environmentally friendly, flexible, chlorine-free and antistatic. It retains its properties at temperatures from -50 to +80 °C.
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) edge banding is a durable, wear-resistant and moisture-resistant material. PVC edge banding is rigid and retains its original appearance even after several years of intensive use. It retains its properties at temperatures from -10 to +50 °C.
ABS and PVC edge banding is applied to furniture component edges in special enclosed chambers using polymer hot-melt adhesive, heat and pressure. This edge-banding technology creates a seamless, secure bond between the edge banding and the furniture component material.
Soft edge banding is flexible melamine edge banding used to cover profiled, machined edges of furniture components using softforming technology (softforming).
PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) acrylic edge banding is a thermoplastic material with a 3D-depth effect, used for decorative finishing of furniture component edges. The design is applied to the reverse side of the edge banding and covered with a transparent polymer layer.
PMMA edge banding is applied to component edges using zero-joint laser edge-banding technology. This method ensures strong adhesion and no visible transition between the component surface and the edge banding. The polymer layer protects the edge-banding design from damage and can be easily polished.
Natural veneer edge banding consists of very thin pieces of sliced veneer finger-jointed together to form a strip. A protective thermal-fibre fleece backing prevents breakage when the strip is bent. The face of the edge banding is protected by self-adhesive tape, which is easily removed after application. The bending radius of natural veneer edge banding depends on the wood species used and must be at least 10–15 cm. Natural veneer edge banding requires a final paint or lacquer finish. It is applied to furniture component edges using heat and pressure.
SOFTFORM works with leading European edge-banding manufacturers: SURTECO (Germany), THERMOPLAST (Poland) and REHAU (Germany).
Melamine-faced chipboard is a structural panel material made by hot-pressing wood chips and binding resins, then facing it with resin-impregnated decorative paper.
The environmental safety of chipboard is determined by its formaldehyde emission class (the amount of formaldehyde released into the air, measured in mg per 100 g of dry board per unit of time). The emission class is designated by the letter E and one of the numbers 0; 0,5; 1; 2. The lower the number, the less free formaldehyde is released.
Emission class E1 corresponds to a formaldehyde content of up to 8 mg per 100 g of dry mass, and E0,5 to up to 5 mg per 100 g of dry mass. In EAEU and EU countries, chipboard of emission class E1 is permitted for use in furniture, including children's furniture, as a safe level (safe level).
The use of chipboard of emission classes E0,5 and E0 in furniture may be a voluntary decision by the manufacturer, a requirement set by the retailer (buyer), or a legal restriction in the buyer's country on the emission class of chipboard and furniture made from it.
SOFTFORM uses melamine-faced chipboard of emission classes E1 and E0,5 in accordance with GOST 32289-2013 to manufacture its cabinet furniture.
SOFTFORM's main melamine-faced chipboard suppliers are leading European manufacturers: the EGGER Group (Austria) and the BYSPAN and KRONOSPAN plants in the Republic of Belarus.
Visible hardware is always on display. It is fitted to external furniture surfaces (fronts), walls or floors, is subject to static and dynamic loads, and serves a decorative purpose. Visible hardware includes furniture handles, decorative legs, wall hooks, shelf brackets, partition supports and similar fittings.
Visible hardware can be made entirely from a single material or from a combination of materials, including metal, plastic, ceramic, glass, natural wood, fabric, leather and stone.
A wide range of decorative techniques is used to create distinctive visible hardware, including inlay, chrome plating, brushing, damascening (inlaying one metal into another), engraving, etching, enamelling and colour anodising (for aluminium and titanium).
Whatever its style or function, visible hardware must be reliable, durable and safe to use.
SOFTFORM uses visible hardware from leading international and European manufacturers in its furniture production: HÄFELE (Germany), GTV (Poland), Boyard (Russia), GAMET (Poland), POLIPLAST (Italy) and VALMAKS (Russia).
An oil-wax finish protects wood and enhances its decorative appearance. It penetrates the wood without clogging the pores or leaving a surface film, allowing the wood to breathe.
An oil-wax finish is an environmentally friendly, biodegradable material consisting of a base and functional additives.
Base:
• Vegetable oil (linseed, sunflower, soybean, tung, teak, orange, thistle, milk thistle and others)
• Natural wax (beeswax, carnauba wax, rosin)
Additives:
• Organic or water-based solvent to improve penetration
• Additives to accelerate drying (driers), provide UV protection, impart water repellency and other properties
• Colourants (for tinted formulations)
The clear finish enhances the wood grain and brings out its natural colour. Pigmented oil-wax changes the tone of natural wood without obscuring the grain or diminishing the play of light across its fibres.
