My house has about a four inch inside window ledge or sill. The windows
are all fixed casement. I need to redo the workwork and am thinking of
doing it in MDF. Has anyone had any experiences doing this--pro's or con's.
Let me know.
Jeff

Jeff and Jennifer Cook wrote:
My house has about a four inch inside window ledge or sill. The
windows
are all fixed casement. I need to redo the workwork and am thinking
of
doing it in MDF. Has anyone had any experiences doing this--pro's or
con's.
Let me know.
Jeff

Hey Jeff & Jen,
MDF is a very stable material. I use it doing stair stuff.
Would you have any condensation drippage from window pane falling onto
sill?
If not- go with it. If so, don't use it.

Jeff and Jennifer Cook wrote:
My house has about a four inch inside window ledge or sill. The windows
are all fixed casement. I need to redo the workwork and am thinking of
doing it in MDF. Has anyone had any experiences doing this--pro's or con's.
Let me know.

I just replaced a number of windows in my home using Pella Vinyl units.
As this was a retrofit job, I had some work to do (quite a bit
actually) with interior trim. I used the white, solid vinyl boards
available at Lowes, Menard's and, I think, the Borg to fabricate my own
jambs and sills. As the Pella units were white, this stuff matched
perfectly. When you rip them down to size, remember to bevel the edge
slightly for a nice, tight fit against the window casing.

Finished job looks great and you know water isn't going to affect it
when you happen to leave the window open and it rains, etc.

Bob

"Jeff and Jennifer Cook" wrote in
:

My house has about a four inch inside window ledge or sill. The
windows are all fixed casement. I need to redo the workwork and am
thinking of doing it in MDF. Has anyone had any experiences doing
this--pro's or con's. Let me know.
Jeff

At the bottom of the window is where any moisture will collect.
Condensation, leakage, someone puts a drink down on the ledge. MDF +
moisture = bad news.

Use something more water resistant, and then forget about doing the job
again in your lifetime.

Patriarch

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 11:59:45 -0700, "Jeff and Jennifer Cook"
wrote:

My house has about a four inch inside window ledge or sill. The windows
are all fixed casement. I need to redo the workwork and am thinking of
doing it in MDF. Has anyone had any experiences doing this--pro's or con's.
Let me know.
Jeff


I like MDF for painted trim, but a window sill has a chance of getting
wet, from drips, sudden rains, etc... I might stay with wood there.

Barry

"Jeff and Jennifer Cook" wrote in message
My house has about a four inch inside window ledge or sill. The windows
are all fixed casement. I need to redo the workwork and am thinking of
doing it in MDF. Has anyone had any experiences doing this--pro's or
con's.
Let me know.
Jeff

For windows I would personally stay away from mdf. It you don't want to use
wood for window trim repair, try "Perma-TrimBoards", they are pvc "lumber"
and are basically impervious to the moisture which you will eventually find
around a window. IIRC, "azek" (sp?) also sold something similiar under that
name.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04

In article ,
"Jeff and Jennifer Cook" wrote:

My house has about a four inch inside window ledge or sill. The windows
are all fixed casement. I need to redo the workwork and am thinking of
doing it in MDF. Has anyone had any experiences doing this--pro's or con's.
Let me know.
Jeff



Many of the solid surface distributors offer strips of 5 3/4" width.
Not cheap, but pretty and will not absorb anything.
You can work that stuff with any quality carbide tools.
Just a thought... I do a lot of this for residential people..and
commercial (McDonalds etc). You'd never have to refinish it..and if you
stick to acrylic, it won't discolour either.

FWIW

The trim carpenter who finished my house use MDF on the windowsills in the
basement. There are 5 windows in all. Here in Michigan's constantly
changing weather some condensation is unavoidable. We have had no problems
because of the high quality paint used on our trim.


"Jeff and Jennifer Cook" wrote in message
...
My house has about a four inch inside window ledge or sill. The windows
are all fixed casement. I need to redo the workwork and am thinking of
doing it in MDF. Has anyone had any experiences doing this--pro's or
con's.
Let me know.
Jeff

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 20:15:19 -0500, Robatoy
wrote:


Many of the solid surface distributors offer strips of 5 3/4" width.
Not cheap, but pretty and will not absorb anything.
You can work that stuff with any quality carbide tools.
Just a thought... I do a lot of this for residential people..and
commercial (McDonalds etc). You'd never have to refinish it..and if you
stick to acrylic, it won't discolour either.

FWIW


Good idea that I'm going to have to look into.

Thanks!
Barry

This is a reply I sent out to a Wrecker who asked via e-mail what the
stuff
looks like and where to get it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, some colours look very much like stone. It is THE ideal
material for window sills.
Start with the sites of the manufacturers.
They often have lists of distributors.
My web-site: www.topworks.ca has all the names of the relevant
manufacturers of Solid surface products... namely:
Wilsonart
Avonite
Staron
Meganite
Corian
Formica
Dovae

Any or all of those guys will be represented somehow. Not all the
distributors have a strip program and some won't sell to the public.
Most of that policy has to do with warranty and the adhesive
technologies.
In that case, many fabricators (listed under counter tops in the Finger
Pages) will cut-up/sell pieces. Some of those guys will even double-up
(or 3 x)the front edge of the sill with colour-matched adhesive for
that visual thickness as the material itself is only 1/2" thick.
If you rip up some 1/8" Luan ply into 3" strips, you can, with the aid
of a hotmelt glue gun and a pair of tin snips, make an accurate
template. Then just copy it, or have it copied.

I have no idea who has what in Xxxxxx, but I am sure the place is big
enough to have many sources.

Happy hunting!

Rob

PS... some of those solid surface fabricators can be quite snooty. Many
deal with the Lexus/Jaguar crowd...but many are regular guys too. So
don't let a few snotty people slow you down.

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 11:59:45 -0700, "Jeff and Jennifer Cook"
wrote:

My house has about a four inch inside window ledge or sill. The windows
are all fixed casement. I need to redo the workwork and am thinking of
doing it in MDF. Has anyone had any experiences doing this--pro's or con's.
Let me know.
Jeff


MDF is not a good choice for a window ledge/sill due to the moisture
concerns. Cypress or white oak are good choices.

Roger amd Missy Behnke wrote:
The trim carpenter who finished my house use MDF on the windowsills in the
basement. There are 5 windows in all. Here in Michigan's constantly
changing weather some condensation is unavoidable. We have had no problems
because of the high quality paint used on our trim.


"Jeff and Jennifer Cook" wrote in message
...

I trimmed a north facing bathroom window with MDF on a vinyl casement
window, fully expecting to paint it about 6 coats of oil. I injured my
elbow cleaning grout from the tiles and never got around to it. That
was 2 years ago. Even with all that moisture from the shower, and
condensation during the winter, the MDF is fine. I was really
surprised. I guess I will paint it at some point.

Rob