# Another painted MDF special



## BradNaylor (25 Dec 2008)

I don't seem to be able to get away from painted MDF fitted units.
Here's a job I got finished on Tuesday night - bang on schedule for Christmas.

































I'm going back in a weeks time to fit the skirtings and architraves around the room as an extra, so hopefully I'll get some photos of the units full of books etc.

These jobs can get a little dull, but they are about the most profitable work there is.

:lol: 

Cheers
Dan


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## Chippyjoe (25 Dec 2008)

Dan,they look good and I know they are "only MDF"as you put it but there is still a lot of work in getting them to look anything.(that didnt quite come out as it should but you know what I mean!!!)
Did you spray them, or are you really good on the brush?
If sprayed, what system are you using?
Mark.


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## Oryxdesign (25 Dec 2008)

Dan you're a sad man why are you on here on Christmas day? OK I'll get my coat.


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## mailee (25 Dec 2008)

Well Dan's not the only one. :lol: Just watched Wallace and 
Gromitt and that was the highlight of my night so here I am.  Hope everyone else had a good Christmas. I am knackered after cooking dinner though. :roll:


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## Rich (25 Dec 2008)

Cooking is very much like decorating, if you do the prep work properly then the rest looks after itself, the problem comes in trying to eat it all  
the wife and 2 boys are now in bed, well fed, washing up and drying up done and I'm now relaxing and watching 633 squadron for the umpteenth time  the dogs will benefit tomorrow morning from the leftovers :shock: we spend a small fortune on supposedly specially prepared dog food, but they prefer what we eat :roll: 

Rich.


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## Benchwayze (26 Dec 2008)

Nice work with the MDF Dan. Just how my PC room needs to look. New Year's resolve then! 

and btw Mailee, Wallace and Gromit wasn't long enough was it! 
Just reading the 'Radio Times' last night gave me indigestion! Christmas entertainment? Two constipating wedges of crappy Eastenders and one soggy serving of the 'Royale' Family. I'll be glad when SWIMBO lets me back into the Workshop to play:


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## BradNaylor (4 Jan 2009)

Looks a bit different dressed up!

Dan


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## Mattty (4 Jan 2009)

Another superb job Dan. It's no wonder your so busy. =D>


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## mailee (4 Jan 2009)

Looks very nice Dan. I echo Mattty's comment, no wonder your so busy mate, beautiful work.


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## phantom of the offcut (5 Jan 2009)

That looks superb Dan, any chance of posting your tech drawings i fancy copying them :wink:


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## jedmc571 (5 Jan 2009)

Yet again, nice work Dan, 

For such a terribly slated material (MDF) you've done it justice.
I guess when put together correctly, even cheaper materials can look expensive.
It's more inspirational to people like myself, I'm concerned about using solid timbers for projects at the moment, I still don't fully understand it's movement, and so most of my stuff is MDF/Ply based, it's nice to see it can look really good.

I can learn a lot her, let me know if you ever need some labour, Cost? just some knowledge and pointers :wink: 

Keep up the good work

Regards

Jed


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## joiner_sim (5 Jan 2009)

Looks great! I'd love to have a go at using MDF in this way, but don't have anything to do it for.


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## The_Stig (6 Jan 2009)

Those are tidy, MDF might be a better way to put the storage in my bedroom. I was thinking about laminating up some ash boards and stuff but after seeing this I'm having second thoughts!!


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## BradNaylor (6 Jan 2009)

phantom of the offcut":3840d2su said:


> That looks superb Dan, any chance of posting your tech drawings i fancy copying them :wink:




:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 


I seem to have mislaid the envelope I did them on the back of!


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## adzeman (8 Jan 2009)

I think your cabinets are just great a credit to your skills. I am interested in how you made the doors.
I recently built some cupboards for home and had great problems with making acceptable doors.
In the past I have used doors from MFI from their bedroom and office furniture range but they stopped selling individual doors or returns ages ago and now they no longer exist.
I would prefer to make an mdf door but failed and resorted to making them traditionally in softwood, framed, panelled and moulded.
From your photographs it looks like you have cracked it.
Hinges were a problem and I resorted to traditional brass butts which were OK but what I originally required were hinges similar to those used by Sharps bedroom fitters. These allow face fixing of the doors. Where can you buy them? Sharps would not tell me and I tried the usual suppliers even Hewdens but no luck. (not kitchen door hinges which are fixed inside the cupboard not the face)


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## BradNaylor (8 Jan 2009)

adzeman":1n4vgdwj said:


> I think your cabinets are just great a credit to your skills. I am interested in how you made the doors.
> I recently built some cupboards for home and had great problems with making acceptable doors.
> In the past I have used doors from MFI from their bedroom and office furniture range but they stopped selling individual doors or returns ages ago and now they no longer exist.
> I would prefer to make an mdf door but failed and resorted to making them traditionally in softwood, framed, panelled and moulded.
> ...