Wood treated with hardwax oil becomes resistant to:
• moisture penetration and swelling
• abrasion
• the spread of mould and blue stain
• UV exposure
• soiling
To select the right hardwax oil, consider the product material, its intended conditions of use, the wood species (softwood or hardwood), and the desired appearance and performance of the final finish.
Hardwax oil is used as a final finish for products made from solid or glued wood:
• Items that come into direct contact with people (children’s toys, models and mock-ups, musical instruments, chopping boards, body massagers, etc.)
• Furniture and joinery for indoor use
• Garden furniture, terraces, gazebos, fences, pergolas, balusters and cladding materials exposed to precipitation
• Panelling, joinery and furniture in steam rooms, bathhouses and saunas subject to changes in temperature and humidity
SOFTFORM uses solid hardwood with an oil-wax finish: solid beech for EUROPE WOOD table legs and ERIKA cabinet support structures, and solid oak for FREYA cabinet support structures and handles. SOFTFORM also offers chairs and dining tables made from solid beech with an oil-wax finish.
Solid wood is a solid timber material used to manufacture interior furnishings, furniture, joinery, musical instruments, and structural, construction and finishing (cladding) materials.
Depending on the manufacturing process, the following types are distinguished:
• Solid wood (Solid Wood, solid timber, solid lumber) – a solid section of wood without bark (beams, boards, log-effect cladding, lamellas, etc.)
• Glued solid wood – produced by jointing and bonding calibrated wooden blanks (lamellas) together (joinery boards, trusses, glued laminated timber, CLT- panels (XLAM), etc.)
Note: CLT- panels (Cross-Laminated Timber, XLAM) are multilayer glued solid wood panels with lamellas laid in mutually perpendicular (crosswise) directions. They offer high load-bearing capacity, strength and performance. Used in house construction.
• Adhesive-free solid wood – produced without adhesives by joining wooden blanks crosswise using internal aluminium fasteners (MHM (Massiv-Holz-Mauer))
Note: adhesive-free solid wood MHM is a relatively new material used in the construction of residential homes and various other buildings and structures.
An MDF profile is a decorative linear moulding with a milled profile, manufactured from MDF (medium-density fibreboard) sheets.
Manufacturing operations involved in MDF profile production:
• Cutting MDF into strips and, where required, joining the strips with dowels to build up the thickness;
• Finish profile milling of the blank on 4 sides;
• Wrapping the blank with natural or engineered veneer, paper or PVC film;
• Applying a clear lacquer finish to mouldings wrapped in natural or engineered veneer, or an opaque enamel finish to mouldings wrapped in paper.
Note: mouldings wrapped in PVC film do not require finishing.
Once the coating has dried, the MDF profile is cut to length at an angle of 90° or 45° and assembled into the finished structure using adhesive and dowels.
MDF profiles are used for classic-style decorative detailing on:
• Furniture (cornices, decorative appliqués and framed fronts for cabinets, display cabinets and kitchen units, decorative appliqués for bed headboards, etc.);
• Interior fittings (mouldings for mirror, picture and photo frames, window trims and interior door overlays, ceiling cornices, skirting boards, wall panelling, etc.).
SOFTFORM uses profiled MDF mouldings in the production of its FEMIDA courtroom furniture collection and for wall panelling in classic-style interiors.
Engineered (reconstituted) veneer is a wood sheet material manufactured using the “fine-line” (fine-line) technology developed by the ALPIS.p.A group of companies (Italy). This veneer has a wood grain structure and is visually indistinguishable from natural sliced veneer.
Engineered veneer is made from rotary-cut abachi or poplar veneer. The fine-line process involves several steps:
Dyeing the rotary-cut veneer in the required colours
Bonding the veneer sheets into blocks, as in plywood production
Slicing the block at the required angle
Engineered veneer does more than replicate natural sliced veneer. Fine-line technology also produces decorative wood surfacing materials in unusual colours and imaginative patterns, while retaining a natural charm.
Fine-line veneer is free from the defects found in natural veneer that lead to high levels of waste, such as uneven colour, discolouration, irregular grain patterns and knots.
Using engineered veneer to surface joinery, furniture and interior furnishings makes it possible to produce batches with a consistent grain pattern and a specified colour.
A metal furniture frame is a knock-down structure consisting of metal frames or supports connected by beams or crossmembers using mechanical fasteners.
Supports, frames, beams and crossmembers are made from high-quality steel tubing in various sizes, with square, rectangular, triangular or polygonal cross-sections.
