MDF Tongue and Groove Matching

[Martin]

y wife and I have decided to finish the wall in our bathroom with T&G. I have pointed out to the better half that T&G and water don't mix pointing out that the strips will expand and contract creating cracks between the strips - I lost.

So I was wondering if MDF grooved to look like T&G and primed with PVA, then painted would be a better option.

I have already screwed batons to the walls ready for the T&G strips, but I'm not sure I still need them with MDF. I'd rather keep the batons as I don't like the idea of gluing the MDF directly to the wall, moisture is bound to get in and stay there. Also I've planned all the bathroom dimensions with the batons in place.

Also does anyone know which large DIY stores sell MDF matching? It has to be at least 2.1m high and ideally 2.4m wide. Smaller width I can live with.

Thanks in advance, Martin

[Andy Jeffries]

Not sure what you mean by "MDF matching" but most DIY stores (Homebase, B&Q, Wickes) sell MDF sheets which are 2.44m by 1.22m.

Cheers,

Andy

[Bob Mannix]

Matching refers (generally) to boarding with (usually) T&G edges with identical (matching?) profiles each side (leaving out the T&G). Best explained by profiles examples at:

down the page a bit).

I thought, and see, that they tend to be planks rather than sheets and have never seen anything like this sheet size. When th OP says "smaller width I can live with", I assume he doesn't meen going down to 125mm from 2.4m!

[Bob Mannix]

Ooops, sorry, only read the response to the OP where the important info was snipped. Having now read the OP, he explained what he meant - MDF panels made up to look like panelling made of Matching. There is a company that does them but I have never seen them in a shed.

To make amends for my laxness, try:

scroll down to "Tongue and Groove panelling"

[Thomas Prufer]

My experience is that the faintest nick will absorb water, the MDF will swell, and it'll be worse than sodden particleboard...

Thomas Prufer

[Peter Ashby]

But the whole point of panelling and t&G is to take account of movement by allowing for it. All you need to do is make sure you finish the full width of the tongue so you don't get bare patches when they move.

Peter

[PA]

does it have to MDF? wickes do an internal PVCu cladding, t&g.

[Michael McNeil]

T&G is a lot easier to use and will look a lot better. Stain the tongues and varnish them before fixing. (Stand them all on edge and do the whole lot straight from the pack in one go in less than five minutes.)

If they have been stored in a very dry place for some time IE in B&Q warehouses, the problem won't be shrinking just expanding. You may want to put them (somewhere flat) in the bathroom or somewhere to acclimatise for a few days if that's the case but narrow strips shouldn't be a problem.

Narrow strips will look better in a small space. Use copper pins. Pin through the tongue at an angle that allows you to place the groove on top without interference and you will have "secret nailed" them.

[Simon]

the MDF tongue and groove panel is moisture resistant MDF as standard. I doubt you need the batterns ..... you could just gripfill it to the walls.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Thanks for that. I'll go that route then.

[ArmChairRacer]

I have made a bath panel from 15mm MDF. Machined grooves in it using a router with 45deg vee cutter to look like T&G, good soaking with PVA, prime, couple of coats of eggshell (All on all sides/edges). It's been in use for about 18 months now (With 3 kids) and no sign of any water damage.