Which MDF to make kitchen doors

[olivetree]

Hi,

I am about to start making my own range of painted mdf kitchen doors. I have seen a company offering painted mdf doors which look and feel like painted ash. Would they have used veneered mdf or is there a way of recreating this effect.

I would like to offer the doors with the wood effect

 

[DOOGYREV]

Depend I have seen both, but the more common one's are mdf with a plastic coating the grain pattern is stamped in the plastic, the easyest way to get a grain effect IMO is to use veneered MDF, but you loose the grain where you rout depending on the style of door bear that in mind, you could use different thickness of veneered MDF to create a panel and planted wood moulding for more detailed doors.

Hope that helps

 

[olivetree]

Yeah thats what i plan to do, use a a soild back piece and then glue the parts onto it to make a shaker. What do you think about using normal mdf and veneering the centre panel myself?

 

[olivetree]

Also once painted the edged should be fine shouldn't they??

 

[DOOGYREV]

Depends on whats more cost effective for you, the difference in cost between normal and veneered MDF Vs the time it would take you to vanner the panel yourself and the cost of the vanner.

I think from my last stock order that Ash veneered MDF is around 2 1/2 to 3 times more expensive then standard MDF, but I think its worth it for the time saved.

When I make then I use 12mm Veneered MDF for the back and 9mm veneered MDF planted on the 12mm to form the Styles and Rails that way the back forms the wood grain panel, and once planed the edges will be fine for painting, as they ar hardly seen no one will notice if they don't have a grain, however I would edge them if they were not going to be painted.

 

[olivetree]

Thanks for the insight, do you spray or hand paint?? i have got a HVLP sprayer in the workshop which i am yet to use.

 

[DOOGYREV]

I paint by hand, I posted how I do it in an other topic recently.
finishing-mdf-kitchen-doors-t51397.html

 

[olivetree]

What do you think about spraying??

 

[DOOGYREV]

Personally I prefer to paint by hand, I have tried spraying a few times, but found I could get better coverage by hand, especially for water based paint I found when priming It took three coats with a sprayer to acheive the same results I could do with one coat by hand, and there was alot of faffing about having to clean it between each use. Where as with my brushes and rollers are never cleand for acrylic paint I just pop the mini rollers in a jam jar and submurse the brush in water in a kettle, Changeing the water regularly or it begins to smell, and my oil based brushes and rollers are just poped back into my Brush Mate all are ready to use for next time.

But I only usually have a small amount to paint each time, if your doing alot it may save you time, for the top coat you can get good results with cellulose paint.

If I were you I would get the sprayer going and experiment wth it on a few off cuts and see how you get on.

 

[olivetree]

Sorry for all the ?'s, do you still go for the veneered MR MDF, not the standard veneered stuff

 

[DOOGYREV]

No problem, happy to help.

when I said standard I ment Unveneered, I dont use MR theres no need to in my opinoin.

 

[olivetree]

Ok great as the MR stuff is more expensive. I guess cause the mdf is veneered theres less chance of moisture getting in.

Thanks