All metal furniture frame components have a protective and decorative powder-coated finish, applied by electrostatic spraying and subsequently cured. Available in various colours, this coating offers excellent strength and durability in use.
Metal frames provide the foundation for stylish, contemporary furniture. Metal desk frames support desktops, modesty panels, cable management systems and partitions. Shelves are fitted within the bays of metal shelving units. Metal-framed furniture coordinates well with chipboard furniture featuring a variety of front finishes.
SOFTFORM manufactures stylish metal-frame tables and metal shelving units as part of various collections.
Drawer runners support a drawer within a furniture unit, guide its forward and backward movement in a single plane, and hold it securely in the open position when fully loaded.
Choosing the right drawer runners affects the furniture’s performance in everyday use. Easy access to contents, quiet drawer movement, safety, long service life and reliable operation are important factors in creating a comfortable environment.
SOFTFORM uses various types of drawer runners in its furniture, depending on the intended function and furniture range.
Roller runners consist of two rails with two rubber-coated rollers. A drawer fitted with roller runners extends partially, leaving the surrounding space unobstructed when open. These runners are used for small drawers and are designed for loads of up to 20 kg.
A soft-close mechanism ensures smooth closing. The mechanism is rated for 50 000 opening/closing cycles, equivalent to at least 10 years of use. Quiet, rubber-coated rollers allow the drawer to glide smoothly and silently along the runners.
Ball-bearing runners consist of metal profiles—a rail and a carriage that travels along it—and ball bearings that facilitate carriage movement. Full-extension ball-bearing runners provide 100% access to the drawer contents and are designed for loads of up to 35 kg. They are reliable and durable, allowing the drawer to move effortlessly.
Telescopic runners are concealed, full-extension ball-bearing drawer runners. All runner components are hidden from view: no metal or plastic parts are visible on the sides of the extended drawer. These runners have a load capacity of up to 25 kg.
Drawer runners for SOFTFORM furniture are supplied by established European manufacturers GTV (Poland) and BOYARD (Russia).
Natural veneer is classified by its production method:
• Sliced veneer (0,4–1,0 mm thick) is produced by slicing across the grain of hydrothermally treated flitches (three- or four-sided timber sections) of fine and exotic wood species.
Note: Sliced veneer has an attractive grain and is used to face furniture and interior elements. A clear protective and decorative coating is applied to the veneered surface. The coating enhances the colour and definition of the veneer's natural grain while protecting it against fading and mechanical damage.
• Rotary-cut veneer (0,35–4,0 mm thick) is produced by peeling a thin layer of wood from a pre-steamed log as it rotates on its axis.
Note: Rotary-cut veneer is used to manufacture parquet flooring, plywood, furniture, laminated wood plastics, engineered boards, bent-laminated components and other products.
• Sawn veneer (1–10 mm thick) is produced by sawing calibrated solid timber into thin sheets (lamellae).
Note: Sawn veneer (lamella) is used to manufacture musical instruments, furniture, parquet flooring, door leaves, glued panels, joinery, bent-laminated components and cooperage products, as well as for inlay work on furniture and interior items.
CPL (English: Continuous Pressed Laminates) is a continuous-pressure paper laminate with a thickness of 0,15 to 1,5 mm. CPL is a thin material supplied in sheets or rolls, produced on continuous belt presses by hot-pressing the following layers:
• A layer of impregnated kraft paper (the number of sheets depends on the thickness of HPL),
• A barrier underlay layer (prevents distortion of the decorative pattern by keeping the resins from mixing when molten),
• A decorative surface layer with a pattern or texture (wood, stone, sand or metal effects, abstract designs, mother-of-pearl effects, deep pores, brushed effects, etc.),
• A transparent protective overlay that improves the wear resistance and colour fastness of the panel surface.
The paper is impregnated with binding resins: kraft paper with phenolic resins, and the overlay, underlay and decorative paper with melamine-based resins. At 150–170°C, the resins melt and bond with the cellulose fibres. Under a pressure of 50–70 bar, all layers are firmly bonded into a solid material. Immediately after pressing, the reverse side of CPL is sanded on the same equipment, and the laminate is cut into sheets or wound into rolls.
CPL is used in postforming and for surfacing panel substrates, joinery, wall panels and many other products.
HPL (English: High Pressure Laminates) is a high-pressure paper-based laminate. HPL is a sheet material ranging from 0,5 to 40 mm in thickness, manufactured in stationary presses at pressures of 50–90 bar and temperatures above 120°C by bonding several layers simultaneously:
• A layer of impregnated kraft paper (the number of sheets depends on the thickness of HPL),
• A barrier underlay layer (prevents distortion of the decorative pattern by keeping the resins from mixing when molten),
• A decorative surface layer with a pattern or texture (wood, stone, sand or metal effects, abstract designs, mother-of-pearl effects, deep pores, brushed effects, etc.),
• A transparent protective overlay that improves the wear resistance and colour fastness of the panel surface.
