What Are Some Common Types Of Finger-jointed Wood

Finger-jointed board is a type of solid wood board made by vertically splicing multiple planks together using a sawtooth-shaped joint, hence its name. It gets its name from the resemblance of two hands interlocking. Finger-jointed board serves the same purpose as solid wood board, but it uses significantly less glue in its production, making it a more environmentally friendly option. More and more people are choosing finger-jointed board as a replacement for solid wood board. Common thicknesses for finger-jointed board are 12mm, 14mm, 16mm, and 20mm, with a maximum thickness of 36mm. The typical thickness ranges from 12-36mm.

Finger-jointed board does not require top or bottom plywood, greatly reducing glue usage. The glue used is generally white glue, an aqueous solution of polyvinyl acetate.

Finger-jointed board is also divided into two types: knotted and knot-free. Knotted board has knots (marks/holes), while knot-free board does not. Based on the material, it can be divided into knotted (with knots/holes) and knot-free categories.

A simple way to distinguish good from bad finger-jointed boards is to look at the growth rings of the core material: finger-jointed boards are mostly made of fir, and the growth rings are more obvious. The more growth rings, the older the tree, and the better the material.

There is also camphor wood finger-jointed board sold on the market, used for wardrobe shelves. It can repel insects, eliminating the need for mothballs in the wardrobe. However, it is more expensive and only a few vendors sell it. Some camphor and pine finger-jointed boards, due to their moisture-proof and insect-repellent properties, are suitable for bathroom cabinets and similar applications.

Finger-jointed boards are divided into exposed and concealed joints. Concealed joints are better because exposed joints are more prone to unevenness after painting. Of course, concealed joints are more difficult to process. The harder the wood, the better, as it warps much less and has a more aesthetically pleasing grain.

Finger-jointed boards are a type of solid wood board, while solid wood boards are engineered wood. Therefore, finger-jointed boards have a natural grain, giving a feeling of returning to nature.

Whether furniture is environmentally friendly mainly depends on its formaldehyde content. E1 grade (formaldehyde content less than 1.5mg/L) finger-jointed boards and E1 grade solid wood boards are equally environmentally friendly if their formaldehyde content is the same. However, finger-jointed boards use less glue than solid wood boards, making them generally easier to control for environmental impact. Solid wood boards have plywood at both the top and bottom (through gluing and pressing), which also produces formaldehyde. Finger-jointed boards do not have plywood at the top and bottom, while solid wood boards do. The difference between finger-jointed boards and solid wood boards can be distinguished by the naked eye.

Finger-jointed boards are widely used in the production of furniture, cabinets, wardrobes, etc. Some finger-jointed boards made from camphor wood and pine are suitable for bathroom cabinets due to their moisture-proof and insect-repellent properties. Because the amount of glue used in finger-jointed boards is relatively controllable, they are a good choice for custom-made children's room furniture where environmental protection is paramount. Children have weaker immune systems and are sensitive to indoor air quality; therefore, choosing boards with low formaldehyde content and environmentally friendly glue is especially important.