Particleboard P3-P5-MR
Grade
ASTM ANSI A208.1 · EN 312 · JIS A5908 · GB GB/T 4897
Pick for kitchen, bathroom and laundry carcases where occasional humidity or splash exposure occurs.
Values for the P3-P5-MR condition
Other Particleboard tempers and conditions
Particleboard is listed in 5 conditions; see the grade overview at Particleboard.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lightweight / low-density board | Choose for lightweight flat-pack panels, door blanks and shop fittings where load is low and weight matters. | — | 6 | 0.7 | — | 0.09 W/m·K |
Fire-retardant treated particleboard | Specify for public-building interiors, shopfitting and transport panels subject to flame-spread codes. | — | 8 | 0.5 | — | 0.13 W/m·K |
P2Default P2 / M-2 | Default furniture/cabinet substrate for dry indoor use; cheapest and most widely stocked. | — | 9 | — | — | 0.12 W/m·K |
P3-P5-MRThis page moisture-resistant board (MUF or PMDI bonded, green-dyed) | Pick for kitchen, bathroom and laundry carcases where occasional humidity or splash exposure occurs. | — | 11 | — | — | 0.13 W/m·K |
High-density particleboard | Use where screw holding, edge machining or laminate-flooring core stiffness matters more than weight. | — | 13 | 0.5 | — | 0.16 W/m·K |
What is Particleboard P3-P5-MR?
Particleboard P3-P5-MR is Particleboard in the P3-P5-MR grade — pick for kitchen, bathroom and laundry carcases where occasional humidity or splash exposure occurs. Particleboard P3-P5-MR has a tensile strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi), weaker than 70% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.6% and the elastic modulus is 2.8 GPa (0.406 Msi). Particleboard P3-P5-MR has a density of 0.72 g/cm³ (0.026 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of natural material grades. P2 is the default condition FabDigit quotes; P3-P5-MR is available on request or by drawing note.
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 15/100, worse than 90% of natural material grades
- Difficult to machine — 60/100, worse than 89% of natural material grades
- Limited ductility — 0.6%, worse than 84% of natural material grades
- High embodied carbon — 0.95 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 81% of natural material grades
Particleboard P3-P5-MR properties
Typical room-temperature values for Particleboard P3-P5-MR; 11 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Particleboard reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
Particleboard P3-P5-MR has a density of 0.72 g/cm³ (0.026 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of natural material grades.
Mechanical10
Particleboard P3-P5-MR has a tensile strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi), weaker than 70% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.6% and the elastic modulus is 2.8 GPa (0.406 Msi).
Thermal5
Particleboard P3-P5-MR is rated for continuous service to 80°C (176 °F). It conducts heat at 0.13 W/m·K (0.0751 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 57% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 8 µm/m·K (4.44 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
Particleboard P3-P5-MR is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 2 kV/mm (50.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10⁸ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (35/100), worse than 66% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Particleboard P3-P5-MR takes about 12 MJ of energy and emits 0.95 kg of CO₂ — more than 69% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability2
Particleboard P3-P5-MR's machinability is good (60/100, worse than 89% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Particleboard P3-P5-MR
Is Particleboard easy to machine?
Cuts and routs easily with carbide or PCD tooling — resin and any mineral contamination dull HSS fast; score-cut or use down-shear bits to stop face chipping, and support edges as the core is weak.
Can Particleboard be welded?
Not weldable; panels are joined with PVA/hot-melt adhesives, dowels, cam-lock/confirmat fittings or coarse-thread chipboard screws (pre-drill to avoid splitting).
Can Particleboard be formed, bent or molded?
Flat panel only — no post-forming or bending; 3D shape is achieved by CNC routing of the surface or by molded (Rigidified) particle mouldings.
What surface finishes work on Particleboard?
Edges must be sealed — apply melamine or PVC edgebanding, veneer or foil; direct paint needs a filler/primer because the porous edge soaks coating and swells with waterborne systems.
Particleboard chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| urea-formaldehyde resin (UF)replaced by MUF or PMDI in moisture-resistant grades | 6 – 11 | 9 |
| paraffin wax emulsionwater repellent / sizing | 0.3 – 1 | 0.6 |
| hardener + additives (ammonium salts, sc | 0.2 – 1 | 0.5 |
| moisture contentequilibrium at 20 °C / 65 % RH | 5 – 11 | 8 |
| wood particles (softwood/hardwood chips,including recycled/post-consumer wood in many mills | ≥ 82 (balance) | — |
Particleboard P3-P5-MR — frequently asked
What is Particleboard P3-P5-MR used for?
Particleboard P3-P5-MR is typically used for flat-pack furniture, cabinet carcasses, countertop substrate, flooring underlayment and laminate core. In short: cheapest furniture substrate; best value under laminate; weak, moisture-sensitive core.
What is the tensile strength of Particleboard P3-P5-MR?
Particleboard P3-P5-MR has a typical tensile strength of 11 MPa (1.6 ksi) — weaker than 70% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is Particleboard P3-P5-MR easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (60/100, worse than 89% of natural material grades). Cuts and routs easily with carbide or PCD tooling — resin and any mineral contamination dull HSS fast; score-cut or use down-shear bits to stop face chipping, and support edges as the core is weak.
Can Particleboard P3-P5-MR be welded?
Not weldable; panels are joined with PVA/hot-melt adhesives, dowels, cam-lock/confirmat fittings or coarse-thread chipboard screws (pre-drill to avoid splitting).
What surface finishes work on Particleboard P3-P5-MR?
Edges must be sealed — apply melamine or PVC edgebanding, veneer or foil; direct paint needs a filler/primer because the porous edge soaks coating and swells with waterborne systems.
Can Particleboard P3-P5-MR be formed, bent or molded?
Flat panel only — no post-forming or bending; 3D shape is achieved by CNC routing of the surface or by molded (Rigidified) particle mouldings.
What is the maximum service temperature of Particleboard P3-P5-MR?
Particleboard P3-P5-MR is rated for continuous use to about 80°C (176 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- GB/T 4897 (2015)
- EN 312 Particleboards — Specifications — CEN (2010)
- ANSI A208.1 Particleboard — Composite Panel Association (2016)
- JIS A5908 Particleboard — JSA (2015)
- ASTM D1037 Evaluating Properties of Wood-Base Fiber and Particle Panel Materials — ASTM (2020)
- Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material, Ch.11 Wood-Based Composites — USDA Forest Products Laboratory (2021)
- ISO 10456 Building materials — hygrothermal properties — ISO (2007)
- EPF / EPD environmental data for particleboard — European Panel Federation (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.