Replacing Wood with MDF: Best Applications for Wardrobes, Cabinets & Doors

When making the house of your dreams, you want every furniture to be tailor-made to suit your aesthetics. It is the large wardrobes, wood panels, and cabinets in the living area, kitchen, and open lobbies that take up the majority of the house. If you have been using the good old wood suggested by your carpenter, then it's time to change to an excellent alternative. The MDF or the Medium Density Fibreboard wood, which offers smooth finishing, consistency of aesthetics, and, in the long run, will turn out to be much cheaper than your regular wood. In the article, we have a guide that tells you about when to use MDF for wardrobes, MDF for cabinets, and MDF for doors.

What is MDF & Why is it a good alternative? 

MDF, or the Medium Density Fibreboard, as the name suggests, is a perfect balance of hard and softwood. It is made by breaking down hard and softwood into wood fibers and then combining them with resins and wax under heat and pressure. This process results in making a uniform plywood with no grain, no knots, and no voids, which will simply be a game changer in your interior furniture design. There are some advantages of using MDF: 

• The smooth and uniform surface of MDF makes it ideal for painting and laminating. 

• Secondly, because of its smooth body, the cutting, drilling, and even router profiling of the edges becomes way easier and effortless. 

• MDF is usually cheaper than solid wood and even high-grade plywood, and is not high in maintenance. 

Application of MDF 

MDF plywood is known for its beautiful finishing and easy molding into desired furniture. Therefore, MDF for wardrobes and even using MDF for cabinets can be a great step towards defining the aesthetics of your space. Whether MDF for doors will work or not, we’ll discuss it in this portion. 

MDF for Wardrobes

• MDF for wardrobes works the best, especially carrying the aesthetics that you want for your room. Its uniform surface ensures that the outside panel of your wardrobes looks clean. 

• In case of shelving, thicker MDF for wardrobes should be used to provide stronger support for heavy wardrobe items. 

• Greenply's MDF Interior plywood can be an excellent choice for furniture, wall paneling, and wardrobes. 

MDF for cabinets

• MDF for cabinets is an ideal choice, especially for kitchen cabinets, display cabinets, and storage units. 

• These types of cabinets require a lot of space and intelligent shelving. MDF for cabinets provides cost-effective shelving paneling that looks good, too. 

• In spaces where moisture exposure is moderate, like kitchen splash zones, it is advisable to use MDF for cabinets that are moisture-resistant or sealed, especially at the joints to prevent water ingression.

• When it comes to MDF for Cabinets, Greenply's pre-laminated MDF that comes with decorative laminates is a great choice for clean finished cabinets and storage units.

MDF for Doors 

• MDF for doors can also be an excellent choice, especially when you want your interior doors to look crisp and painted with the color of your choice.  

• All the MDF does not have high water resistance, so using it in bathrooms or exterior doors may not be suitable unless it's specially treated with humidity-resistant processes. 

• Greenply MDF exterior plywood can be an ideal choice of MDF for doors. This plywood is suitable for semi-outdoor areas and even for moderate humid conditions. Another Greenply product, Boil PRO 500, is great at what a resistance and is also fire-retardant. This plywood can be used in areas of dampness or where safety is a concern. 

MDF vs Plywood for Cabinets

Comparison of MDF vs plywood for cabinets is crucial to understand which material is right for the structure's finishing and the lifespan of the furniture. 

• When it comes to strength and durability, plywood turns out to be better than MDF as it gives better resistance to bending and moisture. Along with that, the inner shelves, cabinet bases, and frames are more robustly built of plywood.

• However, when it comes to surface finishes, MDF turns out to be a better option as it is a smoother finish and a uniform surface that easily late paint or lamination work on it without leaving any wood grain or imperfections. 

• Another point of comparison when it comes to MDF vs plywood for cabinets is their weight and handling. MDF is slightly heavier per unit than plywood of the same thickness. 

• Finally, plywood with suitable grades wins in the case of cabinets that are made for places exposed to humidity and moisture. MDF, on the other hand, needs to be properly sealed and should be kept away from direct exposure to moisture to ensure its long life.

• While MDF and plywood have their own strength, they both can be used in making cabinets. While the plywood forms the internal structure of the cabinet, Greenply's MDF-like Interior Grade or HDMR 710 boards can make its doors and panels.

MDF vs Solid Wood Furniture

When comparing MDF vs solid wood furniture, things tend to look a bit different. 

• MDF is made to offer a smooth and uniform surface that is ideal for painting and lamination. This feature alone is crucial for designing modern furniture. 

• Solid wood furniture, on the other hand, is more difficult to shape and turns out to be more expensive than furniture made with MDF. 

• However, solid wood gets the extra marks for its durability and longevity. Solid wood can also manage moisture, and open delivers furniture that lasts for generations.

• Greenply’s MDF boards, like Pre‑laminated or those made using PROD‑IQ Neo Tech, offer a great painted and laminated surface, which can be used in combination with solid wood to make modern furniture. 

Conclusion

Switching to MDF for wardrobes or to make beautiful cabinets or doors for your abode can be an intelligent move. If your topmost priority is the aesthetics and designs, then MDF for cabinets or your modern furniture is a great option. However, considering its limited versatility, replacing it with solid wood furniture for plywood when it comes to the exterior can be an even better move. As in this case, you will get the strength and durability of plywood and solid wood; at the same time, MDF boards will ensure the consistency of artistry in the furniture.