Note: compact laminate (HPL compact) is a single- or double-sided paper-based laminate with a thickness of 2 mm or more. Thus, HPL with a thickness of 2–40 mm is classified as compact laminate.
The inner layers of the laminate are impregnated with phenolic resins, while the outer layers are impregnated with melamine-based resins. Under high temperature and pressure, the thermosetting resins melt and bond with the cellulose fibres, forming a strong, solid material: high-pressure laminate.
The cutting and reverse-side sanding of HPL are carried out on separate equipment, unlike CPL, which is cut and sanded immediately after pressing on the same equipment.
HPL is an essential structural and decorative surfacing material. It is used in the manufacture of furniture and joinery products (worktops, splashbacks, window sills, doors, partitions, etc.), in instrument manufacturing, railway carriage construction, shipbuilding and automotive manufacturing, as well as for interior finishes, building façade cladding and other applications.
Powder coating is a dry, free-flowing mixture of polymer resins, curing agents, fillers and pigments. It is used to finish products and structures made of metal, plastic, composites, MDF and other materials.
Powder coatings are divided into two types according to their curing method (how the coating film is formed):
• Heat-cured (the coating forms at a high temperature of 140–220°C).
• UV-cured (the coating cures at a low temperature under UV light).
Depending on the processes that occur in the powder coating at high temperatures, heat-cured coatings are divided into two types:
• Thermoplastic — at high temperatures, thermoplastic powder particles fuse together without a chemical reaction, forming a continuous coating. The coating can be repeatedly melted and solidified. Thermoplastic coatings contain materials such as polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene and polyamide.
• Thermosetting — high temperatures trigger an irreversible chemical reaction between the coating components, forming a polymer coating on the surface that cannot be remelted. Thermosetting coatings contain materials such as epoxy resin, polyurethane and polyester.
Powder Coating Application Methods
Several powder coating application methods are available: electrostatic spraying, fluidised bed coating, electrostatic fluidised bed coating and flame spraying.
The most common methods for applying thermosetting powder coatings are corona and triboelectric electrostatic spraying:
• Corona spraying creates a high electrostatic voltage between a grounded metal object and the spray gun nozzle. Negatively charged powder particles are sprayed using compressed air and deposited on the object. Electrostatic spraying is not suitable for coating surfaces with recesses and cavities or products with low electrical conductivity.
• Triboelectric spraying (from the Greek τριβ, meaning “to rub”) is used to coat materials with low electrical conductivity or uneven surfaces. Powder particles are charged by friction in the friction section of the spray gun nozzle, propelled by compressed air and deposited on the product surface.
Note: In the spray booth, powder particles that do not settle on the product surface are captured by filters, returned to the system and reused.
After the powder is applied, the items are transferred to a curing oven, where high temperatures cause a polymer coating to form.
Properties of powder coatings:
• Strength and excellent adhesion
• Resistance to temperature fluctuations
• Protection against metal corrosion
• Chemical resistance
• Wide range of colours
• Safety
• Durability
SOFTFORM uses metal frames finished with thermosetting polymer powder coatings in various colours according to RAL, applied by electrostatic corona spraying. These include table and shelving frames in its home and office furniture collections.
Postforming is a technology for seamlessly covering the surface and front edge of chipboard or MDF with decorative laminate HPl or CPL..
Note: the material produced using postforming technology is also known as “postforming”.
Postforming technology involves the following operations:
• reinforcing and levelling the front longitudinal edge with a supporting edge band or a strip of HDF;
• rounding one or both right-angled corners of the longitudinal edge along the full length of the material (rounding radius: 3,3 or 9 mm):
- the upper corner only (for L-type postforming),
- both the upper and lower corners (for U-type postforming);
• covering the reverse surface of the chipboard or MDF with impregnated paper;
• seamless application of decorative paper laminate using heat, pressure and a polymer adhesive:
- for type L postforming – to the front face and the edge, down to its lowest point,
- for type U postforming – to the front face and the edge, wrapping onto the reverse face;
• type U postforming includes an additional treatment: a drip barrier (a silicone-filled groove or a silicone strip) is fitted along the boundary where the laminate wraps onto the reverse face to limit moisture ingress into the chipboard or MDF.
Note: postforming can also be used on chipboard and MDF with a straight, unprofiled edge.
