Wood for a small painted cabinet

[Jamie Buxton]

..Unlike many materials MDF starts flat and stays flat...

Not in my experience. If you stand a sheet of MDF against a wall it sags toward the wall, and after a couple of weeks it takes a set. That is, it loses its flatness fairly easily. It can get un-flat in distribution and retailing. What arrives at my shop may or may not be flat. And if any MDF offcuts hang around my shop for more than a couple weeks, it certainly won't be flat.

[John TenEyck]

Not in my experience. If you stand a sheet of MDF against a wall it sags toward the wall, and after a couple of weeks it takes a set. That is, it loses its flatness fairly easily. It can get un-flat in distribution and retailing. What arrives at my shop may or may not be flat. And if any MDF offcuts hang around my shop for more than a couple weeks, it certainly won't be flat.

I've never had a warped sheet. You do have to store it flat or vertically; nature of the material. Like I said, if you adapt to the material it works well. In use, I've never had a panel warp; can't say the same for plywood, or solid wood.

John

[Jamie Buxton]

I've never had a warped sheet. You do have to store it flat or vertically; nature of the material. Like I said, if you adapt to the material it works well. In use, I've never had a panel warp; can't say the same for plywood, or solid wood.

John

Never seen it warp in service? I once made shop shelving with MDF. The stuff sagged like crazy. I expected that, but my budget was tight. But even I was surprised at how badly it sagged.

[lowell holmes]

I would go to a hardwood lumber company and pick something. It is fun to shop. They may also have advice.

[John TenEyck]

Never seen it warp in service? I once made shop shelving with MDF. The stuff sagged like crazy. I expected that, but my budget was tight. But even I was surprised at how badly it sagged.

Jamie, with all due respect, that's a completely inappropriate use for MDF. You knew it, too.

John

[Peter Pfaff]

Lots of good points. I too think MDF is flat, but as was said it is kind of nasty to work with. Also, can you get a softer edge with MDF. I am thinking pine or poplar can offer nicer edges and still be easy to work with. Kind of looking at plywood and edge banding too. Time to compare some prices. Thanks.

Peter

[Jamie Buxton]

Jamie, with all due respect, that's a completely inappropriate use for MDF. You knew it, too.

John

True. But to make the point the other way round, you're saying MDF never warps -- as long as you never put it in a situation where it might warp.

[John TenEyck]

True. But to make the point the other way round, you're saying MDF never warps -- as long as you never put it in a situation where it might warp.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Put another way, you have to understand the properties of the materials you use and stay within their limits. FWIW, plywood and solid wood will bow, too, if you make a shelf long enough and stack enough weight on it. Just look at the sagging shelves in law office libraries. And glass shelves will break. Does that mean they are poor choices? Not if you use them within their limits.

John