Particle Board vs Plywood
Plywood is stronger, lighter, holds screws far better and survives water; particle board is cheaper, flatter and usually comes faced with melamine, ready to use. Choose plywood for parts that carry weight or get wet, and melamine particle board for budget cabinets and wardrobes that stay dry, with every edge banded. Plywood versus particle board comes down to load, water and budget.
Particle board vs plywood at a glance
| Compared | Particle board (chipboard) | Plywood |
|---|---|---|
| Made of | Wood chips and resin pressed together | Wood veneers glued with crossed grain |
| Cost | Lowest | Higher |
| Strength and stiffness | Lowest; long shelves sag | High |
| Screw holding | Weak, especially in edges | Good in face and edges |
| Water | Swells permanently at edges | Swells little, dries back |
| Weight, 18 mm 4 × 8 | About 35–38 kg (77–84 lb) | About 27–36 kg (60–80 lb) |
| Flatness | Very flat | Can bow slightly |
| Faces | Usually melamine or veneer | Wood veneer to finish or paint |
Cabinets: melamine or plywood?
European and flat-pack kitchens are almost all melamine-faced particle board: it is flat, cheap, finished on both faces and easy to keep square with dowels or confirmat screws. American custom cabinets are more often plywood, which takes more abuse, holds hinges and screws better and survives a leak. Both last when they are built well; the details that matter are edge banding on every exposed edge, the right fasteners, and keeping the sink base dry.
Where each is the better choice
| Part | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Wardrobe and pantry carcasses | Melamine particle board |
| Kitchen wall and base cabinets | Either; plywood under the sink |
| Long bookshelves | Plywood |
| Drawer boxes | Plywood or 16 mm melamine |
| Bathroom vanity | Plywood or moisture-resistant board |
| Desks and tables | Plywood or MDF |
Shelves and sag
Particle board is the least stiff of the common boards and creeps under a constant load: an 18 mm shelf full of books stays flat only to about 35 cm. Use plywood or add a hardwood strip under the front edge for longer shelves. Try your own span:
Compare the other boards in MDF vs plywood and MDF vs particle board.
Frequently asked questions
Is plywood better than particle board?
Stronger, lighter, better at holding screws and much better with water, yes. Particle board, usually faced with melamine, is cheaper, flatter and ready-finished, which is why most flat-pack and many kitchen cabinets use it.
Is particle board OK for kitchen cabinets?
Melamine-faced particle board makes good cabinets if every edge is banded and the joints use dowels or confirmat screws. The weak spot is the sink base, where a leak swells the board: use plywood or moisture-resistant board there.
How long does particle board furniture last?
Many years if it stays dry and is not moved often. Repeated assembly, heavy loads on long shelves and water are what destroy it.
Can you screw into particle board?
Into the face, yes, with coarse-thread screws. Into the edges, use confirmat screws or dowels and glue; ordinary wood screws split the edge or strip out.