Advantages of postformed surfaces:
• wear resistance
• moisture and heat resistance
• hygienic properties
• resistance to chemical reagents
• wide choice of finishes and colours
• durability
The high performance of postforming has made it popular among manufacturers of kitchens, bar and reception counters, dining tables, window sills, laboratory and medical furniture, and other products.
A splashback (from the English “skin”, meaning cladding) is a protective panel that shields walls from everyday splashes and stains in the kitchen work area and serves as a decorative feature in living spaces.
A splashback can match the worktop finish (postforming, engineered stone, etc.), coordinate in colour and style with other interior elements, or serve as a standalone art feature.
Performance characteristics of backsplash panels:
• safety in use
• moisture and heat resistance
• antibacterial properties
• resistance to deformation
• resistance to cleaning agents
• antistatic properties
Backsplash panels are made from a range of materials, including:
• MDF faced with HPL or CPL
• compact laminate panels
• tempered glass, laminated safety glass
• coloured glass (Lacomat, Lacobel, pad-printed, screen-printed, etc.)
Plan the wall-mounting method for the splashback in advance and order a glass splashback in the required size, ready for installation (with holes, mounting brackets, cover caps, adjustment fittings, rails, kitchen accessory fittings, etc.).
Soft touch (from the English soft touch (soft feel), meaning “soft to the touch”) is a tactile, silky, velvety matt finish. The soft-touch effect is achieved by applying special two-component coatings based on polyurethane and a hardener to metal, plastic, wood-based materials, glass, paper, paper-based laminates, ceramics, concrete and other substrates.
Decorative qualities and special properties of soft-touch coatings, such as:
• colour,
• luminescent effect,
• light-reflective effect,
• metallic sheen,
• scent,
are achieved by adding pigments and fillers to the coating formulation.
Soft-touch coating offers several advantages:
• protects the item from damage,
• prevents slipping in the hand or on surfaces,
• does not produce glare,
• does not fade in sunlight,
• absorbs sound,
• repels grease.
In furniture manufacturing, soft-touch finishes are used on:
• MDF fronts for various types of furniture (executive office furniture, residential furniture, kitchens, bathroom furniture, etc.),
• visible and decorative fittings,
• aluminium frames,
• metal support structures.
Softforming is a process for machining and cladding the edges of chipboard and MDF components, carried out on specialised equipment in two stages:
Stage 1 – profile milling and rounding of the right-angled edges of sheet material;
Stage 2 – adhesive or adhesive-free cladding of component edges with thin paper-based laminate LPL (softforming edge banding, melamine edge banding), up to 0,5 mm thick, at a temperature of 160–175°C and a pressure of 25–30 bar, with the cladding extending onto the component face.
Where separate handles are not used, the milled edge can serve as a handle for a cabinet door or pedestal drawer front.
Features of profiled edges finished using softforming technology:
• The edge banding fits closely around the shaped edge profile;
• Rounding the right-angled corners creates a smooth transition from the edge to the face;
• Rounded corners help prevent furniture-related injuries;
• Softforming is a seamless technology that, with carefully matched finishes for the softforming edge banding and the substrate, creates a component with a monolithic appearance (replicating wood, stone, metal, concrete, etc.);
• The edge banding protects the edges of MDF and chipboard from moisture ingress and prevents formaldehyde emissions into the surrounding environment.
Softforming is generally used to manufacture work surfaces and front-facing components for office and home cabinet furniture, including desktops and desk supports, headboards, pedestal fronts, cabinet fronts and other components.
In materials science, structure (Latin: structura — arrangement) refers to the relative arrangement of particles within a material and the strength of the bonds between them.
Depending on particle size and the method of examination, the following types are distinguished:
- Macrostructure — visible to the naked eye or with a magnifying glass,
- microstructure – can be examined under a microscope (an optical microscope for particles of 100–200 nm or an electron microscope for particles ≥ 0,2 nm),
- fine structure – investigated using X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction and other methods (for particles of 0,01–0,2 nm).
Note: 1 nanometre (nm) is one billionth of a metre; 1000 nm = 1 µm. 1 micrometre (µm) is one millionth of a metre; 1 µm = 0,001 mm.
The particles in a material’s macrostructure—their shape, size and bond strength—determine its physical and mechanical properties and intended use: grain (loose granular structure: sand, powders, gravel; or conglomerate structure: concrete).
Note: in a loose granular (powder-like) structure, the grains are not bonded to one another; in a conglomerate structure, the grains are firmly bonded; in a cellular structure, the material contains micropores or macropores:
- crystal (crystalline structure: metals),
- cell (fine-pored structure: aerated concrete, foam concrete, ceramics),
- fibre (fibrous structure: wood, mineral wool),
- layer (layered structure: paper-based decorative laminate, PVC, laminate, honeycomb board).
