# Forum Home Renovation General Odds & Sods  Building product availablity

## Moondog55

Somebody on another forum has suggested using Ultra High Density Fibreboard as a speaker building material but I'm unable to find any information about Australian suppliers or even ordinary HDF.
Any cabinet makers here have any idea.

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## Whitey66

I've only heard of LDF (Low) MDF (Medium) and HDF (High) density fibreboard. Maybe that person got confused with TV resolutions ??
HDF is used in a lot of flooring products so maybe try a flooring supplier? You could make some with a nice woodgrain effect or reverse it if you wanted the smooth painted look.
I think they use HDF to help with water resistance, not sure if it would make much of a difference with a speaker enclosure.

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## havabeer

was he talking about Ultra High Molecular Weight plastic?  https://www.curbellplastics.com/Rese...s/HDPE-vs-UHMW

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## droog

I believe the product referenced is NLA in Australia and was previously known as Laminex HD3 and used for wet area cubicle construction https://www.woodworkforums.com/f11/laminex-hd3-235293 
Laminex no longer list HD3 in their range, search for HD3 at the url below: https://www.laminex.com.au/for-your-...cument-library 
And if you look in their specification guide they recommend other products for that purpose. https://www.laminex.com.au/medias/Ea...ttachment=true 
Possibly some of their newer products may work for you, just check the specs for each product in their technical guides linked above.

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## Moondog55

Sounds like it is the HD3 then.
If NLA then I'll stick with the hardwood marine ply laminated to ordinary MDF and/or chipboard. Speaker baffles so needing to be 40 or 50mm thick so I can do edge treatments. I have however in the past just used bullnose Alpine Ash but that is getting expensive even for the short lengths I need. It was mentioned as a cost effective option rather than A grade birch plywood

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## havabeer

> Sounds like it is the HD3 then.
> If NLA then I'll stick with the hardwood marine ply laminated to ordinary MDF and/or chipboard. Speaker baffles so needing to be 40 or 50mm thick so I can do edge treatments. I have however in the past just used bullnose Alpine Ash but that is getting expensive even for the short lengths I need. It was mentioned as a cost effective option rather than A grade birch plywood

  wouldn't veneers be ALOT cheaper then using marine ply if you're going to glue it to MDF anyway?

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## Moondog55

Doing it for acoustic damping reasons not cosmetics. 
I like my speakers cabinets stiff and dead, more so the front baffle panels.

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## droog

> Doing it for acoustic damping reasons not cosmetics. 
> I like my speakers cabinets stiff and dead, more so the front baffle panels.

  Just laminate good quality HMR MDF with lead sheet in multiple layers.

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## Moondog55

I know that was common practice but I'm a bit leery about using lead sheeting.
The old substitute was barium loaded PVC [ car deadening panels] but the price of that is now sky high

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