Questions tagged [mdf]

Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is a sawdust/wood particle and glue composite fused with heat and pressure to make a simple sturdy material.

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6 answers
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How do I achieve a "piano black" high gloss finish on wood?

I'm building some speaker cabinets for my living room out of MDF. I'm wondering how to achieve that "high gloss" / "piano black" look, like on B&W speakers or, well, black pianos... Any ideas? I'...
nippoo's user avatar
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22 votes
2 answers
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Is working with MDF going to kill me?

MDF is pretty cool stuff. Been around for a fair amount of time now. Stuff is used lots now and days. Dimensionally stable and cost effective for a great deal of projects. Problem is that MDF is made ...
Matt's user avatar
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16 votes
5 answers
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Is vertical storage of sheet goods causing my boards to warp?

I have a consistent problem with warped sheet goods, particularly plywood and MDF. They always seem flat when I buy them, but by the time I use them they are always curved or twisted. It's a source of ...
Jason C's user avatar
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10 votes
3 answers
27k views

How do I treat MDF?

I recently bought a workbench with a 900x1500x12mm MDF top and it doesn't appear to be sealed. What should I apply to seal the edges from leaking and seal the top from absorbing? Indoor use, subject ...
Mercer's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Does MDF have a grain direction?

Plywood is assembled, at least from I can see in this video, so the sheets are arranged perpendicular to each other so that the directional durability of the grain is complimented to give an overall ...
Matt's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
753 views

Enlarging a stepped through hole

I had some speaker baffles cnc'ed and it looks like there is a mistake in either the drawing or the actual machining. I need to increase the diameter of the outside step by about 1/8" not the through ...
draksia's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
634 views

What type of blades should I use for machining MDF?

I need to machine a 10x10mm chamfer along the edges of a large quantity of MDF (medium density fibreboard) boards, on an ongoing basis. Previously I've been using standard tool-steel blades for this ...
WhatEvil's user avatar
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8 votes
4 answers
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What steps should I follow to properly paint MDF?

I am building a laundry basket out of MDF. I need to paint it. How should I proceed once the basket is glued together? (Sanding?, priming?, painting?, other?)
Maxime Morin's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
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Connecting the MDF corners, so there's no gap

TL;DR How do I connect the MDF sheets on the corners (in left-hand-side picture), so they align nicely, and there's no gap? As you can see in the sketch, the angles are not always multiples of 45 ...
Emka's user avatar
  • 103
8 votes
1 answer
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What is the name of the hardware used in these MDF joints?

I want to build a cabinet with MDF boards like the ones I see at work. They are using some kind of hardware but I'm not able to find any instructions on how it works and I don't know what its name is. ...
Qersh's user avatar
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7 votes
4 answers
10k views

"T" joint with MDF—No power tools

Disclaimer: I'm a complete newbie when it comes to woodworking so I apologize if I don't use good woodworking vocabulary. I'm hoping to build a small hutch/monitor stand for my desk out of MDF. I'm ...
KSchank's user avatar
  • 245
6 votes
3 answers
439 views

Space between assembly

I'm designing wooden speakers with MDF using Sketchup. How much space is taken up by the glue between two pieces? 1mm per side? Less? I'm using biscuit joining and white wood glue. Explanation with ...
Barium Scoorge's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
2k views

Does MDF board dull tools quickly?

There are many who say that MDF dulls cutting tools very quickly. But I do not think it does compared to many woods. I would think even pine is a harder material than MDF. How fast can it dull tools? ...
Ljk2000's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
9k views

Does MDF warp less than pineboards?

Background I am a very much a beginner, and I have been trying to make a long (3.6m) pelmet. (It is not a pelmet box - it goes from wall to wall, and hangs from the ceiling.) Attempt #1 was with a ...
Oddthinking's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
826 views

What is this plywood joining mechanism and hardware for knock-down furniture?

Just came across a plywood joint mechanism, which I found very interesting as new woodworker. Basically I don't know what it is called and can't find any in our local market. I am attaching the photos ...
mustangDC's user avatar
  • 275
5 votes
4 answers
15k views

What is the best drill bit for MDF?

I want to drill holes in MDF of varying thicknesses, laid out to sub millimetre precision. In other words, I need the positioning of the center of the holes to be accurate to within a half millimetre (...
Paul Uszak's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
11k views

How to flatten MDF board

I have just acquired 84" rails for my tablesaw and constructed a new outfeed table that spans the whole width. Now I want to build a filler table at the side of the table to continue cast iron top ...
Ashlar's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
528 views

Is this a good approach to fixing damaged mdf holes along the edge?

