November 23, 20178 yr Beginning to plan for a workbench for my S-I-L's basement workshop and many ideas/plans call for MDF tops/underlay. His basement is in an old New England farmhouse that is concrete floor and walls but water (not large quantities at all) does enter. It is all channelled to a drain so does not even get onto the main floor. However, the basement is "a little damp" feeling at times. My question is: is higher humidity enough to bother MDF? We're in Maine so it's not like Louisiana humidity but there is some dampness to the place. Thoughts? Thanks Gary Edited November 24, 20178 yr by Ron Dudelston Tags added
November 23, 20178 yr I have some experience with MDF in a greenhouse environment, and it is NOT good! Shelving tends to last for one year only, it sags even on very short spans, and the surface flakes off with the slightest wear. Think twice before going this route. John
November 23, 20178 yr Agree with John. There are better alternatives. Plywood, solid wood, etc. I have seen where folks will put a piece of replaceable masonite for the top.
November 24, 20178 yr 3 hours ago, Gary Hanscom said: My question is: is higher humidity enough to bother MDF? it certainly will.. MDF is short term and those that advocate it simply don't know materials to applications well... Cons: MDF is tough on tooling... I wouldn't use it for anything that would see a lot of action, vibrations, wear and etc... it won't hold fasteners, they work loose w/ little provocation... MDF falls apart if it gets wet.... It's best not to damage or remove the surface, aka face, of MDF... The surface/face has compression/tension and is very different from the core... MDF is an amalgamation of sawdust, wood chips, pulp, saw mill waste and binders... Often, cardboard has more integrity.. MDF is a pain to work with and if you have to remodel later or install hardware several times, as the more you drill/work it, the less sturdy it becomes and begins to flake/spawl... It will also split if not pilot hole drilled and tapped... MDF does NOT tolerate water or high humidity well.... Water/humidity begins to degrade MDF into fine particles, think wet cardboard.... Smooth shank nails won't hold and ringed will hold for a short while... Often you can remove hardware w/ just your fingers and a little wiggling.. Formaldehyde resins are commonly used to bind MDF together, so I wouldn't use it near small children or pets... It is much heavier than similar sized real wood boards or plywood... MDF crumbles easily, zip in the strength department... If you have purchased anything from Ikea, you know what this is... MDF makes for warranty recalls and hurts your bottom line in the long run... Pros: It's cheaper than hard wood. It can look very "clean" as it doesn't contain knots or rings or any other naturally occurring character/warmth that real wood has... Verdict: Use anything else, seriously. MDF is cheaper, but you will pay for it in the long run. Especially true for cabinets. Keep in mind the weight of the MDF will decrease the amount your cabinet can hold and MDF will begin to sag all on it's own and fall apart from stress.... Edited November 24, 20178 yr by Stick486
November 24, 20178 yr 12 minutes ago, DAB said: B/C or CDX ply. A/B(X) or A/C(X) fir will be about forever...
November 24, 20178 yr 59 minutes ago, Stick486 said: A/B(X) or A/C(X) fir will be about forever... I’m cheap. It’s going to get beat up. Stained, glued, drilled into, pounded on. My work tables are CDX supported by 2x4s on edge, about 1-1/2” back from the edge. Gives my an edge to clamp onto. Very sturdy.
November 24, 20178 yr 22 minutes ago, DAB said: It’s going to get beat up. Stained, glued, drilled into, pounded on. cover that w/ tempered hardboard...
November 24, 20178 yr 16 minutes ago, clhyer said: Any plans for a dehumidifier? And I agree with "anything but MDF", Cal that would be a necessary necessity...
November 24, 20178 yr 51 minutes ago, clhyer said: Any plans for a dehumidifier? And I agree with "anything but MDF", Cal or particle board.
November 24, 20178 yr I love swimming upstream. If I swam. MDF could be successful in the environment you describe, with two precautions: put feet* under the corners (this is good for leveling, too), and paint the MDF. But for many of the above reasons, I wouldn't use it for the top. I made my benches out of MDF, and they work very nicely (5 years old), and the extra weight is a plus for stability. I built them in place, so transport weight wasn't a problem. The tops are pocket doors, and are suspended on their four corners so both the frame and the top have level adjustment. Someday (right after my funeral probably) I'll replace the tops with real wood. Sure. *as long as they're not MDF feet, right?!
November 24, 20178 yr Popular Post My bench is two layers of 3/4 MDF. But, its encapsulated with solid wood. It has iron legs and two 2X8 stretchers. It's 48X80. Didn't want anyone to steal it. It's been solid for 20+ years. No moisture problems. But then around here, spit evaporates before it hits the ground.
November 24, 20178 yr Author Thanks everyone! Great info. Guess it's gonna be a plywood or 2x4 top for us! A bit different here in Maine from Arizona for sure Gene! Gary
November 24, 20178 yr 17 minutes ago, Gary Hanscom said: Thanks everyone! Great info. Guess it's gonna be a plywood or 2x4 top for us! A bit different here in Maine from Arizona for sure Gene! Gary Yeah, you got trees.
November 24, 20178 yr pic of my bench, on wheels for moving. this is in my old shop (old horse barn). about 3/4" lower than the table saw height. built several of these, can also use for in feed and out feed of the TS. 36x96 Edited November 24, 20178 yr by DAB
November 24, 20178 yr Quote Read this tip recently, but have not tried it. Laminate Flooring Bench Top Leftover scraps of laminate flooring make a great workbench surface. Laminate is tough and easy to clean—dried glue or paint scrapes right off. If you fasten the laminate with small nails, you can easily pry it off and replace it every few years.
November 25, 20178 yr 8 hours ago, DAB said: pic of my bench, on wheels for moving. this is in my old shop (old horse barn). about 3/4" lower than the table saw height. built several of these, can also use for in feed and out feed of the TS. 36x96 Photo is a little fuzzy, what did you use for legs & top?
November 25, 20178 yr 22 hours ago, kmealy said: Photo is a little fuzzy, what did you use for legs & top? top is 3/4" ply, CDX i believe (it's been several years since i made these), legs are 4x4s, with swivel casters on the bottom (2 locking, 2 non-locking). very sturdy, but light enough to be tipped over after assembly or put into the back of a truck for transport. top is supported by 2x4s on edge, as is the bottom shelf.
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