Hot-pressing or Cold-pressing? Different Compound Methods for Engineered Flooring

Introduction

In the production process of engineered flooring, the gluing and pressing process is one of the most important steps, which aims to fix the multi-layer plywood and wood veneer or lamella together to form a complete flooring structure.

Cold pressing and hot pressing are two common methods of pressing. In the cold pressing process, the plywood and top layer are pressed together at room temperature. This method usually requires longer pressing time and higher pressure to ensure the bonding strength between layers. In the hot pressing process, the plywood and wood veneer are pressed together under high temperature and high pressure. This can greatly shorten the production time and improve the quality and stability of the flooring. The hot temperature can also help activate chemical reactions in the adhesive, enhancing the bonding strength between layers.

Overall, both cold pressing and hot pressing have their advantages and disadvantages. This article will provide a detailed introduction to the characteristics of them. The specific choice of yours mainly depends on the product requirements and actual situations.

Comparison

The main difference between hot pressing and cold pressing processes comes from the type of adhesive used. Therefore, the related equipment, process parameters, and product performance are significantly different. Below is a comparison table to help you understand the differences between the two processes.

	Hot pressing	Cold pressing
Adhesive	Thermo-setting adhesive: MUF, UF	Cold-setting adhesive: MDI, EPI
Formaldehyde Emission	High	Low
temperature	90~105℃	Room temperature
time	Approximately 10mins	Approximately 50mins
pressure	0.8~1.2MPa	1.0~1.2MPa
Production Efficiency	High	Low
Bonding Quality	Good	Good
Plank Quality	More likely to get cracked or warped, high demand on the hot platens smoothness.	Good evenness, less likely to deform

Pros and Cons

Advantages of hor pressing

High production efficiency.
Less likely to be influenced by room temperature in curing.
Low cost on adhesive.

Disadvantages of hot pressing

High formaldehyde emission
More warping deformation
Adhesive pre-curing caused by temperature or long standing time
Additional thermal power configuration and workforce for boards loading and unloading.
Shrinkage and cracks on the surface or at the ends
Other defects such as uneven dents and glue stains

Multi-layer hot pressing machine

Advantages of cold pressing

Low formaldehyde emission
Less likely to get deformed or cracked
Energy-saving

Disadvantages of cold pressing

High cost on adhesives
Low production efficiency
The gluing and pressing parameters need to be adjusted according to the atmosphere temperature and moisture.

Cold-pressing machine

Guolian Choice

Recognized as an environmentally responsible company, we prioritize using low formaldehyde emission adhesives. In our factory, we utilize the cold press method to ensure the safety of both our customers and employees. Our bonding strength and plank quality are regularly inspected after gluing and pressing to guarantee that each piece meets our high standards.