I came back to this subject matter following a long absence to see completely nonsensical information in the opening paragraphs. Stating that particle board shelving sags less than plywood shelving is particularly egregious. (Who would write nonsense like that?) Such a statement degrades Wikipedia as a whole.
Particle board and other engineered wood products, notably plywood and medium density fiberboard, serve a particular set of purposes in cabinet design. They are more dimensionally stable than solid wood. In the case of particle board, quality depends on the specific design of that particle board -- which can be difficult for a consumer to assess, and which is chosen to fit particular applications. These are closely held industry facts that are not supplied online or at your local home center. The quality depends on the proportion and type of resin, how it is cured, the species of wood particles, their sizes, how they are prepared, how they are layered, and the pressure to which they are subjected during packing and curing. One only need take a look at the exposed end of a particle board specimen to see that the product is not uniformly packed, as seen in the provided photographs. There are smaller more densely packed wood particles near each surface than in the middle.
Particle board is known to not accept screw fasteners properly. It is for this reason that alternative fastening systems, notably confirmat-based systems that use no screws at all, and hinges that employ precision pressed fits, have been introduced and widely adopted. The introduction to the main article contradicts this established fact, absurdly stating that plywood is worse at accepting screws than particle board.
But the dimensional stability of either particle board or medium density fiberboard confers a desirable feature for frameless cabinets (needed when drawers are installed to save the considerable space otherwise wasted because of the use of a face frame). One simply does not want warped cabinet sides, bottoms, or backs!
The "European hinge" design (incorrectly explained in the article) is press-fit into a precisely-bored 35-mm-diameter cavity formed in the side of a particle-board or MDF cabinet (typically laminated with melamine). This is essential precisely because screws in particle board or MDF cannot take any force. However two small screws are used solely to prevent anyone from inadvertently removing the hinges. Rogue or low-quality cabinet-makers do not adhere to the necessary precision fit between the hinge "cup" and the cavity, with the consequence that the hinges, held in place only by the small screws, fail prematurely.
The detail sections are much better and conform with the facts stated above. The problem is the introduction.Jabeles (talk) 00:30, 2 June 2013 (UTC)