KENYA STANDARD             DKS  2886: 2019  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wood­based panels  – Melamine faced boards for 
interior uses  – Definition, requirements and 
classification;  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© KEBS 20 19                        First Edition  2019 
 
  
   © KEBS 201 9 —  All rights reserved  ii TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
The following org anizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
 
1. Elle Interior Designers Ltd  
2. Kenya Industrial Research And Development Institute (KIRDI)   
3. University of Nairobi  
4. Consumer information network  
5. Global Hardware limited  
6. PG Bison  
7. Timsales Limited  
8. University of Eldoret  
9. KEFRI  
10. Kenya Wood Preservation Association  
11. Alogo Enterprises  
12. Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat   
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standar ds shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions 
for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 20 15 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyright 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bure au of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing 
from the Managing Director . 
 
 
 
  KENYA STANDARD                DKS  2886: 2019  
© KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved  iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wood based  panels – Melamine faced boards 
for interior uses – Definition, requirements 
and classification;  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+ 254 020 ) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020)  604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org  
 
Coast Region           Lake Region           Rift Valley Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100      P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100         P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru -20100  
Tel.: (+254  041) 229563, 230939/40     Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396       Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+254  041) 229448         Fax: (+254 057) 21814  
 
  
   © KEBS 201 9 —  All rights reserved  iv Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Plywood and boards Technical committee and  under the 
guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Bureau.  
 
In the preparation of this standard, reference was ma de to the following publication : 
EN 14322  Wood based  panels  – Melamine faced boards for interior uses  – Definition, requirements and 
classification;  
 DKS   2886 : 2019  
 
© KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved  1 Wood based  panels  – Melamine faced boards 
for interior uses  – Definitio n, requirements and 
classification;  
 
1 Scope   
This Kenyan  Standard specifies the surface requirements and dimensional tolerances for decorative 
melamine faced boards for interior use which are common for particleboards, extruded particleboards 
fibreboards fo r interior use which are common for particleboards, extruded particleboards fibreboards and 
sandwich boards for furniture. This standard does not apply to boards laminated with so called priming 
foils or finish foils and laminates according to ISO 4586 -1. This standard does not apply to laminate floor 
coverings. Melamine faced wood -based boards in accordance with this standard may be referred to as 
MFB.  
 
2 Normative references    
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this  Kenya Standard. For 
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the 
referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
ISO 16981:  Wood -based panels -- Determination of surface soundness  
ISO 27528:2 009 Wood -based panels -- Determination of resistance to axial withdrawal of screws  
ISO 12460 -2:2018 Wood -based panels -- Determination of formaldehyde release -- Part 2: Small -scale 
chamber method  
KS 2887 , Wood -based panels — Melamine faced boards for inte rior uses — Test methods  
ISO 12460 -3, Wood -based panels — Determination of formaldehyde release — Part 3: Gas analysis 
method (ISO 12460 -3) 
3  Terms and definitions  
3.1  
melamine faced board MFB  
board manufactured by directly applying uncured aminoplastic resin impregnated papers to one or both 
faces of board substrates and achieving bonding and curing in the same process using heat and pressure 
but without the use of an intermediate adhesive  
 
Note 1 to entry: The resin of the surface layer is an aminoplast ic resin (mainly melamine resin).  
Note 2 to entry: The board surfaces ] 
 
4  Requirements  
Melamine faced boards shall comply with the general requirements as listed in Table 1 when dispatched 
from the production factory  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   © KEBS 201 9 —  All rights reserved  2 Table 1 General requirem ents at dispatch  
 
 
No  Property  `Test method  Unit Requirement  
Thickness range (mm, 
nominal)  
<15 ≥ 15 to 20  >20 
 Tolerances on nominal dimension  
 thickness” t” relative to 
nominal value  
 thickness “t” within the board  KS 2887  mm ±0,3 for class 1 an d 
class 2 according to 
Table2. + 0,5/ – 0,3 for 
class 3A,and  class 4 
according Table2 and 
all gloss finished  ±0,5 
t max –t min ≤ 0,6  
 Length  and width  
Commercially available  
— pre-cut panels  KS 2887  mm ±5 
±2,5 
 Flatness   KS 2887  mm/m  -  ≤ 2  
(only for balanced  
 surfaces)
  
 Edge  damages  
Commercially available sizes  
pre-cut panels  KS 2887  mm ≤ 10 
≤ 3  
 Surface defects  KS 2887  mm2/m2  
mm/m2  points≤ 2  
length≤ 20  
 
 Resistance to scratching  KS 2887  N ≥ 1,5  
 Resistance to staining  KS 2887  Rating   
 Resistance to cracking  KS 2887  Rating   
 Formaldehyde release  
(see Annex B)   KS 2887   Class E1 or  
Class E2  
  
NOTE 1 For the physical and dimensional properties, refer to the relevant standards from the series KS 
2706 -1, KS 2242 -1, EN 14755 or CEN/TS 16526.   
 
