Composite materials or composites are products formed by combining two or more different types of materials but the essential part of each composite material is still distinguishable.
Composite Panel
A composite panel is a building material used as a replacement for wood and steel. The panels have similar levels of strength and structural support but are lighter in weight than solid wood or steel. They are produced by pressing multiple layers of the same material, or a lightweight core may be sandwiched between sheets of protective material.
Wood Composite Panel
A wood composite panel is made of pressed wood fibers or sawdust blended with epoxy resin. The wood is shredded and ground to a fine pulp, dried and mixed with epoxy under high levels of heat and pressure, to form into sheets. Depending on the type of wood fibers used, the produced panels are known as medium-density fiberboard(MDF), particleboard or hardboard. These engineered wood panels are used to add structural stability to wall framing or to construct floors and roofs. Another use of wood composites is in exterior composite decking.
Aluminum Composite Panel
An aluminum composite panel or ACP is made of a lightweight core of polyethylene sandwiched between two aluminum sheets. ACP’s are commonly used as external cladding of buildings since it is rigid and strong but lightweight. The aluminum sheets can be coated with PVDF or polyester paint. They are commonly produced in a variety of metallic and non-metallic colors as well as patterns that imitate other materials such as wood or marble.
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