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MDF vs Real Wood Moulding?



About 90% of new homes today use MDF mouldings. Is this a good choice? Should you use MDF mouldings in your home? This depends on several factors including budget and finishes. I’ll go over each type of moulding below and point out the pros and cons on each type.

Real (solid) Wood Moulding:

I am referring to full length moulding that is not finger jointed. This is your most expensive option and in most cases used when the wood is to be stained and then finished in a clear coating. Some people prefer to use this type of moulding even if it is to be painted simply for the high level of quality it brings to the finished project and durable nature of real wood, especially if it is not finger jointed (due to expansion and contraction, finger joint mouldings can show the finger joint locations after several years).

Real wood moulding is more expensive to buy and to have it installed. Properly installed inside corners should be coped and outside corners mitred. Joints should be tight and very little filler should be used (ideally only in nail holes).

Real (solid) Wood Finger Jointed Moulding:

This type of moulding used to be very common prior to the introduction of MDF mouldings, but they are still available at most lumber yards. Finger joint moulding usually comes primed and should only be used where the moulding is to be painted (even if you buy unprimed mouldings). Stained finger joint moulding looks cheap and is the sign of an amature renovator or home builder – so as a homeowner or handyman, the same applies.

Finger joint moulding is usually made of pine or similar softwoods and is very easy to work with. It does not split easy (in most cases) and is usually fairly straight. The cost is reasonable and installation is usually afforadable since more filler can be used and accurate joinery is not as critical (although it is still preferred). One drawback of finger jointed moulding is the joinery process itself, as the name suggests, finger jointed moulding is long strips of wood made up of many small lengths, many 12″ to 16″ long. Each of these pieces of wood have various densities and will expand and contract to moisture in the air at different rates, over time this variation is what caused the joints in finger jointed mouldings to show up. It may take several years, but they will show eventually (not always as cracks, often it is variations in surface depth that may appear as bumps that almost look like a bad butt joint).

Finger joint mouldings are ideal when used in conjunction with MDF moulding. Finger joint moulding should be used in bathrooms (base, doors, windows and ceilings), and on laundry or kitchen floors and door casings. In my opinion, MDF mouldings are not resistant enough to water to be used anywhere that mouldings can absorb water (like the base of doors and walls when washing floors or bathrooms where moisture is frequently present).

So if your are planning a large project and plan to use MDF moulding, make sure the same moulding is available in a finger jointed profile for rooms subject to moisture or where floors are frequently cleaned with water like linoleum, ceramic tile, marble and granite.

Primed MDF Moulding:

Primed MDF moulding is the most common moulding used in new homes and renovations today. It is inexpensive, uniform, always straight, comes in any type of profile and paints easily. It is no wonder contractors prefer to use it.

MDF stands for Medium density fibreboard. It is basically a fine particle board (sawdust glued together), similar to the material used to make the cases for kitchen cabinets and most painted and laminated furniture made today. Because of this, MDF is very vulnerable to water and moisture damage unless it is specially treated to be water resistant (usually a blue or green tint indicates this – e.g. when it used as a core for laminate flooring which is very common).

However, in my opinion, you have to be careful where you use it in your home. If it gets wet, it swells. It is not healthy to work with, and produces a fine dust that is easily inhaled when cutting it. It is not good to use in bathrooms and any are where it comes in contact with moisture on a regular basis. It is best installed using air nailers and should be glued to walls and on all regular and mitred joints. Due to the density and hard surface of MDF mouldings, hand nailing is difficult.

MDF mouldings do not have any structural or internal strength, for example, if you catch an outside corner of baseboard with a hard object such as a vacuum or work boots, it does chip out easily. The same applies to anything made with MDF that is finished with paint. Specially made corner moulding blocks can minimize this problem but they are expensive and more costly to install if you are hiring a carpenter.

Summary:

MDF mouldings are not a bad choice if you are on a budget and are fine for most homes. They will stand up well if the above suggestions for installation are followed. However, I am skeptical that a home with MDF mouldings will stand the test of time in the way that real wood moulding does and has been proven so. If you do use MDF mouldings throughout your home, I highly recommend using real wood finger jointed mouldings in areas with lots of moisture (MDF moulding in bathrooms just does not last).

However, if your home is well made and high quality, I would suggest using real wood mouldings for stained and clear finishes. Real wood moulding or finger joint for painted finishes depending on your budget (solid real wood [not Finger Joint] if you can afford it).

By using real wood in your home, it adds value and will last and look good for as long as you decide to live in your home. Might be a good idea to take pictures during installation so if you ever decide to sell your home, you can prove and show the quality of materials used in your home.

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April 9, 2010 | Filed Under Carpentry & Framing, General, Woodworking 

comments

One Response to “MDF vs Real Wood Moulding?”

  1. James McDonald on May 12th, 2010

    I can vouch for this the MDF mouldings I used are fine when kept absolutely dry but if you get moisture on them they swell. So a small roof leak can mean replacing door and skirting mouldings.

    I used real wood mouldings in my bathroom and wet area’s and the cheaper MDF in living and bedroom areas.

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