Can you still get 1/2" MDF?

[David Rose]

I haven't bought any wood for about 2 years other than a bit of cherry from the local mill. I went to Lowes last week. All the MDF that they had was 3/4". Hmmm... I thought I had bought it there before, but off to Home Depot... What? At least they had 5/8". 5/8's? Don't remember seeing it before. But no 1/2" there either. I use, or was using, a sheet here and there of 1/2" for fixtures and jigs. Now, I can't find it during off work hours. Is the stuff gone, or is it just my Lowes and HD?

David

[Art Moore]

--snip-- Is the stuff gone, or is it just my Lowes and HD?

David

Loads of it at my local HD, so it must just be the stores in your area.

[JayStPeter]

Both Lowes and HD have it only in 2'x4' pieces here. For full sheets, 3/4" is the only MDF they carry. Call some local lumberyards, you know ... the ones that you never go to because all they have is construction lumber ;). There's one around here that stocks full sheets of 1/2" MDF and one that will order it for me (both substantially more expensive than 3/4 at the borg though). The place that stocks it is even open half day Saturday and late on Thursday nights.

Jay

[Matt Meiser]

Around here Lowes only has it in 3/4, but you can get it at Home Depot in 1/2 and 3/4. In 2x4 sheets, they have 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4.

[Stephen Dixon]

It is on the shelf in my local Menards. I don't know if you have those in Ar. though.

Steve

[Rick Schubert]

This afternoon I bought a full size sheet of 1/2" MDF at the Home Depot in Bloomington, MN.

Rick

[Frank Pellow]

Are any of you really getting 3/4 inch, 1/2 inch, or 1/4 inch sheets thick sheets? My experience (both in Canada and the USA) is that sheet goods have used smaller metric "so called equivilents" for some time.

[Hoa Dinh]

Are any of you really getting 3/4 inch, 1/2 inch, or 1/4 inch sheets thick sheets? My experience (both in Canada and the USA) is that sheet goods have used smaller metric "so called equivilents" for some time.

You're correct about plywood.

But from what I see, MDF is still of "real" thickness (3/4", 1/2", ...).

Melamine-coated particle board is actually a tad thicker than its nominal thickness.

Back to the original question - none of my local HD stores carries 1/2" thick MDF or melamine, only 3/4" and 5/8".

My local lumber yard (PALS in Emeryville, CA) carries 1/2" and 1/4" thick melamine, and 1/2" thick MDF.

[Jim Becker]

All my approximately 8 local 'borg stores only carry 1/2" MDF in 2' x 4' pieces. No full sheets. But the local full-service lumber yard carries it and can order it in whatever thickness I want.

[David Rose]

You know... I didn't look in the cut pieces. HD has, or did have, those.

Actually, I know several guys who work at local "real" lumber yards. I prefer to do business with them. They are all open when I work and close before I do. Ugh! I guess they cater to the local builders who don't shop after normal work hours. I wouldn't mind even paying more to buy from real people. :rolleyes: The convenience of the borg keeps me coming back. :( Owning a retail/service business does have a downside or two. I may have to get the guys I know to bring me something.

David


Both Lowes and HD have it only in 2'x4' pieces here. For full sheets, 3/4" is the only MDF they carry. Call some local lumberyards, you know ... the ones that you never go to because all they have is construction lumber ;). There's one around here that stocks full sheets of 1/2" MDF and one that will order it for me (both substantially more expensive than 3/4 at the borg though). The place that stocks it is even open half day Saturday and late on Thursday nights.

Jay

[David Rose]

No Menards yet.

David


It is on the shelf in my local Menards. I don't know if you have those in Ar. though.

Steve

[Charles McKinley]

The local Lowes here doesn't even have MDF and the high quality employees didn't even know what it was.

The HD has full sheets of MDF and 1/4" hard board in full sheets.

[David Rose]

Hmmm... Frank, I just measure some 1/4, 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4" MDF that is in the gara... er shop. 1/4" measured .253. 1/2" was .495. 5/8 was .620. 3/4 was .756. That was at several points on a couple of probably different sheets. That runs about +/- .006" to Imperial Architectural measurement. Our plywood is definitely "out there somewhere", but MDF is pretty close.

You just live in "metric land". :p

David


Are any of you really getting 3/4 inch, 1/2 inch, or 1/4 inch sheets thick sheets? My experience (both in Canada and the USA) is that sheet goods have used smaller metric "so called equivilents" for some time.

[Matt Meiser]

David, what about having one of the local places deliver it? The local lumber yard by me will deliver anything for free. The only thing they ask on small orders is that you be flexible with the delivery day. Maybe they could deliver it to your business?

[Chip Charnley]

Hey Matt, what lumber yard is delivering for free around in SE Michigan? :eek:

That would earn my business in a heartbeat!

[Matt Meiser]

[QUOTE=Chip Charnley]Hey Matt, what lumber yard is delivering for free around in SE Michigan? :eek:[QUOTE]

Dundee Lumber, but I bet it wouldn't be free outside Monroe County.

[Frank Pellow]

You're correct about plywood.

But from what I see, MDF is still of "real" thickness (3/4", 1/2", ...).

Melamine-coated particle board is actually a tad thicker than its nominal thickness.

Back to the original question - none of my local HD stores carries 1/2" thick MDF or melamine, only 3/4" and 5/8".

My local lumber yard (PALS in Emeryville, CA) carries 1/2" and 1/4" thick melamine, and 1/2" thick MDF.



Hmmm... Frank, I just measure some 1/4, 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4" MDF that is in the gara... er shop. 1/4" measured .253. 1/2" was .495. 5/8 was .620. 3/4 was .756. That was at several points on a couple of probably different sheets. That runs about +/- .006" to Imperial Architectural measurement. Our plywood is definitely "out there somewhere", but MDF is pretty close.

You just live in "metric land". :p

David


Thanks for the information guys.

David about your "metric land" comment. I was including the time (1997 to 2004) that I lived in Washington state when siting my experience. I realize now that I have probably only bought plywood and aspenite, not MDF. I thought that if they made one thinner they would also make the other thinner.

The next time that I am at a big box store here in Canada, I will check out the thicknesses of their MDF.

[David Rose]

Hmmm... that's a thought Matt. None of the lumber folks that come in have freely offered to do it, and they sigh when I tell them our hours coincide. But maybe, like some things, they won't offer unless you ask. I'll ask. Yeah, we are easy to find and deliver to, so... :)

David


David, what about having one of the local places deliver it? The local lumber yard by me will deliver anything for free. The only thing they ask on small orders is that you be flexible with the delivery day. Maybe they could deliver it to your business?

[Frank Pellow]

Thanks for the information guys.

David about your "metric land" comment. I was including the time (1997 to 2004) that I lived in Washington state when siting my experience. I realize now that I have probably only bought plywood and aspenite, not MDF. I thought that if they made one thinner they would also make the other thinner.

The next time that I am at a big box store here in Canada, I will check out the thicknesses of their MDF.
OK, I was at a nearby Home Depot tday and they sell 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch, and 3/4 inch MDF. The thicknesses are accurate, not approximations.

[David Rose]

Frank, thanks for checking. Sorry 'bout the 'snide metric' remark. Something just made me throw it in. :eek: ;)

I haven't gotten back to HD to check out their bin of smaller pieces, but our nearby Lowes only has plywood in theirs. :(

I shouldn't have looked over my scrap bins for their periodic cleansing. I found scraps of 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4". :mad:

David


OK, I was at a nearby Home Depot tday and they sell 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch, and 3/4 inch MDF. The thicknesses are accurate, not approximations.