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When a job calls for painted trim, I almost always cut costs with MDF.
MDF is commonly used for shelving in closets and cabinets because it’s inexpensive and smooth. If you use MDF as baseboard, be sure to paint the lower edge before installation. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. So edges, and especially corners, are easy to crush. MDF weighs about 100 lbs., and I’ve lugged lots of them from my pickup to my shop. Without a hole, the nail will probably bend in rock-hard MDF. Full sheets are oversized by 1 in., so a “4 x 8” sheet is actually 49 x 97 in. My favorite MDF primers are KILZ and Cover Stain because they’re easy to sand. A trim nailer, on the other hand, shoots nails through MDF every time. Buy half (4 x 4-ft.) or quarter (2 x 4- ft.) sheets instead of full sheets. Because it’s inexpensive and fairly durable, medium density fiberboard s a good choice for practical projects like shelving and storage cabinets. They’re available at any hardware store or home center. Medium Density Fiberboard (Common: 1/4 in. Water-based primer can raise small blisters. and 3/4-in. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. I’ve even used it for furniture and ornate millwork like the trim board shown in the lead photo. Foam-backed sanding pads work great on routed profiles. Also install the baseboard about 1/4 in. The smooth surface of medium density fiberboard is perfect for painting, and a router leaves crisp profiles with no splintering, burning or tear-out. A couple of light passes is all it takes. There’s one thing you’ll really hate about MDF: the fine, powdery dust that invades your clothes, hangs in the air for hours and clings to every surface like a coat of frost. To find manufacturers and dealers, search online for “moisture resistant MDF.”. Clean your vacuum filter often—the fine dust plugs filters quickly. Also, avoid scratching the face. MDF trimmed with inexpensive, small-profile pine moldings. We recommend our users to update the browser. But MDF isn’t as stiff as plywood and will sag over time. After sanding, wipe away the powdery dust with a damp cloth and you’re ready to paint. MDF (medium-density fiberboard) is inexpensive, durable, and a good choice for many woodworking and carpentry projects. Use a solvent-based primer only. Common thicknesses range from 1/4 in. MDF stands up to moisture about as well as graham crackers. And even if it goes in without bending, the nail will push up a mound of fiber that looks like a mini volcano. That soft core splits easily when you drive a screw into the edge. Learn how to use it correctly, and how to avoid common mistakes. Cutting MDF is a dusty job, but routing it is even worse. MDF edges can be sharp enough to cut skin—I’ve got the scars to prove it. MDF is basically sawdust and glue, fused together under pressure and heat. (Check woodworking stores or online for a large selection of bits.) You can sand KILZ or Cover Stain after a couple of hours, but let the primer dry overnight for smoother results. wide. Even inexpensive wood, like this poplar baseboard, costs four times as much. 56 Brilliant Woodworking Tips for Beginners, Foolproof Tool for Marking the Center of a Board, Throw Your Hat into the Rockler Bent Wood Challenge, Simple Guide for Making 45-degree Bandsaw Cuts, Make a Simple Low-Budget Ventilation System, Bench Vise Add-On That Costs Next to Nothing, Tool Hack for Safety: Add a Ledge to Your Push Pad, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. The skinny nails will raise tiny pimples, but you can easily scrape them off with a sharp putty knife before you fill the nail holes.
The face of MDF is harder than most woods, but the inner layers are soft. to 1 in., but most home centers carry only 1/2-in. x 2 ft. x 4 ft.; Actual: 0.216 in. If you just slap paint on the fuzz, it will look and feel like sandpaper. and 3/4-in. When that’s not possible, I drape sheets of plastic over shelving and other hard-to-clean areas in my shop and use a fan to blow dust outside. Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration. But there are ways to avoid hernia surgery: The face of MDF is smooth, but the edges are fuzzy like the skin of a peach. Full sheets are oversized by 1 … Our latest shed is also a pavilion—and you can build it, too! Then sand, prime again and sand again to achieve smooth-as-glass edges. Common thicknesses range from 1/4 in. But MDF wood is great for decorative projects too. If you don’t drill a countersink recess, the screw head may snap off before it sinks into the MDF. A long soaking will make it swell to twice its original thickness. I glue one strip flat against the underside of the shelf to stiffen the back edge. The hard face presents different problems for screws. That means you have to handle it with more care than lumber or plywood. It is made up of separated fibres, but can be used as a building material similar in application to plywood. It is stronger, and more dense, than particle board. Whenever possible, I cut and rout MDF outside.
Light scratches stand out like a sore thumb on the ultra-smooth surface, so you have to sand them out completely before priming. My all-time greatest MDF mistake was using it for windowsills in my own home. It varies in color from tan to chocolate brown. A few water drops will raise small bumps on the surface. By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine. Here’s the good-enough process I apply to most projects, including trim: First, lightly sand the edges with 100-grit paper. to 1 in., but most home centers carry only 1/2-in.
That gives you the money savings of MDF without the time-consuming work of making MDF trim from scratch.
Here’s one of my favorite tricks for painted trim, cabinets or even furniture: Use MDF for the large, plain parts and dress them up with wood moldings like base cap, coves or base shoe. Yes, I’m a fan of the stuff.
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. To make trim, I cut MDF sheets into strips and shape the edges with a router or router table. Some home centers carry ready-made MDF wood trim for less than the price of solid wood. When the primer dries, sand off the fuzz with 100-grit pads. A countersink bit gives you a pilot hole and a recess for the screw head in one step. The cap rail is likely to take a beating from chairs, so I make that from wood instead of MDF. Over the past 15 years, I’ve used MDF to build everything from crude shelving in my shop to fancy trim in upscale homes. The cure for both problems is to use a countersinking drill bit.
Or, if the head does sink, it might push up chips. Then prime the MDF. In fact, my own home is entirely trimmed out with MDF moldings made from about 50 sheets of MDF. x 47.… MDF is generally more dense than plywood. When applying the edge-only coat, be sure to feather out any primer on the face of the MDF so brush marks won’t show up later. The wainscoting shown here, for example, is simply panels and strips of 1/2-in. This article will cover the most important things I’ve learned about working with MDF—and help you avoid some of the frustrating mistakes I’ve made. Later I prime the whole project (as described above).
So when I use MDF shelving for heavy loads, I simply beef it up with wood. The MDF edge will absorb a lot of glue, so spread on a light coat, give it a minute to soak in, and apply another bead before you add the wood nosing. A full sheet of 3/4-in. MDF is kind of like an Oreo cookie: two hard faces with a softer core between them. Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product made by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibres, often in a defibrator, combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming it into panels by applying high temperature and pressure. MDF Board - 30-Pack Wood Board, Medium Density Fibreboard, Hardwood Board, Brown, 5.875 x 7.8… I like to slice these long, easy-to-handle shelves into trim stock. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Once coated with primer and paint, the wood and MDF wood parts will look exactly the same. MDF costs about $30 (as of 2010). A full sheet of 3/4-in. So MDF is a risky choice for baseboards in entryways and trim near tubs or sinks.
For projects that will get a coat of high-gloss paint, I prime twice: First I prime the edges only. Medium-density fiberboard is the most versatile building material I know of. Some lumberyards and home centers sell MDF shelving, usually in 1 x 8-ft. sections.