7/21/2023 0 Comments Cover desk top with mdf![]() This is one of the primary questions when weighing MDF vs. MDF takes well to paint, while plywood is great for stains. This isn’t an issue with MDF, which doesn’t show layers at the edges. That means you’ll need to finish any exposed edges of your project if it’s made with plywood, usually either with edge banding or molding. Look at the edge of a piece of plywood, and you’ll see the thin layers used to create it. You’ll need to finish the edges of plywood. Even straight cuts can turn out ragged edges, but our tips for cutting plywood can spare you those imperfections. By contrast, due to its stacked construction, the edges of plywood are rough and not well suited to fancy curves or cuts. ![]() Because of its lack of grain and its softness, MDF is easy to cut and won’t splinter or crack along the edges, even if you carve in curves, sharp angles, or ridges. Planning to make a piece of furniture, frame, or cabinet door with elaborately scrolled trim? Then you’ll be happiest with MDF. Photo: MDF is easy to cut, even along the edges. RELATED: Be It Ever So Humble: 12 Amazing Things Made with Plywood MDF creates more dust when cut.ĭue to its construction, MDF creates far more sawdust when cut than plywood does, so you’ll need to be extra cautious about working in a well-ventilated area and wearing a respirator or other protective mask and goggles. Plywood also has more flex than MDF, so you can gently bend it to create curves plus, plywood won’t expand, contract, or warp, even under temperature extremes. That’s why it’s important to reinforce it if you’re going to using it to build shelves or other weight-bearing furniture. MDF is a softer material than plywood and tends to sag or split under pressure. When it comes to strength, plywood is the winner. This can be a major issue if you’ll need to lift, hold, or clamp panels in place or construct something that requires an overhead reach, such as elevated shelves. MDF weighs more than plywood.Īs it’s quite a bit denser than plywood, MDF weighs considerably more. MDF, in contrast, has no grain, isn’t as smooth as plywood, and looks like what it is: pressed wood fibers. Higher grades of plywood are smooth and quite attractive, with plenty of grain, yet none of the knotholes that can mar solid wood. Since plywood is made with wood strips, its surfaces take on the solid-wood appearance better than MDF. Photo: Plywood looks more like real wood. If there are zero other factors pushing you to one material over another, and you’re watching the bottom line, MDF wins the price wars. While the price depends on the thickness and grade of the material, in general, MDF costs less than plywood. ![]() Both have their strengths and weaknesses based on their construction. To help you decide between them, we’ve addressed their primary differences in the categories that matter most to the average do-it-yourselfer. While they may appear similar, these two popular wood composites are not interchangeable. ![]() At a big-box home improvement store, you’ll find both in sheet forms of different thicknesses and grades-the higher the grade, the higher the price. Plywood undergoes a similar process, but instead of wood fibers, starts off with very thin layers of wood from peeler logs. MDF starts off with hardwood and softwood fibers, which are glued together with various resins, and then subjected to high heat and pressure to form panels. On the surface, both MDF and plywood contain real wood but are highly engineered into their finished forms.
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