Plywood vs Chipboard (Particle Board): A Detailed Comparison for Designers, Builders, & DIY Enthusiasts

When choosing between plywood and chipboard, it’s important to go beyond price and look at longevity, performance, compliance with safety standards and environmental footprint. Both materials have their place in construction, furniture making, and cabinetry, but they perform very differently.

1. Composition & Manufacturing

Plywood

• Made from thin layers (veneers) of timber, cross-laminated for strength.
• Bonded with strong adhesives under heat and pressure.
• Typically 90–95% timber and 5–10% glue by weight, depending on grade and intended use.
• Veneers are usually peeled from logs with minimal waste, and many suppliers use plantation-grown species such as radiata pine, poplar, or eucalyptus.
• Adhesives typically comply with AS/NZS 2754 EN 314-2 (bonding quality) and formaldehyde emission classes E1 or E0 or SUPER E0.

Chipboard

• Made from small wood particles (that's why it is usually called 'particle board'), sawmill shavings, and wood chips. 
• Mixed with resin (often urea-formaldehyde) and pressed into sheets.
• Typically 80–85% timber and 15–20% glue by weight.
• Classified under EN 312 for mechanical properties and moisture resistance, with emission ratings typically E1 or E2. Lower-cost imports may exceed these limits.

2. Strength & Durability

• Plywood has a high strength-to-weight ratio, with bending strength (MOR) typically 40–60 MPa depending on grade and species.
• Chipboard has bending strength (MOR) typically 11–25 MPa for standard grades (higher for high-density variants).

3. Moisture Resistance (Quantitative)

• Plywood: Exterior and marine-grade plywood AS/NZS 2271, AS/NZS 2272 (EN 636-3) can survive repeated wetting and drying cycles with less than 5–8% thickness swell after 24 hours of water immersion (edges sealed).
• Moisture-Resistant Chipboard (P3 grade): Typically swells 8–12% after 24 hours’ immersion. Standard chipboard can swell 15–25% or more, leading to severe edge damage.

4. VOC Emissions (Indoor Air Quality)

• Plywood: Lower resin content means lower potential VOC emissions. Many products meet E0  (<0.5 mg/L formaldehyde) or EN 13986 low-emission class E1.
• Chipboard: Higher resin content means greater potential for VOCs, especially if urea-formaldehyde adhesives are used. Low-VOC grades exist but are less common in the budget sector.

5. Workability

• Plywood can be cut, routed, and fastened with conventional woodworking tools, holding fasteners securely.
• Chipboard blunts tools faster, produces more fine dust (including resin particulates), and is prone to edge chipping without careful handling.

6. Environmental Impact

While chipboard is resource-efficient in reusing wood waste, plywood generally offers a lower long-term environmental footprint for several reasons:

• Longevity & Reuse: Plywood lasts decades, reducing replacement waste.
• Lower Resin Content: Plywood’s 5–10% glue content is significantly less than chipboard’s 15–20%, reducing petrochemical use and VOC emissions.
• Sustainable Timber: Plantation-grown veneers reduce native forest harvesting.
• Repair & Recycling Potential: Plywood can be repurposed, unlike chipboard which degrades quickly after dismantling.

7. Finishes & Aesthetics

• Plywood can be left raw for a natural timber look, veneered, or coated with decorative laminates.
• Chipboard is almost always covered (melamine, veneer, or laminate) because the raw surface is unattractive and porous.