# So, what is the best moisture resistant mdf?



## toolsntat

Embarrassingly after many years of using this stuff I still get confused as to which is the really good one.
To be clear I'm not on about the exterior quality boards.
Cheers Andy


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## Sideways

Medite ?

Also, bought some 18mm stuff from Arnold Lavers at about £70 a sheet a while back and that was good and hard too.


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## Ollie78

I like the Kronospan stuff, I find it heavier and denser than most, it's normally found in Wickes.
Many swear by the Medite but I think they do a few different versions, I had some with a different coloured centre 3rd, not found it any better than the Kronospan.
If you want to get fancy then Valchromat.

Ollie


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## doctor Bob

I use a lot and have switched from medite to hidrofugo.


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## gog64

I’m not buying in the quantities Bob does, so am largely limited to what is available locally. The only thing I’d add is to make sure you read up on each product to get the results you need. For example Caberwood Pro machines up very differently to Caberwood Trade. Both are a good product IMO but you’d not think so if you buy the wrong version for the job in hand.


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## Spectric

gog64 said:


> The only thing I’d add is to make sure you read up on each product to get the results you need.


That makes sense, what may be a good choice for one job may be no good for another, so can we expand the question.

Best for workshop worktops and jigs.
Best for taking a routed profile.
Etc Etc


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## Doug B

As @doctor Bob says https://www.falconpp.co.uk/media/28922/finsa-fibrapan-hidrofugo-mr-mdf.pdf
A lot of friends I know who use copious amounts of MR MDF have switched to it & rate it highly.


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## Ollie78

doctor Bob said:


> I use a lot and have switched from medite to hidrofugo.



Hi Bob, interested to try this Hydrofugo I need to make some bathroom units. Unusual that it is not green, I have heard it takes paint better.
Is it much more expensive than Medite etc ?

Ollie


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## Ollie78

Spectric said:


> That makes sense, what may be a good choice for one job may be no good for another, so can we expand the question.
> 
> Best for workshop worktops and jigs.
> Best for taking a routed profile.
> Etc Etc



I find the Kronospan best for a nice crisp moulding or edge, it just seems to have more resin/ glue in it. It goes less fluffy.
For workshop uses like jigs etc not sure it matters much.

Ollie


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## Spectric

That sounds good, I find a lot of MDF seems to go fluffy and takes a lot of sanding. Too many of the wood suppliers here just have MDF or Mr MDF and thats it. Looks like there are suppliers over towards the north east though that mention Kronospan.


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## Adam W.

This is interesting, I've been approached by someone who's going to make a garden structure out of Medite. 

Is it suitable for use outside ?


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## toolsntat

Thanks, barring Hidrofugo it sounds like Kronospan is the one then.
About a year ago I had some 6mm from Harlows that had very little substance to it and wasn't even square....
I happened to be chatting to a client about her having some MRMDF butt & bead panelling but couldn't remember the name of the better quality boards.
That said, suppose the next question is whose butt & bead do you find is the best ?
Cheers Andy


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## doctor Bob

Adam W. said:


> This is interesting, I've been approached by someone who's going to make a garden structure out of Medite.
> 
> Is it suitable for use outside ?



you can get exterior mdf but this won't hold up in rain. Trycoya is what he will need.


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## Adam W.

Ah, thanks, I think that's the stuff.

They've asked me to work on it, but I think I might take a pass.


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## doctor Bob

Made out of tyicoya.


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## Bristol_Rob

I know you asked about MDF.

But have you looked into HDF.

Valchromat is a name to Google


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## dephill

doctor Bob said:


> Made out of tyicoya.


Hi Bob, 
nice work!
Is that film/telly scenic or art/sculpture? (or both of course)
You’d never know it’s not steel.


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## LBCarpentry

Tricoya is your very most waterproof mdf type material that is available


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## RobinBHM

doctor Bob said:


> I use a lot and have switched from medite to hidrofugo.


I was recommended to try the Finsa MR mdf and I’ve been pretty impressed.

less impressed with the price…..


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## RobinBHM

Adam W. said:


> This is interesting, I've been approached by someone who's going to make a garden structure out of Medite.
> 
> Is it suitable for use outside ?


