WCO Explanatory Notes reproduced for reference. © World Customs Organization. Verify against official WCO publication.
44.11 Fibreboard of wood or other ligneous materials, whether or not bonded with resins or other organic substances. - Medium density fibreboard (MDF) : - - Of a thickness not exceeding 5 mm 4411.13 - - Of a thickness exceeding 5 mm but not exceeding 9 mm 441 1.14 - - Of a thickness exceeding 9 mm - Other : 441 1.92 - - Of a density exceeding 0.8 g/cm3 441 1.93 - - Of a density exceeding 0.5 g/cm3but not exceeding 0.8 g/cm3 441 1.94 - - Of a density not exceeding 0.5 g/cm3 44 11.12 Fibreboard is most often manufactured fiom wood chips which have been mechanically defibred (defibrated or steam exploded or fiom other (obtained e.g., from agasse or bamboo). The fibres making up the microscopic examination. They are bonded together in the board adhesive properties, generally deriving fiom their lignin organic bondm substances may be used to agglomerate the may also be a ded during or after manufacture of the board to give an extra pro erty, e.g., impermeabili to water or resistance to rot, insect attack, fire or the spread of flame. ibreboard may consist o a single sheet or of several sheets bonded together. fi F The categories of fibreboard of this heading can be distinguished according to their production process and they include : (A) Fibreboard obtained by the '(dry production process" This group includes, in articular, medium density fibreboard (MDF), which is manufactured in a process in which a ditional thermosetting resins are added to the dried wood fibres in order to assist the bonding rocess in the press. The densi generally ranges from 0.45 g/cm3 to 1 g/cm3. In the unwor ed state it has two smooth sur"(aces. It can be used in many different applications such as furniture, interior decoration and in building. B r: Medium densi fibreboard of a density exceeding 0.8 g/cm3is sometimes also referred to by the trade a s "hig density fibreboard (HDF)". (B) Fibreboard obtained by the "wet production process'' This group includes the following types of fibreboard : (1) Hardboard, which is manufactured in a wet production process in which the wood fibres in suspension in water are compressed in the form of a mat under high temperature and high pressure on a metallic mesh. In the unworked state this type of fibreboard has one smooth and one rough surface with a mesh attern. However, it can sometimes also have two smooth surfaces obtained by special s d a c e treatment or a special production process It generally has a density exceeding 0.8 g/cm3. Hardboard is manly used for furmture, & the automotive industries, for doorskins and for packaging, especially fruit and vegetable packaging. (2) Mediumboard, which is manufactured in a way similar to the one for hardboard but at a lower pressure. It generally has a density exceeding 0.35 glcm3 but not exceeding 0.8 g/cm3. The main applicahon is in furniture production and for interior or exterior walls. (3) Softboard. This fibreboard is not compressed as the other es of fibreboard obtained b the wet roduction process. It generally has a densi of 0.3 g/cm3 or less. These boar s are use mainly for thermal or sound insulation in uilding. Special types of insulating board are used as sheathing or sarking materials. '% 9 a dY The products of this headin remain classified herein whether or not they have been worked to form the shapes provided or in respect of the goods of heading 44.09, curved, corrugated, erforated, cut or formed to shapes other than square or rectan lar and whether or not they Eave been worked at the surface, the edge or the end, or coate or covered (e.g., with textile fabric, plastics, paint, paper or metal) or submitted to any other operation, provided these operations do not thereby give such products the essential character of articles of other headings. f f' The heading does not cover : (a) Particle board whether or not laminated with one or several fibreboards (heading 44.10). (b) Laminated wood with a core consisting of fibreboard (heading 44.12). (c) Cellular wood panels of which both faces are fibreboard (heading 44.18). (d) Paperboard, such as multiplex paperboard, i(presspan k) and strawboard, which can generally be distinguished from fibreboard by their layer structure made apparent on cleaving (Chapter 48). (e) Fibreboard panels clearly identifiable as parts of fimiture (generally Chapter 94).
Notes. 1.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Wood, in chips, in shavings, crushed, ground or powdered, of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy, or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes (heading 12.11); (b) Bamboos or other materials of a woody nature of a kind used primarily for plaiting, in the rough, whether or not split, sawn lengthwise or cut to length (heading 14.01); (c) Wood, in chips, in shavings, ground or powdered, of a kind used primarily in dyeing or in tanning (heading 14.04); (d) Activated charcoal (heading 38.02); (e) Articles of heading 42.02; (f) Goods of Chapter 46; (g) Footwear or parts thereof of Chapter 64; (h) Goods of Chapter 66 (for example, umbrellas and walking-sticks and parts thereof); (ij) Goods of heading 68.08; (k) Imitation jewellery of heading 71.17; (l) Goods of Section XVI or Section XVII (for example, machine parts, cases, covers, cabinets for machines and apparatus and wheelwrights' wares); (m) Goods of Section XVIII (for example, clock cases and musical instruments and parts thereof); (n) Parts of firearms (heading 93.05); (o) Articles of Chapter 94 (for example, furniture, luminaires and lighting fittings, prefabricated buildings); (p) Articles of Chapter 95 (for example, toys, games, sports requisites); (q) Articles of Chapter 96 (for example, smoking pipes and parts thereof, buttons, pencils, and monopods, bipods, tripods and similar articles) excluding bodies and handles, of wood, for articles of heading 96.03; or (r) Articles of Chapter 97 (for example, works of art). 2.- In this Chapter, the expression “densified wood” means wood which has been subjected to chemical or physical treatment (being, in the case of layers bonded together, treatment in excess of that needed to ensure a good bond), and which has thereby acquired increased density or hardness together with improved mechanical strength or resistance to chemical or electrical agencies. 3.- Headings 44.14 to 44.21 apply to articles of the respective descriptions of particle board or similar board, fibreboard, laminated wood or densified wood as they apply to such articles of wood. 4.- Products of heading 44.10, 44.11 or 44.12 may be worked to form the shapes provided for in respect of the goods of heading 44.09, curved, corrugated, perforated, cut or formed to shapes other than square or rectangular or submitted to any other operation provided it does not give them the character of articles of other headings. 5.- Heading 44.17 does not apply to tools in which the blade, working edge, working surface or other working part is formed by any of the materials specified in Note 1 to Chapter 82. 6.- Subject to Note 1 above and except where the context otherwise requires, any reference to “wood” in a heading of this Chapter applies also to bamboos and other materials of a woody nature. Subheading Notes. 1.- For the purposes of subheading 4401.31, the expression “wood pellets” means by-products such as cutter shavings, sawdust or chips, of the mechanical wood processing industry, furniture-making industry or other wood transformation activities, which have been agglomerated either directly by compression or by the addition of a binder in a proportion not exceeding 3 % by weight. Such pellets are cylindrical, with a diameter not exceeding 25 mm and a length not exceeding 100 mm. 2.- For the purposes of subheading 4401.32, the expression “wood briquettes” means by-products such as cutter shavings, sawdust or chips, of the mechanical wood processing industry, furniture making or other wood transformation activities, which have been agglomerated either directly by compression or by addition of a binder in a proportion not exceeding 3 % by weight. Such briquettes are in the form of cubiform, polyhedral or cylindrical units with the minimum cross-sectional dimension greater than 25 mm. 3.- For the purposes of subheading 4407.13, “S-P-F” refers to wood sourced from mixed stands of spruce, pine and fir where the proportion of each species varies and is unknown. 4.- For the purposes of subheading 4407.14, “Hem-fir” refers to wood sourced from mixed stands of Western hemlock and fir where the proportion of each species varies and is unknown.