Questions about MDF

[aom]

I am building a case out of MDF. I heard that screws dont really stay in MDF, so what would be the best way to firmly secure, but can be removed? I only need it on some parts and i thought about cutting a hole in the two mdf pieces that i need and securing a nut inside of each of them.

Second, whats the best way to seal mdf. I heard of using one part water and one part elmers glue mixture. Will that be good.

And lastly, should i seal and paint my parts first before assembly(would wood glue stick to whatever i use as a sealant)

Thanks in advance. i know this isnt the best forum to ask this since it is more related to the,material itself, but i dont know of any wood forums(or whatever they are called)

[W-L]

If you want to screw your cabinet together be sure to use coarse threaded screws or particle board screws and pre drill for all screws. Sealing wise there are many methods but I probably suggest just picking up some simple rub on sealer from the hardware store that you apply with a clean towel/rag. The Elmer's glue method should work fine but it may not be a perfect finish and wear out over time if the surface receives a lot wear. Also assembly wise it's best to assembly the part you are  with glue or screws to ensure a nice bond you get with the surface of the MDF then seal or finish it.

 

Hope that helps good luck with the build 

[W-L]

This also may be of some help with woodworking:

http://woodworkingtips.com/etips/

[Hikaru12]

I wouldn't use MDF for a desk personally because they tend to sag after a while and they're just not as sturdy as plywood, for example. 

[Scheer]

If you use screws, make sure you pre-drill or it will likely split and swell, the thinner it is, the more likely it is to happen. I use screws with 3/4" MDF and rarely have a problem, but 3/8" would be near impossible. Better yet than screws would be to use cross dowels like this, but again the thinner it is the harder it will be to come up with the proper hardware:

 

 

Never use water to seal MDF, it will cause it to swell. I've used both oil based poly, and oil based paints, both work fine. They sell a oil poly in a spray can that is really easy to use for small jobs.

 

Honestly though, MDF isn't a very good material for building a computer case, not that I can come up with a better option for you...

 

I wouldn't use MDF for a desk personally because they tend to sag after a while and they're just not as sturdy as plywood, for example. 

 

He is talking about a computer case. MDF is actually an excellent material for a desk, yes it needs braced, but so would plywood. MDF is much less prone to vibrations due to the density of the wood, and it is also much more dimensionally stable and consistant, it is also well suited for contact cementing laminate tops to it. I personally use plywood for nearly everything just because I don't like dealing with the dust of MDF, but we built a 10' by 6' conference table for our shop out of two layers of MDF and 5 years later even the wings with 3' of unsupported overhang are not sagging.

[aom]

If you want to screw your cabinet together be sure to use coarse threaded screws or particle board screws and pre drill for all screws. Sealing wise there are many methods but I probably suggest just picking up some simple rub on sealer from the hardware store that you apply with a clean towel/rag. The Elmer's glue method should work fine but it may not be a perfect finish and wear out over time if the surface receives a lot wear. Also assembly wise it's best to assembly the part you are  with glue or screws to ensure a nice bond you get with the surface of the MDF then seal or finish it.

 

Hope that helps good luck with the build 

 

 

If you use screws, make sure you pre-drill or it will likely split and swell, the thinner it is, the more likely it is to happen. I use screws with 3/4" MDF and rarely have a problem, but 3/8" would be near impossible. Better yet than screws would be to use cross dowels like this, but again the thinner it is the harder it will be to come up with the proper hardware:

 

 

Never use water to seal MDF, it will cause it to swell. I've used both oil based poly, and oil based paints, both work fine. They sell a oil poly in a spray can that is really easy to use for small jobs.

 

Honestly though, MDF isn't a very good material for building a computer case, not that I can come up with a better option for you...

 

 

He is talking about a computer case. MDF is actually an excellent material for a desk, yes it needs braced, but so would plywood. MDF is much less prone to vibrations due to the density of the wood, and it is also much more dimensionally stable and consistant, it is also well suited for contact cementing laminate tops to it. I personally use plywood for nearly everything just because I don't like dealing with the dust of MDF, but we built a 10' by 6' conference table for our shop out of two layers of MDF and 5 years later even the wings with 3' of unsupported overhang are not sagging.

Thanks. I know MDF is not the best, but for my first scratchbuild on a tight budget, it is really the only material that I can get that has the potential to look good. I would have used aluminum but then I found out just how many tools u need to actually use it properly. I guess we will all find out in a couple of months.