Playroom fitted furniture - MDF or other?

I would like to build a simple childrens desk and worktop in a playroom. Why do all of the diy television programs use exclusively MDF? Is it simply cost? Or does it have some advantage over other materials? I have good quality jigsaw, mitre saw and benchtop saw - so can work with wood.

What wood or MDF would you advise to work with - for someone with relatively little experience in woodworking, but quite a lot in diy?

Reply to
mjb
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I'm not a fan of MDF, but only on the emotional grounds that every oik on TV is using it and partly I regard it as a mark of "cheap and nasty", but that has a lot to do with how I've encountered it, in cheap and nasty badly built modern houses.

But back to practicalities - it is dimensionally stable, paints well and is quite workable, so if painting, MDF is a good choice. Even B&Q would have a hard time to mess it up (unlike their "wood").

Now, if you want something a little more woody, so you can stain, oil or varnish it, then:

a) Plywood - again stable, workable and looks quite good. Only the edges really give it away. Veneering is an option.

b) Real wood, perhaps Premboard or similar for easy to work wide flat boards. Do not under any circumstances buy from B&Q or any cheap shed - get from a decent timber yard. Reclaimed wood is an option, nice hardwoods available for reasonable money - but you should probably check if it's been treated with any nasty chemicals as it's for kiddie furniture - not sure how to be sure, unless it's obviously wiffy.

Just some ideas - I like ply myself for simple utility furniture.

Reply to
Tim Southerwood

It's easy, predictable, and consistent. You can cut it into any shape, and don't have to worry about grain, or splinters. It's very flat, you may be able to avoid finishing the top surface at all, just put some film over it, perhaps tidy up the edge with some sandpaper, then do the same. It comes in nice big flat sheets, without any concerns like you might have with 'proper' wood. You don't have to stick several bits of 1*2 or something together, and sand it flat later.

Downsides. It's very prone to delaminate, you can't put a screw in the 'sides'. It's generally less strong and heavier than 'proper' wood. It looks horrible in raw form. Has a much worse response to getting wet.

Reply to
Ian Stirling

MDF is dimensionally stable .. so anything you make of it should retain it's made shape. Unlike chipboard it can be machined with ease (albeit with a shed load of dust) and will take a paint finish superbly. It will take screws in the end 'grain' and biscuits, forstner cut holes etc. It is very strong it tension & compression, it is however quite heavy and long shelves could sag under it's own weight.

I started using MDF when it was special order only, as it was the perfect material for load speaker cabinets .. 1" or 1.5" MDF made cabs that were as sound deadening and free of natural harmonics as concrete cast horns.

One worry is that in the US they did ban the use of MDF on the grounds that urea-formaldehyde resin which is used to bind the wood dust is carcinogenic. Unsure if that means the formula is now modified or UK doesn't care. If you use a router - then do use a dust mask or you will swallow a lost of nasty dust.

Make sure you use the correct glues when working with MDF .........

Your final question as to what wood ... MDF is probably ideal as it has no grain and thus you can cut, sand, drill etc. with ease ... it is not too soft so less likely to slip and take too much out each time.

Rick

Reply to
Rick Hughes

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