Unlike material structure, surface texture refers to the relief of a material’s surface as perceived by sight and touch.
Honeycomb board is a lightweight structural material ranging from 15 to 100 mm in thickness, manufactured using resource-saving technology.
Honeycomb board structure
Honeycomb board is a sandwich panel. Between two outer chipboard layers, 3, 4 or 8 mm thick, is a hexagonal kraft paperboard honeycomb core with a cell size of 15 or 25 mm. The honeycomb core is bonded to the outer layers with a polyurethane-based adhesive. The edges of the sandwich panel are reinforced with internal support rails or chipboard edge supports.
Depending on the presence of internal support rails, honeycomb board is classified as:
- frameless honeycomb board — without internal support rails;
- framed honeycomb board — with chipboard support rails 10, 38 or 65 mm wide.
Note: thin honeycomb panels have support edging at the ends.
Options for the top and bottom outer layers of honeycomb panels:
• chipboard with a melamine finish on one side, available in various finishes with matching edge banding, for outer layers 4 and 8 mm thick;
• uncoated chipboard, 3, 4 and 8 mm thick, for facing with decorative paper laminate 0,15–1,2 mm thick or PVC film;
• uncoated chipboard, 3, 4 and 8 mm thick, primed for a lacquer or enamel finish.
Note: MDF can be used instead of chipboard for the outer layers and internal reinforcing strips of honeycomb panels. This type of honeycomb panel is made to order.
The edges of honeycomb panels with reinforcing strips 10, 38 and 65 mm thick can be processed in various ways:
- profile-milled for facing with LPL-laminate using softforming technology,
- end-edge corners are rounded for surfacing with HPL- laminate using postforming technology,
- finished with melamine or ABS- edge banding (straight-line edge banding) in various thicknesses and finishes.
Note: the edges of frameless honeycomb panels are finished with ABS edge banding 2 mm thick.
Use of fittings
Standard connecting fittings can be used to assemble products made from honeycomb panels with an outer skin 8 mm thick. Honeycomb panels with outer skins 3 and 4 mm thick require special fittings (manufactured by Hettich and Hafele) and adhesive.
Note: honeycomb panel and chipboard components can be joined without compromising structural rigidity.
Performance characteristics of honeycomb panels:
- flexural strength (permissible transverse load: 150 kg/m2),
- high density,
- low weight.
Honeycomb board is used to manufacture large structures that would be too heavy if made from conventional materials of the same thickness.
Lightweight sandwich structures can withstand high dynamic and static loads. They are therefore used for interior finishing in spacecraft, aircraft, high-speed trains and cars.
Honeycomb board is used:
in interiors:
- to create architectural features,
- to line interior walls in buildings and vehicles (thin honeycomb board),
- for interior doors and window sills,
in furniture:
- for kitchen worktops and splashbacks,
- for table tops and supports, cabinet surrounds and fronts, and wide shelves for shelving units,
- for reception desk tops and surrounds.
Note: Europe's main supplier of honeycomb board is EGGER, which manufactures it under its own brand, EUROLIGHT..
SOFTFORM uses EUROLIGHT in a thickness of 50 mm to manufacture table tops and supports, as well as shelving unit side panels, for the SORENTO collection.
Texture (from the Latin textura — fabric, connection, structure) is a pattern on a material’s surface determined by its internal structure. It can have various origins:
- The natural texture of materials such as wood, stone (rocks and minerals), leather, etc. is formed by pores, fibres, vessels and layers, and is expressed through variations in colour and density. The decorative qualities of the texture depend on the material’s structure, age, species or type, natural environment, cutting direction during machining, etc.
- Texture created in a material through various processing methods:
- Chemical etching, rolling or sandblasting — for glass;
- Fibre processing, weaving and dyeing — for fabrics and paper;
- Dyeing and bonding sheets of rotary-cut veneer, followed by slicing at different angles — in the production of fine-line veneer (reconstituted veneer);
- Applying a magnetic field or electrical voltage — to produce piezoelectric texture in polycrystalline ceramics, optical texture in polaroid materials, magnetic texture in polymer crystals, etc.
Note: The term “texture” is also used in programming and modelling. It refers to a surface pattern that represents its properties, such as textures of natural phenomena, objects and materials, or textures of digital noise (corruption), etc.
Natural materials with attractive grain and colour are highly valued in joinery and furniture manufacturing. Solid and laminated wood are used to manufacture chairs, tables and joinery products, create interior accessories and works of art, and add decorative details to cabinet furniture. Sliced and engineered veneers are used to face furniture and joinery products with decorative finishes.