Please note that I tried to break this question up into three relevant sections, separated by the large headers Here's what happened to the cabinet I was moving an empty wood file cabinet down some ...
user441767's user avatar
4 votes
4 answers
8k views

Joining MDF - Pocket holes vs dowels

I will be making my first cabinet out of MDF, taking inspiration from a product I have seen, also made out of MDF. It won't be anything fancy, as you can see from the simple diagram of the join below....
physicsboy's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
23k views

What is the best way to transport (ply)wood on the roof of a vehicle?

I just bought an SUV, so I can now transport boards much more easily than in my sedan. However, the SUV is not big enough to fit 4x8' or 5x5' sheet goods, even with the 2nd and 3rd row seats folded ...
mmathis's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
449 views

Painting dark MDF Cabinet White

I'm trying to decide if my wife and I should buy some furniture new or buy an old piece and repaint it. It's basically a large dresser + hutch (made of MDF) and is currently dark brown (we want to ...
easycheese's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
2k views

How many 6mm dowels to support a shelf of a given weight?

I’m building a bookshelf out of MDF (18mm thick) using 6mm dowels (Silverline brand like the dowelling jig). Each shelf will be dowelled in place at the back and on both sides. I’m concerned about ...
Sterl42's user avatar
  • 159
3 votes
1 answer
151 views

What is the difference between MDF and MDO?

What are the differences between Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) and Medium Density Overlay (MDO)? In woodworking circles, MDF seems to be much maligned, yet MDO seems to be rather highly praised. ...
FreeMan's user avatar
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3 votes
4 answers
448 views

What's a good way to join MDF squares to make a frame-shaped wall decoration?

I have a bunch of 20x20x1.7 cm MDFs, and I'm trying to make a wall decoration that looks like ONE of these: (image from here) ...except my wood pieces are small and thus I need to use many squares to ...
OverCoder's user avatar
  • 133
3 votes
2 answers
837 views

Cut-out from 18mm MDF

I have a 400mm square piece of 18mm MDF. I need to take a 300mm by 300mm square of depth 10mm out of the middle of the piece of wood. Currently the only tool I really have is a Dremel, so I don't plan ...
CircularRecursion's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
382 views

Dado for T-track cross cut sled

I want to cut a dado into the surface of my crosscut sled to perfectly hold a T-track flush to the surface. The sled is made out of 18mm-thick MDF. I would only be leaving behind 3mm thickness of ...
GavGee's user avatar
  • 113
3 votes
2 answers
101 views

What glaze or surface treatment to repair this bar?

I have a bar that has a corner that was damaged in a move: It seems as if the wood underneath the finish is MDF. But, how do I identify what the finish is that was used here, so that I can identify ...
bgoodr's user avatar
  • 247
3 votes
1 answer
71 views

Swing Door Distance

I am trying to build my own furniture using MDF(medium density fiberboard)boards. I want to open my box pulling up the door(see below), but the door flap is too tight. Since the door jams, I have to ...
Walter Nazarenus's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
2k views

How to Cut Dados in MDF with Hand Tools

I’m new to woodworking and was wondering about the best way to cut dados in MDF. I’ve seen tutorials on cutting dados in real wood using chisels, but I don’t know if it applies to MDF as well because ...
KSchank's user avatar
  • 245
3 votes
1 answer
178 views

Joining HDF panels and pine frame for good

I'm currently building a green wall / cyclorama room, and one of its properties is that it has an infinity wall (curved walls with an X radius in all the corners). After a lot of research I decided ...
Eric Mitjans's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
21k views

What are the pros and cons of MDF as a workbench top?

I've been watching videos on building workbenches, and there are a lot of varieties, including one video where they glued a couple of sheets of 1" MDF together for the top. In this coronavirus era, ...
Leonard's user avatar
  • 121
2 votes
2 answers
3k views

Building a Dimensionally Stable Panel Using MDF and Plywood

Can one laminate an MDF panel to plywood and still maintain dimensional stability? I'm building a 4' x 2.5' desk primarily out of maple (I intend to use either cherry or walnut for trim) and for the ...
gvkv's user avatar
  • 123
2 votes
1 answer
4k views

Sealing MDF so it doesn't absorb moisture

I've made frames out of mdf and there are quite a few exposed edges. How should I seal the MDF? Should I seal only the edges or seal the whole surface? Please note that these frames are to be used ...
Luke Allison's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
305 views

Is MDF adequate for a cyclorama build?

