When it comes to endless possibilities for decorative surfaces, melamine is a top contender. This laminate is popular in different types of furniture and is extremely useful to plywood distributors looking to expand the customizable options they offer.

Melamine is a type of hard resin that’s commonly used as an overlay on building materials like particleboard, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and plywood. It’s created by fusing melamine resin with formaldehyde and applying it to a paper base to make a laminate. This laminate is then used to cover a variety of surfaces, including household and office furniture like desks and tables, on cabinets and countertops, to create dry erase boards, and as flooring. It became so fashionable during the 1950s and 1960s that it was even used to make kitchen utensils and plates.

There are many benefits to plywood distributors that offer wood covered with melamine. It’s easily customizable. In fact, it comes in such a wide variety of colors, styles, and patterns that the possibilities are truly endless. It’s also more affordable for homeowners who are looking to update their house.

And while it’s not recommended for exterior use, it provides a plethora of options inside the home. Instead of spending a fortune on wood grain or granite countertops, your customers can have you install a melamine-coated surface and have a durable workspace with an attractive finish that’s comparable to these other, more expensive options.

Melamine does have some disadvantages. Because melamine is generally used to coat materials like particleboard and MDF, it’s not the most durable material. These wood composites don’t stand up to water very well, and if they’re exposed to damp conditions, they can deteriorate. Another issue is that, while melamine can be used to imitate a variety of patterns and designs, it’s not completely convincing as a wood substitute because there is no natural grain and the surface is much smoother, like other laminated materials.

Melamine is important to the wood industry because it provides more affordable options to customers who may have been delaying or avoiding making upgrades to their homes because of the high cost.

For plywood distributors, it’s a convenient product to include in your repertoire and can help you provide options, like simulated marble and granite finishes, that you wouldn’t be able to supply otherwise.