Clear finishes (lacquer, oil-wax) or tinted finishes (wood stains) are applied to natural wood materials (veneer, solid wood and joinery boards) to protect and decorate the surface without obscuring the grain. The finish brings the grain to life, making the pattern more vivid and enhancing its appearance in the light. Waxes, oils, polymers and special additives in these finishes extend product service life by penetrating the wood’s varied fibrous structure and providing gentle surface protection.
“Push to open” (English for “push to open”) refers to opening a door by pressing it. Hinges and slides with the “push to open” function are equipped with an ejector and a damper that control opening and closing when the door is pressed. The ejection force can be adjusted manually.
In addition to integrated hardware with the “push to open” option, a standalone ejector can be used. However, installing it requires additional holes to be drilled, increasing labour input per unit.
Note: doors and fronts with the “push to open” option are not fitted with handles.
SOFTFORM uses hinges and slides with the “push to open” function in furniture designed without visible hardware.
Plywood is a wood-based composite sheet material used for structural and finishing applications. It consists of an odd number of rotary-cut veneer layers bonded together in a hot press (at a pressing temperature of 90 to 150 degrees Celsius), with the wood grain of adjacent layers oriented at 90 degrees to each other.
Note: where required to improve the uniformity of plywood, adjacent layers may be laid at angles of 30 and 60 degrees (in a star pattern) or 45 degrees (diagonally).
As plywood is a composite material, its technical and performance characteristics (moisture resistance, impact strength, resistance to deformation, sound insulation, fire resistance, grade, etc.) are determined by the physical, chemical and processing properties of the materials used in its manufacture:
• Wood species used to produce the rotary-cut veneer:
- Softwood (larch, pine),
- Hardwood (birch, alder),
- Hardwood veneer for the outer layers and softwood veneer for the inner layers;
• Treatment of the layers and outer surfaces, and the presence of a finishing or facing layer:
- sanded or unsanded construction plywood,
- laminated with phenolic films (impregnated paper), FOF grade,
- faced with PVC film or sliced oak, ash or beech veneer,
- special impregnation of rotary-cut veneer with non-combustible compounds (for flame-retardant FSF T grade plywood);
• adhesive used in plywood:
- phenol-formaldehyde adhesive gives plywood increased moisture resistance and strength (FSF grade plywood),
- plywood made with urea-formaldehyde adhesive has moderate moisture resistance (FK grade plywood for interior finishing),
- albumin-casein adhesive is environmentally friendly, but FBA grade plywood made with it has moderate moisture resistance and strength;
• Number (3, 5, 7… up to 23) and orientation of plies; thickness of 1,5–40 mm and above (to order).
Since formaldehyde-containing adhesives are used in plywood production (except for FBA-grade plywood), plywood is subject to environmental standards that limit the maximum permissible formaldehyde concentration through emission classes E0,5, E1 and E2 in EAEU countries, and E1 and E0 in the European Union.
Due to its high density, plywood requires powerful cutting equipment, such as a panel saw. Laser cutting is preferred for profiling and achieving a high-quality edge. Plywood can, however, be readily faced with films, paper or veneer, and finished with paints and lacquers.
Plywood is used across a wide range of industries: in furniture, joinery and packaging production; in construction as a finishing, structural and formwork material; for interior accessories and artworks; in model making; and more.
Routing (milling) is a machining process in which the surface or edges of solid materials are cut using a cutting tool that rotates around its axis, such as a router bit or milling head.
Types of routing for wood and other materials (chipboard, MDF, plywood, plastics, etc.):
1. End milling:
- straight and profile milling of the edges of sheet-material blanks (edges are straightened, rolled or profiled).
2. Face milling:
- milling a blank in two planes 2D with partial cutter penetration (grooves, fixing holes, engraving, recesses, profiled fronts, etc.) or full cutter penetration (openwork and decorative cutting).
Note: laser cutting, which uses a laser beam as the cutting tool, is also used for engraving or creating openwork (through-cut) patterns 2D.
- complex milling 3D of a blank in three planes (2D with the addition of a tapered cutter) to produce models, moulds, interior accessories, souvenirs, decorative furniture elements, etc.
3. Milling cylindrical blanks:
- complex milling 4D of a cylindrical blank (3D with the addition of a 4-axis rotary movement) to produce legs and supports for tables, chairs, beds and cabinets, balusters, etc.
Note: cylindrical wood and MDF blanks are machined by turning on a lathe. The blank is secured in position and rotates about its axis, while a profile cutter rotating about its own axis is fed towards the blank to machine it.
