Panel board buying guide
Three boards that look alike, and aren’t.
From the edge of a stack they're all brown sheets. Inside, one is wood fibre pressed hard, one is fibre pressed less, and one is wood chips. That decides where each one lasts.
Five boards, explained.
What each board is made of, what it's good at, and where it gives up.
Particle board View →
Action TESA Gold Premium
Wood chips, graded by size and pressed into a flat panel. Action TESA uses plantation eucalyptus.
Moist Master View →
Action TESA
Particle board pressed denser and made high moisture resistant (HMR). ISI marked to IS 3087.
MDF View →
Action TESA Classic
Hardwood broken down to fibre and pressed into a panel that's the same all the way through.
HDHMR View →
Action TESA
Wood fibre compressed much harder than MDF. HDHMR is Action TESA's registered trademark.
Boilo View →
Action TESA
High density fibreboard, above 1,000 kg/m³, boiling water proof and fire retardant.
Side by side.
| Board | Handles water | Strength | Relative cost | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Particle board | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ₹ | Laminated wardrobes and storage in dry rooms |
| Moist Master | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ₹ | Wardrobes and furniture in humid rooms |
| MDF | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ₹₹ | Painted, duco and profiled work in dry rooms |
| HDHMR | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ₹₹ | Kitchens, vanities, shutters |
| Boilo | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ₹₹₹ | Sink bases, wash areas, toilet cubicles |
| BWR plywood (for comparison) | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ₹₹ | Long shelves, heavy load, edge screwing |
Pick a job.
Tap the job you're building for.
What decides a board’s cost.
We don't print rates because they move with stock and quantity. These are the five things that move a board's cost.
Density
The harder a board is pressed, the more it costs. That's most of the gap between particle board, MDF and HDHMR.
Moisture grade
Plain, moisture resistant or boiling water proof. You pay for how much water the board can take.
The brand and the mark
An ISI mark on particle board, or genuine HDHMR billed as Action TESA, costs a little more. It also comes with quality you can hold someone to.
Plain or pre-laminated
Pre-laminated board costs more per sheet, but saves the laminate, the glue and a day's labour.
Thickness
Thicker board costs more. Buy the thickness the job needs, not the one that feels safest.
Pay for water resistance only where water reaches. HDHMR in the kitchen and bathroom, Boilo or BWP under the sink, and plain board in dry rooms.
Get today’s board ratesMistakes we see every week.
Plain MDF near a sink
It swells where water collects and doesn't go back. Use HDHMR, or Boilo where water stands.
Plain particle board for heavy shutters
The hinges work loose and the edges swell. Shutters need HDHMR.
“HDHMR” with no brand on it
HDHMR is Action TESA's trademark. An unbranded board can borrow the name and nothing else.
Painting plywood and expecting an MDF finish
The grain shows through the paint in time. For a painted finish, use MDF or HDHMR.
MDF for long shelves
It sags under books across a span. Use plywood.
Leaving cut edges open
Every board takes water in at the edges first. Edge-band every cut edge.
Questions we get asked.
HDHMR or plywood?
For kitchens, vanities, shutters and anything laminated or painted, we recommend HDHMR. It's dense, stays flat and holds a hinge screw, and Action TESA gives it a 15-year written warranty. For long shelves, heavy loads and screwing into the edge, plywood is the better board. Under the sink, use BWP plywood or Boilo.
Is HDHMR waterproof?
No. It's highly moisture resistant: it handles steam, splashes and damp rooms far better than MDF or particle board. Where water stands for days, use Boilo, which is boiling water proof, or BWP plywood.
Is particle board OK for a wardrobe?
Yes, in a dry room with laminate on both faces and every edge banded. That's what it's made for. In a humid room, use Moist Master. Never use it under a sink.
How do I spot real HDHMR?
HDHMR is a registered trademark of Action TESA's parent company. Genuine board is branded on the face and billed as Action TESA on a GST invoice. Ask for both. As an authorised dealer, we give both as standard.
Also see.
Not sure which board?
Tell us the job and the room. We'll reply the same day with the right board and the rate.