ohboy! mdf with "grain"

[patrick mitchel]

Pat

[joe]

'rather dull'? A master of understatement, to be sure.

I'm not sure how he translates what looks like white oak in the grainy picture to, and I quote, "some of the most espensive wood grains".

Maybe we could all build the mdf furniture first and then take it somewhere to have 'prettyness' put on it.

I think I'm gonna barf.

[dadiOH]

a rose by any other name...

[DS]

I think it's a great idea! With laser engraving, they could imitate any grain pattern they choose, from piney wood to rare burl. With good wood getting harder to find and more expensive, this may ease the strain a little bit. For mass production where cost is a driving factor, maybe they'll use this stuff and leave the nice boards for those who appreciate it.

[joe]

For mass production where cost is a driving factor, maybe

Those are two mutually exclusive groups you're talking about.

[NoOne N Particular]

Hang'm by their privates. I don't need or want any more enticement to use the stuff. It's MDF. Let it go!

[Father Haskell]

There's much more than grain in a piece of wood. There's also depth and range of color, such as in air-dried black walnut burl. Otherwise, you're just using a laser to make hi-tech wood grained Contact paper.

[Barry Keane]

Look out, folks. The global warming people are coming for your lumber! Them's fightin' words!

-Barry

[Leon]

THEN, what do yo do with it, paint it to look like real wood?

[skeez]

this stuff is aimed at the construction industry, not woodworkers! a LOT of stuff in new homes is painted MDF including trim, mantles and other decorative items that are paint grade. the woodgrain will add depth to an otherwise plain surface. Personaly I hate the stuff but it is a cheaper alternative for contractors and we all know what kind of cheap bastards they are! :-]> Its cheaper therefore creating a bigger profit margin.

skeez

[nailshooter41]

I think that was the gist of it. I didn't see anyone saying that they thought they should make a Maloof rocking chair from that stuff.

I personally like the "woodgrain" effect of an mdf interior door over a plain smooth panel myself. Since all the doors are sprayed with enamel these days, you can still see the texture through the finish. You know it isn't wood, hell everyone knows it isn't wood, but it does look better than smooth.

Personaly I hate the stuff but it

I have absolutely no problem using what ever kind of material floats a client's boat. You actually have it backwards.

The more expensive the material is, the more money we make while keeping the same percentage of markup. I would love to have batches of >>clients

[DS]

I imagine a stain would do the trick. It isn't something I'd want to use much, my point is that a more attractive mdf would be used more in mass produced pieces. And since it can be made from less desirable wood, it would ease the strain on the supply of good quality woods. More good stuff for us.

[Leon]

I think then it would look like stained imbossed wood, sorta like fiberglass entry doors that have a wood grain faux finish. It's a different look but IMHO by no realistic looking. Some siding companies have products that have a wood grain appearance and that is better than a flat finish however MDF does not do well out doors.

If this eased the demand on more desirable woods, that outld probably just mean more wood to go to Japan. They already get the best woods for veneers. IMHO this MDF would only repalce or be substituted for MDF that has a flat no texture finish. I seriousely doubt it's ability to replace any wood product over and above what regular MDF does presently.

[DS]

I spent a little time in a furniture store yesterday. I'm appalled at the prices they're charging for this poorly fitted, ugly finished stuff they're passing off as furniture. My sister in law kept saying "ooh, look at the pretty wood grain in this one..." when what I saw was paper veneer over mdf. Imagine how impressed she would have been if the "pretty wood grain" had texture, and wasn't just printed.

So what makes the Japanese so special that they're getting all the good stuff? I guess they're paying the top prices for it. As long as we're happy buying paper veneered furniture, I guess that's what we'll continue to be offered.

[Leon]

Ihave been seeing this for 30 years and is partly the reasion I got into woodworking seriousely. I have built all the all wood furniture in our home.

Some people just don't care.

That is correct.

We live in a throw away society.

>

[Mark & Juanita]

Ditto

Or are only looking at the "right now" decorator chic style. ... snip

and that is why IMO, that kind of "furniture" is so popular. It costs less than real wood and fits in with today's "let's remodel the living room we remodeled 5 years ago and throw out all the old stuff" mentality. Many people want something that looks good right now, fits the current decorating styles, and will get rid of it in a few years when they find the next big thing. I'm not wired that way. If something will last for 40 years, I'm all in; if it's only going to be good for a year or two and then needs to be replaced -- not so much.

[Bonehenge (B A R R Y)]

[patrick mitchel]

somehow I can't get enthused about "flame" or "quilted" mdf. The variations in nature continue to impress me. Now as to the "manyoofractured" stuff- pheh! Pat

[dadiOH]

The problem as I see it is that people don't know the difference. They haven't educated their tastes. They can't see the difference between good and schlock.

And that is true in all sorts of things, not just furniture. Hell, look at "prime rib roast"...not one in a hundred people know what it is.

[Leon]

What many of today's furniture buyers don't realize is that "Quality" is always in style.