Insights into Professional Control Room Furniture: An Analysis of Desktop Materials - EasyConsoles

Insights Into Professional Control Room Furniture

An Analysis Of Desktop Materials

Hello everyone! Today, let’s talk about the most important part of control room furniture—the control console desktop. The two most commonly used wooden materials in the market are compact laminate and medium density fiberboard (MDF). Let’s first understand the raw materials and characteristics of these two materials.

Compact Laminate(HPL)

Compact laminate is made by soaking decorative paper in melamine resin and then layering it with multiple layers of black or brown kraft paper that have been soaked in phenolic resin. This mixture is then subjected to high heat and pressure. The thickness ranges from 1.6mm to 25mm.

The advantages of compact laminate include:

Water and Fire Resistant: Suitable for the safety requirements of control rooms
Scratch and Heat Resistant: Can withstand wear and tear from daily use
Easy to Clean: The surface is not easily stained, making maintenance simple
Colorfast: Maintains its appearance over time

Medium Density Fiberboard(MDF)

MDF is made from wood fibers that are compressed and formed under heat and pressure. It has a smooth surface and stable performance.

Key features include:

Dense and Strong: Sturdy edges contribute to longevity.
Good Decorative Qualities: Suitable for various surface treatments.

For control console desktops, we typically choose 15mm thick compact laminate or 25mm thick MDF. In some cases, customers may request 18mm thick compact laminate.

Which Material Is Better?

15mm Compact Laminate: As a fire-resistant material, it requires no secondary processing and can be cut or drilled as needed. However, its high hardness makes shaping difficult, and its low nail-holding capability often necessitates embedding nuts for stability.
25mm MDF: Typically requires a surface veneer, commonly using melamine or fire-rated laminates. We recommend a combination of high-density board with dual-sided fire-rated laminate for optimal quality, although this option is usually more expensive.

Cost Comparison

When considering only the base material, compact laminate is generally more expensive than MDF. However, when factoring in processing costs, the overall difference is not significant. Which material do you prefer for your control console desktop? Feel free to reach out for further discussion!

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