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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#1
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MDF Cupboard Doors
I have some MDF doors in the eaves cupboards, just plain 1.5 cm MDF. There
is quite a lot of pine in the room, and I have varnished that. It looks great. I tried varnishing the MDF doors, and it looks pretty awful, just a plain kahki colour, and the finish is not good, with the varnish sinking into the MDF. (I have just finished the second coat and it looks the same. I guess that if I keep going I will eventually get a decent finish, but it's only MDF after all.) I tried a mahogany varnish on a bit of scrap, but the result is even worse, just a sort of mucky brown. I could paint the doors gloss white, which would go with the walls, which are white emulsion. Any suggestions before I do that? By the way, I have varnished the room side of the doors. Do I have to do the same to the inside to stop them warping? |
#2
Posted to uk.d-i-y
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MDF Cupboard Doors
On Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:16:11 +0100, GB wrote:
I have some MDF doors in the eaves cupboards, just plain 1.5 cm MDF. There is quite a lot of pine in the room, and I have varnished that. It looks great. I tried varnishing the MDF doors, and it looks pretty awful, just a plain kahki colour, and the finish is not good, with the varnish sinking into the MDF. (I have just finished the second coat and it looks the same. I guess that if I keep going I will eventually get a decent finish, but it's only MDF after all.) I tried a mahogany varnish on a bit of scrap, but the result is even worse, just a sort of mucky brown. I could paint the doors gloss white, which would go with the walls, which are white emulsion. Any suggestions before I do that? By the way, I have varnished the room side of the doors. Do I have to do the same to the inside to stop them warping? Some people like varnished MDF (there's no accounting for taste or the lack of it). I'd apply an undercoat and a couple of coats of paint. You could do the frame white and the doors a colour. -- Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter. The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html Gas Fitting Standards Docs he http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFittingStandards |
#3
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MDF Cupboard Doors
On 27 Jun, 20:16, "GB" wrote:
I have some MDF doors in the eaves cupboards, just plain 1.5 cm MDF. There is quite a lot of pine in the room, and I have varnished that. It looks great. I tried varnishing the MDF doors, and it looks pretty awful, just a plain kahki colour, and the finish is not good, with the varnish sinking into the MDF. (I have just finished the second coat and it looks the same. I guess that if I keep going I will eventually get a decent finish, but it's only MDF after all.) I tried a mahogany varnish on a bit of scrap, but the result is even worse, just a sort of mucky brown. I could paint the doors gloss white, which would go with the walls, which are white emulsion. Any suggestions before I do that? By the way, I have varnished the room side of the doors. Do I have to do the same to the inside to stop them warping? You must treat both sides the same way. |
#4
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MDF Cupboard Doors
Mr Fuxit wrote:
On 27 Jun, 20:16, "GB" wrote: I have some MDF doors in the eaves cupboards, just plain 1.5 cm MDF. There is quite a lot of pine in the room, and I have varnished that. It looks great. I tried varnishing the MDF doors, and it looks pretty awful, just a plain kahki colour, and the finish is not good, with the varnish sinking into the MDF. (I have just finished the second coat and it looks the same. I guess that if I keep going I will eventually get a decent finish, but it's only MDF after all.) I could paint the doors gloss white, which would go with the walls, which are white emulsion. Any suggestions before I do that? Personally I wouldn't do anything else with MDF except paint it. It's not intended to be a 'finished' material like natural timber; varnishing etc really isn't appropriate. I use MDF primer first - TBH I've never really worked out whether special 'MDF' variety is really necessary, or whether it's just a marketing ploy! - followed by undercoat and then gloss. Don't use emulsion. By the way, I have varnished the room side of the doors. Do I have to do the same to the inside to stop them warping? You must treat both sides the same way. For real? I find that very hard to believe. Though I think personally in all cases where I've only painted one side of an MDF panel it will have been screwed down, so warping woudn't be evident. David |
#5
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MDF Cupboard Doors
Thanks for the advice guys. I will varnish the insides of the doors to be on
the safe side. The outsides of the doors have had two coats of varnish. If I paint over the doors in gloss, can I just undercoat straight onto the varnish (having given it a rub-down to provide a key)? |
#6
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MDF Cupboard Doors
GB wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys. I will varnish the insides of the doors to be on the safe side. I'm still *very* unconvinced about the need to treat both sides of the MDF the same to prevent warping; however if you're now going to paint the insides white, then I do think that giving them a priming coat of varnish just to match the outsides would be a bit daft... The outsides of the doors have had two coats of varnish. If I paint over the doors in gloss, can I just undercoat straight onto the varnish (having given it a rub-down to provide a key)? Sounds fine. David |
#7
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MDF Cupboard Doors
Lobster wrote:
GB wrote: Thanks for the advice guys. I will varnish the insides of the doors to be on the safe side. I'm still *very* unconvinced about the need to treat both sides of the MDF the same to prevent warping; however if you're now going to paint the insides white, then I do think that giving them a priming coat of varnish just to match the outsides would be a bit daft... Its not really necessary at all. MDF - unlike wood - its fairly dimensionally stable, and not strong enough to warp itself if it gets damp as long as its well screwed down |
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