I'm preparing to build a cyclorama (or cy wall), and I'm considering using MDF for the visible walls, as it's a lot of surface and MDF comes in cheap 3-4mm boards that will bend easy. Project is 14 ...
Eric Mitjans's user avatar
1 vote
4 answers
924 views

Finish for MDF Worktable

I built a thick worktable out of MDF and I'm looking to treat the surface. It's inside permanently but it should survive the occasional Oil/Water spill. Aesthetics don't matter. Can I just leave it ...
AzulShiva's user avatar
  • 269
1 vote
3 answers
286 views

How to connect these iron strips to an MDF board?

I am making shelves for shoes using MDF boards. The place where I want to mount them is between two wooden pillars of the staircase, so I thought about having the planks a little larger than the space ...
FarO's user avatar
  • 173
1 vote
3 answers
3k views

Improving sag resistance of MDF shelves

Wood is all 19mm MDF except the back panel and the horizontal boards are wedged between the sides and held by 2 screws on each side. I want to reduce the chance of the shelves sagging over time. How ...
AzulShiva's user avatar
  • 269
1 vote
1 answer
210 views

What is the best process to create a laminated panel with MDF core, linoleum & veneer faces, and edge banding?

what is the best process to create MDF with linoleum on one side, veneer on the other and edge banding? The result should look like this. Mine doesn't come close and I am unsure about the best ...
user2503795's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
85 views

Was there a better way to make this template?

I'm making a small end table out of plywood, and I decided to make a template out of MDF and then shape the actual plywood pieces with a router. The photos below show the basic shape of the leg pieces....
crmdgn's user avatar
  • 135
1 vote
2 answers
2k views

Thin, Flat Sheet - Plywood, Masonite, or MDF?

I'm building a puzzle-keeper as a Christmas gift and have a reasonable design which includes a frame and several insets of large, flat sheets to hold the puzzle pieces, topped with a "lid". While I'm ...
PeterT's user avatar
  • 111
1 vote
1 answer
257 views

Cam Bolt and Screw hole drilling

With reference to my previous question regarding Cam Bolt and Screws, certainly I realised that I have to drill the screws and the bolts too. So, I need a little info about drilling the holes ...
mustangDC's user avatar
  • 275
1 vote
0 answers
530 views

wooden wheel cribs - car stands

I have some overstock of some baltic birch plywood and 1" MDF and I'd like to make some wood cribs similar to the ones in this forum My intention is to sandwich a 12"x12"x1" piece ...
indychuck's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
98 views

Can I attach a hinge to click laminate flooring?

This may seem like a strange question. Basically, I have some few click laminate floorings present with me and I would like to make a ping pong table from those leftovers. I was following this ...
Alejandro Vargas's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
116 views

Desktop case design: Which one should I do first for mold and heat resistance, epoxy resin or varnish?

I'm working on some MDF pieces for some design and thought of using both protective (anti-mold, Polyurethane) varnish and epoxy resin together. Problem is, I don't know which order would be best for ...
Nordine Lotfi's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
2k views

Natural pine wood bed has strong chemical odor, why is this and how to stop it?

I threw out my old bed since it was falling apart and this is when it all went downhill. First I got a new bed (upholstered, unfisnished MDF board) that had such a strong odor, it invaded all the ...
Wonderingwood's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
178 views

Wood bit vs Forstner bit for cam connector holes

I am wanting to fix my MDF cabinet together with cam dowels and connectors (I rent, so for ease of moving I want the option to flatpack. Of course I will glue up when I get somewhere permanent, don't ...
physicsboy's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
153 views

Grid pattern made out of thin wood slats or MDF

Can the wood slats or MDF be purchased pre-cut ready to assemble? If available does this product go by another name? I have read the article detailing how to make this using carpentry equipment but I ...
Martin Torres's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
97 views

What are suitable dimensions for a router table that specifically would be used to make an acoustic guitar?

I was wondering what the optimal size is for a router table for making an acoustic guitar? Initially I would use it to help me make some jigs to bend guitar sides and hold the parts together as I ...
gawpertron's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
68 views

Options for repairing this children's staircase?

We recently acquired a children's castle that was custom made originally. It seems to be completely made of MDF. The stairs are only held together by nails and they are coming apart in certain ...
HappyHopper's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
237 views

What is the mimumum bend radius for 6 mm Medite Tricoya Extreme MDF?

What is the minimum radius that 6 mm Medite Tricoya Extreme MDF (an MDF for outdoor use) can be bent to? If possible I want to bend it to a radius of 2500 mm, without kerfing. It will be fixed with ...
PetaspeedBeaver's user avatar