raised panel cabinets in MDF vs hardwood, which expands more?

MDF is a very stable product I have even glued in raised panels . The “literature” is probably correct except the material movement is so minimal it’s not even worth bringing up the seasonal expansion and contraction issue.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

Jim, when you glued in the panels did you apply any sealant prior to painting, or is this an unnecessary step in your opinion?

Hey dude: I agree with Jim totally on the MDF. You don’t have to worry about movement(expansion and contraction) with this stuff. It’s just paper, basically. Just don’t ever get it wet!!!!!! You can glue it and forget it It’s user-friendly for most panels, paints up nicely, and works great for jigs, too. Hope we have helped. Oh yea—- forget the space balls—you don’t need them.

-- Remember--- one good turn-- gets most of the blanket!!!!

dude: I think Jim went to eat dinner, so I’ll answer. No—you don’t need any type of sealent. If you paint, just prime the MDF before hand, and also the cabinet.

-- Remember--- one good turn-- gets most of the blanket!!!!

No dinner oddly enough I was working on a frame and panel in oak. What Ricksaid is correct. I know Rick is relieved to know that LOL

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

Thanks Jim: I am relieved. I’m waiting on a glue-up to dry, so here I set, talking on this computer. Oh- I don’t have anything else to do except give out free advice until it’s dry. Then have to go and put in pocket screws before the next move, which will be drawer installation.

-- Remember--- one good turn-- gets most of the blanket!!!!

Have fun Rick, It’s a little like watching paint dry.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

Jim: I ain’t gonna wait that long. I’m about ready to go take a nap. I’d rather nap than watch paint dry. lol.
Maybe by the time I wake up, it’ll be ready.

-- Remember--- one good turn-- gets most of the blanket!!!!

SHHHHH everone Ricks napping be very quite when hitting those computor keys LOL

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

dont ever get it wet !! this includes water based paint…

I use Zinzer Shellac based primer with good results. it dries fast and has a fairly high percentage of solids

-- Dane, Fairview Pk, OH. The large print giveth and the small print taketh away...

use space balls just for the heck of it and it wont be a problem

-- blaine von hagen

MDF is a great product that has many uses just remember to NEVER put it in a child’s room, there is a chemical called urea formaldehyde in it that is very toxic to children. Always try to use a mask when cutting MDF and remember there is no such thing as urea formaldehyde free MDF, the chemical is still there it is just under the radar, manufactures have a maximum percentage and a mid range percentage of UF they can put into a product and by labeling it UF-free this just means that it is just under the mid range percentage (I think the “magic number” is 17%) I am not trying to turn you from MDF as it is a great product and holds up well, if you look at my shop you will see that I use it a lot for my shop furniture and jigs but just wanted to give you a little heads up about the product.

-- A hammer dangling from a wall will bang and sound like work when the wind blows the right way.

“dont ever get it wet !! this includes water based paint…

I use Zinzer Shellac based primer with good results. it dries fast and has a fairly high percentage of solids”

I was hoping to get away with water-based paint, but I do have some Zinsser Shellac in the shop. I’m reluctant to build a bunch of the doors and then paint them only to see them balloon up from the water in the paint. I’ll test one out with the Zinsser and then some Benjamin Moore Impervo high gloss and see how it comes out.

Thanks for all the advice, my first time building cabinet doors with MDF.

I’m a painter by trade and I’ve never encountered a problem using water base paint on mdf, nor have I ever heard such a claim that it shouldn’t be used.

I’m starting to realize MDF is not as fragile as everyone says. I had a 4×8 sheet in the back of my truck on the way home from Lowes yesterday and it started pouring rain. I figured the sheet would be wasted after a half-hour in the rain; nope, it was perfectly fine. I think a lot of people are using outdated information with regards to MDF and water.

I just painted most of my cabinets with oil-based primer but I’m going to try a few of the doors with water-based and see what happens. My guess is it will handle it fine.

I think some people confuse particle board with Mdf . If it’s low grade particle board then look out for water and moisture.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

I was manufacturing MDF raised panel doors here before almost anyone in Lubbock had ever heard or Mdf.
I had to get it out of Dallas because no supplier here had it. Yeah, that was a long time ago and I’m old.
We use a poplar frame with the MDF panel. I chose from the start to keep my construction methods consistent with my wood doors to avoid a nightmare of confusion. Sometimes help doesn’t deal well with change. Therefore, we use spaceballs in all our doors. Is it really necessary—-probably not, but it certainly doesn’t hurt anything either. If I had it to do over, I would probably stick with what we’re doing.

That said, I think MDF is way overused. It’s like everything else in our society, the cheap way out is the standard today. Quality has given way to quanity, and we wonder why things don’t last. If you approach MDF, or any other product understanding it’s limitations, It can be great. We have made ten’s of thousands of cabinet doors from it with no problems, but I’ve seen numerous applications that came back to bite them later.

So, in answer to your question, I think either way is fine.

-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!