MDF stands for Medium Density Fibreboard, and is an engineered wood product, often sold as boards or sheets. It is produced from the byproducts of industrial milling, either sawdust or shavings of wood. These will be dried, combined with resin and wax, and moulded into panels. These panels will be treated with heat and pressure, compressing them into rigid shapes. This will then be sanded and cut into set dimensions, which can then be sold as MDF boards.

MDF has a variety of benefits within building projects:

Lower Cost Than Wood: MDF boards will come at a cheaper cost than real wood, and can be laminated to give the appearance of genuine wood products.

Visual Choice: MDF can be stained, painted, or covered in veneers to give the impression of real wood. It is also far quicker to stain and colour than natural wood.

Smooth Appearance: MDF offers a smooth look, without any of the imperfections that can occur with real wood. It also will not fluctuate in size due to temperature to the same extent as wood. 

Resistant to Insects: The chemicals used during the manufacturing process will give MDF resistance to insects like termites.

Environmentally Friendly: As MDF is made from discarded parts of the wood manufacturing process, it helps to minimise waste.

Easy to Drill and Cut to Size: MDF lacks grain, meaning you can easily drill into it without damage occurring. You can also use machines on it to cut it into a wide variety of shapes.

What Are the Downsides of MDF Boards?

While there are clear benefits of using MDF within a building project, it also possesses some key drawbacks:

Comparative Lack of Strength: Compared to real wood MDF boards will not be as strong, and will not stand the extreme pressures that wood can. It also won’t possess the lifespan of real wood.

Difficulties With Use: MDF will require more nails for use than real wood, as it has a lower density. In general, it can be challenging to insert nails or screws into MDF.

Health Issues: MDF often contains urea-formaldehyde, though European manufacturers tend to only produce low-emission MDF. As formaldehyde is released when MDF is cut, precautions will have to be taken to ensure safety.