Different Grades of Blockboard & Their Uses

Blockboard is very different from the other engineered woods such as MDF (Medium density fiberboard), particle boards, plywood, etc. Blockboard is a board which consists of a core made of softwood strips between the two layers of wood veneers. Here the wooden strips are placed edge-to-edge and are enclosed between veneer sheets which are glued together under high pressure. Different grades of blockboard are available in the market, which are used in various applications. Here we have tried to give a brief of grades of blockboard, which a homeowner must know, before buying blockboards!

Also Read: Blockboard Properties: You Need To Know!

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Generally, there are two main grades of blockboard available;

• MR Grade (Moisture Resistant) and
• BWP or BWR Grade (Boiling Water Proof or Boiling Water Resistant)

01. MR Grade:

MR grade blockboards have applications in internal areas such as door core, partition, panelling, furniture, ceiling, etc. Special moisture resistant adhesives are used in making MR grade blockboards. They are also called interior grade blockboards.

02. BWP or BWR Grade:

BWP grade blockboards are made by using resins which are have high resistance to boiling water. They are used widely for application in prefabricated houses, railway coaches, bus bodies, kitchen, etc. where they are likely to get exposed to high humidity and for external use. They are also called exterior grade blockboards.

Also Read: Different Grades of Plywood

Both of the aforementioned grades are available in two types in the market i.e. Decorative and Commercial type:

(a) Decorative Type:

These blockboards have decorative face veneers on one or both sides and generally used for high class furniture, interior decoration, panelling, partitions, etc. They are available in BWP and MR grade both as per the application and its uses!

Also Read: Different Types of Wood Veneer & Their Uses

(b) Commercial Type:

These blockboards have veneers of commercial timber on both sides and generally used for ordinary furniture, tabletops, panelling and partitions, flooring, seats of bus bodies, railway carriages, etc.

The grades of blockboards are represented by the symbols given below:

Grade and Type	Symbol
MR Grade, Decorative Type	MR-DEC
MR Grade, Commercial Type	MR-COM
BWP Grade, Decorative Type	BWP-DEC
BWP Grade, Commercial Type	BWP-COM

Also Read:

Plywood vs Blockboard: How to Make the Right Choice

Advantages & Disadvantages of Blockboards

Size & Cost of Blockboard

Advantages & Disadvantages of Laminates