Just had a new staircase fitted I requested a solid pine one but the builder has fitted a part Pine part MDF one as its a bit late to have him rip it out and we are going to carpet it, I guess the only recouse is for him to drop the quote Question to the group, Are these MDF steps OK? any known problems, should they be sealed with something? TIA
I'm sure that's not your only recourse.
If you have a contract that specifies solid pine - yes I would dispute the bill with the company concerened.
Decide what you most want from them - is it a bill discount? Is it remedial work such as putting pine facings on the risers (I'm assuming it's the risers that are mdf). Is it other work to compensate for the difference between what you specified and what you got? Most companies would be more willing to provide remedial work than a discount.
A possible reason is the rising price of pine - 25% in the last 5 months at my local timber merchant. As far as shortcomings of mdf - it would be wrecked on serious water exposure (e.g. a flood) - whilst pine would survive, and it won't take an attractive bare wood finish as pine would, nor can scrapes and gouges over the years be sanded out in the same way. But under carpet and in normal use, there's no real difference.
Its the steps, the back upright part is plywood and the side (stringers?) are pine. Unfortunalty, time is against me, its half term, the kids are away and the house is without walls and safe walking areas at present Another staircase made would take another 3 weeks so to change it really is not an option anymore. the quote stated supply and fit stairs. I phoned and he agreed they would be pine before we gave him the job. He's says he forgot, which is possible. I dont think he is trying to pull a fast one. So, can I protect the MDF with anything? they are already dented and scratched on the treads where the surrounding work is going on.
Its a fairly standard material to use for them these days. Its dimensionally stable and hence does not tend to cup and twist like planks can. Hence it stays quieter. Under carpet it would be fine. No need to seal with anything in particular, but there is nothing stopping you giving it a coat of quick drying varnish if you want.
Since you specified real wood, I would either ask for a small discount (say 10-20%) or use it as a bargaining chip later when you want something from the builder.
thanks John feel better about it now cheers
You aught to tape some ply on the stairs as there is work going on that will damage them. It is fairly unusual to get uprights (risers that are not either mdf or ply, these days.)
A coat of 1 part varnish to 1 part meths or turps will give it some protection from watermarks.
I'd opt for a price cut as you are stuck between other needs. But why did you not check the thing when it was delivered? It would have been fairly easy to replace the risers if the thing was still unfitted. Not an easy job but doable.
Yes they are OK, there are INFINITELY better than solid pine, which will warp, shrink, crack and creak after a bit.
No they don't need sealing unless you are painting them. Or you have urinating pets.
Was at work, left them to it. fitted and screwed when I got home.
Personally, I'd make them change it; inconvenience or not.
Certainly I wouldn't accept having the thing with a bunch of dents and dings. With wood, you can at least (usually) remove surface dents using a damp cloth and an iron as long as no material has been gouged out. I very much doubt that that can be done with MDF.
"screwed" ... you have been
Owain
Really I'm with Andy on that one. MDF looks sht, its damaged as well, its not what was ordered, and the odd spills that do occur IRL will make a pigs ear of it, leaving you needing expensive remedial work in time. Pine otoh will last a century easily, look fairly good, be more or less spillproof, and can be repaired in situ as well. (Hardwood would be better.)
If you pay for the mdf, youre paying him to pull one over you. I dont like doing that. I'd withhold payment on the staircase unitl it was sorted out. As you cant do it in short term, maybe book a date later on to have it sorted out. Builders dont like that sort of thing, but it is their responsibility, the job is not ok, and they start to behave once they've had a reality check.
OTOH there are cases where its best let go... all we can do is offer some options.
NT
shows how little you know.
MDF will outlast pine by a long way, and wont crack split warp and creak.
Pine is total utter s**te.
MDF may only be cardboard, but its GOOD cardboard. ;-)
Pine, is, and always has been more or less the cheapest and worst wood one could use, for when one could not afford anything better.
Stripped pine or unpainted pine, of course meant you couldn't afford the paint.
Personally, I'd pay them to take the rest of the pine out altogether.
It machines nicely as well. However, getting dings out is a challenge.
In many cases true.
In the right applications
I'd have gone for hardwood, but that's another discussion.
Having made a set of strings out of 1" MDF once (which due to an architects inability to count never got used), I would not use it again for the strings a staircase with rebates. You are putting it under stress in its weakest direction, especially when the treads and risers are well wedged. It would only require a damp atmosphere for a couple of days and the supporting part of the string would simply de-laminate from the rest of it.
So pine for the strings works well, MDF for treads, and MDF or ply for the risers.
Even with kicks and dents?
What it does is blister up where a little water gets on it, till after a few years it looks like sht. Pine otoh happily lasts a century. Stairs are not a great app for pine, but give me pine over mdf any day.
NT
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