Particle board is a manufactured board that is often used in furniture because it can be made cheaply and is more affordable than solid timber but has a similar look.

It is mostly found in furniture that require large pieces such as table tops, desks and TV cabinets, this saves people from having to bond two pieces of timber together to achieve the same size.

This type of manufactured board is made from wood chips which are glued together and then compressed under heat in a large board shape, it is then dried and cut into various sizes to be sold.

These boards can either be bought bare or it can be covered with thin sheets of veneer or a plastic laminate, these two materials give the board a solid timber look and feel while costing marginally less.

Particle board is a good alternate option when buying furniture to a budget because it gives the impression of solid timber and it usually lasts for long periods of time if looked after and taken care of well, like all solid timber.

Advantages:

• Cost effective
• It is available in large sizes
• Veneer or plastic laminate can be applied to make it look more like solid timber
• It doesn't have natural defects and It doesn't swell
• Renewable

Disadvantages:

• Still doesn't quite match the quality of solid timber
• Can be prone to chip or flake
• It isn't available in very thick sizes
• It isn't suitable for many joints