Can we stop acting like plywood is always better than MDF?

I heard a guy at the lumber yard last week tell a homeowner that MDF is junk and plywood is the only choice for cabinets. That's just not true for every situation. I built a set of utility cabinets for my garage out of 3/4 MDF three years ago and they still look fine with zero swelling. Has anyone else had good results using MDF for the right job?

2 comments

2 Comments

felixlee1d ago

MDF has its place. Fine for garage cabinets and painted stuff.

faith6841d ago

Yeah, "has its place" is really the key there... I built some garage shelves out of MDF a few years ago and they've held up fine, no issues at all with moisture since the garage is pretty dry. But I tried using it for a bathroom vanity once and that was a total mistake, it swelled up at the edges after a few months no matter how much I sealed it. For painted stuff it's hard to beat though, the smooth finish is way easier to get right than plywood. Just gotta pick your spots with it, you know?