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Adhesive plays an important role in the plywood industry. Along with the plywood material, glue determines the quality and durability of the board. Bonding thin layers of wood or wood chips into a unified block, ensuring strength, moisture resistance and aesthetics for the product. This article will introduce in detail the popular types of glue (UF, MUF, PF) and have a summary comparison table at the end of the types of glue used in plywood production, along with their diverse applications outside the industrial wood sector.
1. Urea Formaldehyde (UF) Glue
- Concept: The most popular type of glue in the production of interior plywood – is the type of glue that is most used in the Vietnamese plywood industry.
- Application: Suitable for particle board, MDF board, okal board, curved plywood, veneer, etc.
UF E0 and E1 glues are often used to produce indoor furniture because the amount of formaldehyde emissions is permitted by the government, safe for health
Meanwhile, UF E2 glue is commonly used in the production of outdoor furniture in many Vietnamese factories.
- Emission standards (*): E0, E1, E2
In which E2 glue and mixed water glue are commonly used in Vietnam in exterior works that do not require high quality, especially Formaldehyde emissions.
(*) Standard for determining the level of formaldehyde emission from wood materials and wood products, meeting the safety threshold for human health.
- Advantages: Low cost, widely used, relatively short pressing time, stable adhesion
- Disadvantages:
+ Low water resistance, no moisture resistance for wood pressed
+ Formaldehyde emissions under certain conditions
+ Low mechanical strength.
2. Melamine Urea Formaldehyde (MUF) Glue
- Concept: It is a type of WBP (Water Boiled Proof) glue widely used in the plywood manufacturing industry in Vietnam, especially for MDF and HDF boards. MUF glue is created from a combination of urea, formaldehyde and melamine. Combining the advantages of UF glue and MF glue, it brings outstanding advantages compared to other types of glue.
Depending on the % Melamine in the glue, the properties of the glue are also different. The higher the percentage, the higher the quality of the waterproof plywood.
- Application: Suitable for the production of outdoor furniture and products requiring waterproofing such as marine plywood, film-coated plywood, shuttering, LVL, etc. for domestic production and export
- Standards: E0, E1, E2 – Maximum water resistance is 72 hours of boiling.
- Advantages:
+ Good water resistance, moisture resistance for plywood
+ Higher adhesion than UF glue, preventing the filler layers from separating when cutting
+ Diverse types of MUF glue - Disadvantages Points:
+ MUF glue cannot be used in production when the moisture content of the filler board is high.
+ Requires workers to use many techniques to produce plywood.
+ High cost
3. Phenolic Formaldehyde Glue (PF)
- Concept: It is a synthetic adhesive commonly used in the wood industry, especially in the production of plywood, furniture and construction. Made from a combination of phenol and formaldehyde under the action of heat and alkaline catalyst, providing superior adhesion compared to other wood glues.
- Application:Mainly used to produce wood types such as construction plywood, water-resistant MDF, heat-resistant, outdoor works… Plywood made from this glue has high heat resistance, can be boiled for over 72 hours without peeling or delamination.
- Advantages:
+ Extremely high mechanical strength and heat resistance
+ Good water resistance - Disadvantages:
+ Raw materials suitable for this type of glue are not common.+ High cost.+ High formaldehyde emission.
+ Phenolic formaldehyde glue is relatively rare due to the low demand for phenolic glue plywood production.
Applications of glue outside the industrial wood industry:
- Construction: Gluing ceramic tiles, concrete, metal, …
- Maintenance manufacturing: Gluing machine parts and equipment
- Packaging: Gluing cartons and paper boxes
- Handicraft manufacturing: Gluing wood, plastic, metal, etc.