Hi Mike,

I make my MDF doors in exactly the same way as I would make solid wood ones - frames with panels. These particular ones were done with a profile/scribe router cutter from Wealden using 22mm MDF for the frames, with 6mm for the panels. All the MDF I use is the green moisture-resistant type.

I use standard concealed hinges - the type used on kitchens. I'm not sure what you mean by the ones that Sharps use; as far as I'm aware they too use kitchen hinges. Most of my jobs call for cranked hinges for inset doors. I have used brass butts in the past but the screws tend to work loose on MDF.

Cheers
Dan


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## adzeman (9 Jan 2009)

Thanks Dan for your prompt reply. I don't have a problem with using mdf I did read an article way back which said if mdf was available to Chippendale he would have used it and coming from Horsforth and Chippendale came from 10 mile away have to keep up the good work. The thing about mdf is its bland and needs some form of embellishment to give interest. Planted mouldings look just that, planted. I make mine in the traditional manner using biscuits and the shaker look is great but sometimes there is a need for other styles. I wonder if you have considered building them up in layers? I have experimented with routering them from the solid but the jigs are involved and one slight slip and thats another piece on the scrap pile and the good ones don't look that good. I am still working on it and if I have any success will send a picture.
The hinges Sharps use for their office furniture are not kitchen hinges they are a small neat hinge similar in shape but flush fit across the face. I will send you a photograph on Tuesday (the village i live in does not have a Broadband availability so I have to wait for when I go up to London) I have said it before and I will say it again your work is to a high standard and gives me at least incentive to keep using mdf. By using traditional principles as a basis new methods can or should result to give an appearance of traditional work. (thats the lesson for today) Keep up the good work.


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## 9fingers (9 Jan 2009)

Dan,

I'm so impressed with the finish you achieve with MDF.

My attempts at painting the stuff always lets me down on the edges where the extra absorbancy of a cut or ogee profiled edge seems to raise the 'fluff/fibres' and give a darker colour and poorer surface.

I've not tried MR mdf would this help or is there a technique you can share for getting good edges?

TIA

Bob


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## BradNaylor (10 Jan 2009)

9fingers":3meytfut said:


> Dan,
> 
> I'm so impressed with the finish you achieve with MDF.
> 
> ...



Hi Bob,

This is exactly why I and most other people use MR MDF. It has less to do with its moisture resistant properies than with the fact that it doesn't go 'fluffy' on machined edges. The extra resin in the mix seems to make edges much crisper.

Edges still need good preparation, though. I use those foam pads with abrasive on both side in 80 and 120 grit to sand moulded edges. Square edges I do with a ROS, working up to 180 grit. Sharp corners should be 'knocked off' as they will not take the paint.

The most important part of the painting process is the priming. I use Morrells AC white primer - two coats with denibbing in between. It is absolutely fantastic stuff, but you need proper spraying facilities. I've never tried water based paints, but others seem to get good results.

Cheers
Dan


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## 9fingers (10 Jan 2009)

Thanks Dan,

I'll try some MR MDF on my next project.

Bob


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## adzeman (15 Jan 2009)

Hi Dan, can you give me a bit more information regarding those foam pads? for example make, who you buy them from?

didn't' manage to get into London on Tuesday so still need to send you pics of those hinges.

Did get into the workshop over the week end despite the freezing weather due to the inspiration given by this project and successfully (well I thought so) built a raised panel door in mdf. Again will put out a pic
cheers


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## mailee (15 Jan 2009)

Hi Adzeman, are these the type of hinges you were looking for?
http://www.sdslondon.co.uk/417/cupboard_hinges/ Sorry to highjack the post Dan.


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## BradNaylor (15 Jan 2009)

adzeman":1o3876d7 said:


> Hi Dan, can you give me a bit more information regarding those foam pads? for example make, who you buy them from?
> 
> didn't' manage to get into London on Tuesday so still need to send you pics of those hinges.
> 
> ...



This is the kind of thing I mean;







I get mine from Morrells Woodfinishes along with all my paints and lacquers.

http://www.morrells.co.uk/home.php

They're bound to have a depot near you. 

Cheers
Dan


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## DeanN (15 Jan 2009)

Your local Crown Decorating Centre should also stock them - in fine/medium and medium/coarse grits.


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## adzeman (16 Jan 2009)

Thanks all for the information

Thanks for the hinge information Master cabinet maker. Have checked but don't think there on the sheets. The hinges Sharps use are for face fixing allowing them to use standard sized doors.
I could show you on a photograph but were I am at the moment the IT section have put protocols which restrict what I can do on the internet. If you give me your email address I could send a pic via that.

Regards.


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## Oryxdesign (16 Jan 2009)

Adzeman you should have a PM I can help you with your required hinges. Simon


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