Only tricoya….medite market it as ”extreme”

I was quoted £246+vat for 18mm last week.

back when I ran a joinery company I used to get 18mm for £104+vat and 9mm for £48+vat


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## Spectric

Wow have you seen the prices MDF – Medite Tricoya 2440 x 1220mm | Chiltern Timber

18mm full sheet £260, (£312 inc ) buy ten or more it comes down to £234 + vat or get forty sheets at just £195 each, thats a bill of £9360 !


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## RobinBHM

LBCarpentry said:


> Tricoya is your very most waterproof mdf type material that is available


I did a test a few years ago - I put a 9mm offcut in a jug of water for a week - it’s thickness increased by 0.1mm


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## LBCarpentry

Blummin good stuff!


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## Adam W.

doctor Bob said:


> Made out of tyicoya.


The creator of that is who I went to dinner with and ended up with a banging hangover. The trouble is he's found out about the vault and now wants one in MDF!!!


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## Cooper

If its so water resistant I wonder if anyone has thought of making a hull from a sheet of it? I'm experimenting with using the scroll saw bowl method to make a little model boat for a book end I'm making for my granddaughter. It would just be a much bigger version. Probably totally a crazy notion.


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## Chippymint

Put simply there isn't any MDF that is totally moisture resistant. No matter what the manufacturers tell you. 
If these type of products are placed in moisture environments they will eventually fail in some way.
Best advice is keep any manmade woodboard away from moisture environments.


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## cedricb

just contacted Medite to get a list of suppliers in my area and they only deliver to industrial units and above £500 (more than 10 sheets).
So where do you get the good stuff for the general public?


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## Ollie78

cedricb said:


> just contacted Medite to get a list of suppliers in my area and they only deliver to industrial units and above £500 (more than 10 sheets).
> So where do you get the good stuff for the general public?


Arnold Lavers have no minimum, Timbmet might make you set up an account. 
Have you tried Jewsons or buildbase etc ? 

Ollie


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## Yorkshire1

We use quite a lot of mdf for bespoke painted kitchens/furniture etc and over the last 12 months have switched to hidrofugo but to be honest the jury is out on its benefits
When its good its very good but random packs thicknesses 
will for painting purposes be worse than cheap mdf
As a rule painting policy is 2 good coats of water based renner primer at their recommended rate followed by 320 denib followed by 1 topcoat
On good boards this gives a flawless finish on bad ones the topcoat raises the grain through the primer
On good hidrifugo you can actually topcoat on top of one coat of primer without denibbing to give a semi reasonable finish no grain raise
Its the inconsistency that annoys us

On a different note and one which we havent as yet got an answer to 
Why is medite and hidrofugo the same colour ie sandwich core for 25/22/18/9mm but also available/supplied as completely green in the thinner boards
Personally i believe there is a darkside to the mr mdf manufacture/supply chain that is being covered up
Why would you manufacture a “superior” board namely hidrofugo and make it visually identical to an “inferior” product namely medite with no identifier markings on the boards at all
Photo all hidrofugo 9/18/25 the 18mm is terrible quality as regards surface finish


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## Gary Carpenter

Tricoyer?


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## Chief Sawdust Maker

I have been using a London company MDF Direct, they offer full sheets and cut to size
They deliver over most of The UK in their own vans with their own drivers, order before 17:00 and get it next day, delivery is a bit steep at £25
but you can't fault the service or the range they offer


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## Bill Derr

Chief Sawdust Maker said:


> I have been using a London company MDF Direct, they offer full sheets and cut to size
> They deliver over most of The UK in their own vans with their own drivers, order before 17:00 and get it next day, delivery is a bit steep at £25
> but you can't fault the service or the range they offer



You need to shop around a bit mate, 18mm mrmdf is £70 +vat on there but only £43 +vat at Selco and I can get it cheaper than that at a local merchant.


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## Chief Sawdust Maker

I know they are not the cheapest, but they supply branded sheets, I have wasted way too many hours processing cheaper materials only to end up with sub-standard results so much MDF both non-MR and MR are little more than compressed cardboard.
Another reason I use them is that I don't always need or want a full sheet, also if I am on a tight deadline for a job, I can order in pieces cut to size from them. Like a lot of timber, I work on the principle you get what you pay for and charge your customer accordingly
You pays your money and you takes your chance!!


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