NOTE 2 Normally, unless otherwise specified, the particleboard grade used will be as required in KS 
2242 -1, the MDF grade will be as described in KS 2706(MDF) and the hardboard grade will be as 
described in KS 1249 (HB) the extruded particleboards will be as described in EN 14755.  
 
NOTE 3 On request of the customer other values can be specified.  
 
NOTE 4 Numerous factors including changes in temperature and relative humidity in storage and 
fabrication areas at building sites may cause boards and panels to bow or twist irreversibly  
 
 
5 Appearance  
5.1 Colour matching  
Where colour matching is required by the purchaser there shall be only slight deviation (rating 4) between 
the reference sample and test piece under examination when inspected according to test met hod given in  
KS 2887 . For mother of pearl and metallic finishes a rating 3 is permitted.  
 
Since slight variations in colour will occur due to inherent variation in the surfacing papers and the core 
board, it is recommended that boards or panels to be used  side by side should be selected from the same DKS   2886 : 2019  
 
© KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved  3 production batch where possible and matched to ensure colour compatibility before fabrication or 
installation  
5.2 Surface texture  
Where matching of surface texture is required by purchaser there shall be only slig ht deviation (rating 4) 
between the reference sample and test piece under examination when inspected according to test method 
given in KS 2887 . 
6 Classification by resistance to abrasion  
Five classes are defined in the classification system based on the init ial wear point (IP) as shown  
Table 2 classification of MFB according to the initial wear point  
 
7 Verification of compliance  
7.1 General  
Verification of compliance with this EN shall be carried  out using the test methods specified in KS 2887 . 
7.2 Factory production  control  
The properties in Tables 1 and 2 shall be controlled by the producer. Sampling shall be carried out at 
random. Alternative test methods and/or unconditioned test pieces may be used for factory production 
control.  
7.3 External control  
If external contr ol is deemed necessary, the test method listed in KS 2887 shall be used.  
8 Marking  
Each panel or package of panels shall be clearly marked by the manufacturer by indelible direct printing 
on the edge or by a label with at least the following information in th is sequence:  
a)    manufacturer’s name, trade mark, or identification mark;  
b)    number of the relevant specification EN of the substrate and the type ; 
  Example: MFB KS 2242 P2; MFB KS 2706 - 2 MDF.  
c)    nominal thickness;   
d)    formaldehyde class;  
e)    batch number.  
f)     abrasion class  
 
 
 
  
   © KEBS 201 9 —  All rights reserved  4 Annex A  
(normative)  
Supplementary properties  
For certain applications, information on some of the properties listed in Table A.1 can be required. On 
request, this information shall be supplied by the MFB manufactu rer, and in this case shall have been 
derived using the EN test methods listed in Table A1.  
 
Table A.1 — Supplementary properties and test methods  
 
Property  Test method  
Resistance to axial withdrawal of screws  ISO 27528   
Resistance to steam  KS 2887  
Resistance to impact by large diameter steel  ball 
   
KS 2887  
Resistance to colour change in xenon arc light  KS 2887  
Gloss  KS 2887  
Surface soundness  ISO 16981   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DKS   2886 : 2019  
 
© KEBS 201 9 — All rights reserved  5  
Annex B  
(normative)  
Formaldehyde release  
 
Melamine faced board s shall be tested and classified into one of two classes: E1 or E2.  
 
The   test   methods   and   limit   values   for   both   initial   type   testing   and   factory   production 
control/continuous surveillance are laid down in Table B.1 for class E1 pr oducts and Table B.2 for class 
E2 products.  
 
NOTE 1       Boards of Class E1 can be used without causing an indoor air concentration greater than 0,1 ppm HCHO in 
conditions according to ISO 12460 -2. 
 
The test requirement does not apply to melamine faced bo ards to which no formaldehyde containing 
materials were added during production and in post -production processing.  
 
NOTE 2       If the core board has a classification E1 and as during the melamine faced production processing there is negligible 
amounts of  formaldehyde added, the final product MFB is classified E1 and no Initial Type Testing is required provided the 
manufacturer has carried out Initial Type Testing on the core board.  
 
The limit values for the Class E1 are given in Table B.1 and for Class E2  are given in Table B.2.  
 
Table B.1 — Release of formaldehyde class E1  
 
Initial type te stinga Test method EN 
717 –
1717–
1 Requirement Rele ase ≤ 0, 124 mg/m3 air 
 
Factory            
production control Test method                                ISO 12460 -3 
Requirement Rele ase ≤ 3,5  mg/m2 h 
a     For established products, initial testing may also be done on the basis of existing data with EN ISO 
12460 -3 testing, either from factory production control or from external inspection. 
Table B.2 — Release of form aldehyde class E2  
 
 
 
Initial             
type testing   
either  Test method  ISO 12460 -2  
Requirement  Release > 0,124 mg/m3 air  
 
or Test method  ISO 12460 -3 
Requirement  Release > 3,5 mg/m2 h to ≤ 8 mg/m2 h  
 
Factory              
production control  Test method  ISO 12460 -3 
Requirement  Release > 3,5 mg/m2 h to ≤ 8 mg/m2 h