Modern CNC milling machines are equipped with multiple cutters, while CNC machining centres combine milling with other operations, including sawing, drilling, fitting-hole boring and edge banding. This reduces the time between operations and speeds up production from a sheet or timber blank to a product ready for finishing or packaging.
Veneer is a thin sheet of wood (der Span – wood chip, underlay).
By origin, veneer is classified as:
• Natural veneer, made from solid wood by slicing, rotary peeling or sawing.
• Modified (reconstituted) veneer, produced by slicing across blocks made from sheets of natural rotary-cut veneer bonded together.
Note: Synthetic veneer (also called eco-veneer) is an entirely artificial material and has nothing in common with natural wood.
Enamel is a liquid coating material applied in one or more coats to wood, metal, plastic, concrete, stone and other surfaces. Once dry, it forms an opaque protective and decorative coating with the required physical, mechanical and aesthetic properties, such as:
- wear resistance (abrasion resistance), hardness, flexibility,
- adhesion (bond strength between the coating and the surface),
- hiding power (opacity), colour, gloss level, texture (surface structure),
- resistance to rust, temperature fluctuations, UV radiation and precipitation,
- fire or water resistance,
- antifungal and insecticidal properties (resistance to insect damage),
and other properties, depending on the enamel’s intended use and composition.
Enamel consists of a binder (base), pigment, filler and hardener (drier).
In furniture manufacturing, enamel is used to finish components made from wood or wood-based materials, or faced with wood-based materials:
- unfinished MDF (for painted fronts and mouldings),
- wood with deeply defined natural growth rings or brushed wood,
- rotary-cut veneer, or, less commonly, sliced veneer,
- plywood,
- solid wood panels,
- jointed or single-piece wood blanks.
Note: To achieve a high-quality coating, the surface must first be levelled, cleaned and prepared for enamel application (filled, primed and sanded).
Types of enamel used by various manufacturers to finish wood and wood-based materials:
- Acrylic,
- Water-based,
- Nitrocellulose,
- Polyurethane,
- Polyurethane-acrylic.
Enamels are applied by air spraying, by brush or roller, or by flow coating. Drying time and temperature, application rate, the coating’s physical and mechanical properties, and its performance in use depend on the enamel formulation and the quality of surface preparation before painting.
SOFTFORM uses acrylic and water-based enamels to finish furniture and furniture components made from solid wood, wood-based materials and MDF, including executive office furniture, staff furniture, dining sets, and furniture for children’s and teenagers’ rooms. These enamels are easy to apply and, once dry, form an environmentally friendly, durable protective and decorative coating.
The term emission (Latin emissio — release, radiation) is used to describe phenomena and processes, for example:
- issuance of currency and securities – in the financial and economic sector;
- electron, electromagnetic, acoustic and chemical emission, fluorescence — in the natural sciences;
- emissions of greenhouse gases, heavy metals, volatile chemicals and their compounds — in environmental science and industry.
In the furniture industry, the term “emission” refers to the release of formaldehyde into the surrounding environment. It is used to assess the environmental safety of wood-based composite materials and their suitability for furniture production.
Справка: формальдегид - летучее химическое вещество первого класса канцерогенной опасности. Формальдегид присутствует в связующих смолах, пропитках, клеях, участвующих в производстве конструкционных и отделочных композитных материалов таких как МДФ, ДСП, ДВП, фанера всех видов кроме сорта ФБА, бумажно-слоистые пластики, импрегнированная бумага и пленки на ее основе, ОСБ (ориентированная стружечная плита). Токсичность этого вещества зависит от его концентрации.
For example, under interstate standardisation in EAEU countries, emission classes E0,5, E1 and E2 have been adopted for particleboard (in accordance with GOST10632-2014), specifying the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) of formaldehyde and measurement methods:
- E0,5 ≤ 0,08mg/m3,
- E1 - 0,08mg/m3 ≤ 0,124mg/m3,
- E2 - 0,124mg/m3 ≤ 0,5mg/m3,
where E denotes emissions, expressed in mg/m3 (the mass of formaldehyde released, in mg, per 1m3 of air). These values apply to the climate chamber measurement method.
GOST 10632-2014 corresponds to the European regional standard EN 312:2010 Particle boards – Specifications.
Note: formaldehyde emission classes E0 and E1 currently apply to particleboard in the European Union (E2 has been withdrawn). Other countries may have their own standards. In addition to formaldehyde, testing may be carried out for other substances harmful to human health, but such testing is voluntary.
SOFTFORM uses materials with emission classes E0,5 and E1 in furniture production.
