What is melamine?
Applications and advantages

Melamine is a material widely used in carpentry work. It has many qualities that make it almost indispensable in the construction sector. If you have come this far, it is because you need to know what type of material melamine is. On numerous occasions you will have heard the name of this synthetic product, widely used for the creation of modern designer furniture. Now, do you know what melamine is? Do you know its advantages, uses and applications?

In today’s post we are going to explain the characteristics and applications of this organic compound, widely known as melamine board or melamine resin. In addition, we will take the opportunity to list the different types of uses in the manufacture of furniture or wall coverings.

Melamine is a plastic material that is formed from various resins and adhesive products from wood. Nowadays, this product is used as a material to cover wooden furniture and even for wall coverings in offices.

Its main characteristics include:

• A wide resistance to an infinite number of factors. This product withstands high temperatures, fire and even acquires a high resistance to humidity.
• Its surface can achieve different textures and finishes: smooth, rough, imitation wood?
• Unlike natural wood, this resin withstands perfectly the attack of parasites or microorganisms such as mould and mildew.
• It is also a material that is very easy to clean and maintain.
• It is very economically priced and affordable.

Depending on the quality of the melamine you will be able to carry out more or less resistant projects. In addition, and thanks to its wide variety of colours and designs, this material becomes one of the most desirable alternatives for the customer. It is a very economical and resistant product.

In fact, in our made-to-measure works we usually use melamine in kitchens or children’s bedrooms, to create wardrobes and other types of customised furniture.

In both cases, we are talking about the busiest rooms in the home. Therefore, this material becomes the essential material to create durable objects, resistant to humidity and even warmer and easier to clean.

Melamine has several issues that differentiate it from solid wood. Indeed, they all make melamine a more practical, durable and functional material.

To begin with, natural wood must be processed in the right way. That means proper extraction and then a drying time that removes all the moisture from the wood. In addition, it has to be cut into manageable planks and the surface has to be carefully planed. All this must be done carefully because wood is a porous material that can change its condition if it is damp. In addition, it can encourage the growth of fungi or bacteria.

Melamine, on the other hand, is free of all these peculiarities. The chipboard includes resins that facilitate the good condition of the material. Moreover, it is not subject to attack by micro-organisms.

Another fundamental difference between solid wood and melamine is the price. The natural material is much more expensive because the process from tree to furniture is much longer and more costly. Melamine, on the other hand, is a very affordable material.

Finally, there are natural woods with very low resistance to high weights. Melamine, on the other hand, is a solid, firm material that can be bent for certain designs.

Working with melamine boards is very simple. There is no need for very specific or expensive tools. It can be screwed, cut or drilled without major problems.

Melamine can be easily joined using screws of the right depth. Using a screwdriver you can assemble the different boards. A jigsaw and a suitable mitre saw are sufficient for cutting the boards if angled cuts are required.

A common task is to smooth the edges. This means that the edges are covered with veneer. This veneer is usually purchased pre-glued, placed on the edge and then heated with an iron. Afterwards, the burrs are removed and the edge is integrated into the melamine look.

The DESMON assembly team knows all the properties of melamine perfectly. This means that they work it skilfully and adjust it to the agreed design without any problems.