MDF doors warping.

[Manks]

Lime

Good points. Let me give you some context:

The doors in question are decorative, to hide a TV and music system. They will not suffer major impact, other than me slamming them shut when Strictly Come Dancing comes on!

They also had to be made in a very short space of time. One man one day to make two cupboards and four doors.

For their purpose, the cupboards are fine. I'd have preferred solid wood, but the cost of materials and manufacture would, I suspect, have doubled. The time taken to make them would have increased too, and we just don't have a lot of time right now. My wife is having Mankslet #2 on Wednesday and after the birth I will be coming straight home to start painting again! It's that close a call.

The cupboards are in a new extension, which employs modern blockwork, concrete chimney liners etc. It is not built with handmade bricks and lime mortar. MDF to sort some cosmetic detail is fine in my opinion, and for what its worth it is causing less trouble than some of the "real" wood...

Manks

 

[Nemesis]

wife is having Mankslet #2 on Wednesday and after the birth I will be coming straight home to start painting again! It's that close a call.

Congratulations!

Let us know when... and what...

 

[Nemesis]

Well that's the nature of the forum!

Nope, it's the nature of some of the posters here. I am pleased to report that the majority of posters here tend towards constructive advice and positivity. However, there seems to be an overwhelming temptation for some to criticise, when helpfulness is the order of the day. This is fine if the criticism is valid, but all to often it is opinion and prejudice dressed up as valid comment.

I have been using this forum since it was in the old format like a grocery list. You were then, as I recall, posting under another name (Evelyn perhaps). I also recall that you refused, point blank, to use the "new fangled forum". Yet, here you are. You do realise, I presume, that you are now using the message board equivalent of MDF?

Manks

As I said - once a message is posted what responses you get you have little control over, as long as they don't flout forum policy, and at times things going off topic brings interesting discussion and raise valid issues, or simply a bit of fun. The toxicity of MDF is a case in point, worth drawing to the attention of others, not these days regarded as a very eco-friendly material, and although we used it in small amounts we wouldn't do so again, being a little wiser now about it. We also know what a blight a major manufacturer of this has brought to the area where we live, and many problems!

I suspect that's Biff's objection to it also. He is one of those who keeps this forum going on a day to day basis posting great deal of interesting stuff.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/chemicalworld/story/0,,1220280,00.html

http://www.dennismac.co.uk/hands/wood/index.html



I also pointed out the door we have in a bathroom tends to move and suggested humidity may have some effect on MDF.

As to names - many changed name to something else when the forum altered - I have never pretended to be someone I am not though, most people know who I am.

No I don't like this forum format, but I was asked by several people to start posting again. So in the end I did. There have been a number of changes made to the format of the forum, I am pleased to say, however, and the people responsible try to accommodate people like me with vision problems.

 

[Manks]

No I don't like this forum format, but I was asked by several people to start posting again.

Name names and we can have them sorted out.

I am pleased to say, however, and the people responsible try to accommodate people like me with vision problems.

I don't think you have vision problems. You might be a bit dogmatic at times, but I don't think you lack vision.

Manks ;-)

 

[Nemesis]

I see much of the screen through what looks from this end as tadpoles sadly...



As for dogmatism - it's usually backed up by information... and years of experience dealing with historic buildings in many different ways!

 

[Manks]

As for dogmatism - it's usually backed up by information... and years of experience dealing with historic buildings in many different ways!

What did you do in the war?

 

[Lime]

What about using piano hinges?
They would not be out of place serving the purpose you describe and would give a lot more rigidity to the hinge part of the door.


I wish you and Mrs. Manks all the best for the safe birth of Mankslet #2.

 

[Nemesis]

As for dogmatism - it's usually backed up by information... and years of experience dealing with historic buildings in many different ways!

What did you do in the war?

Still fighting...

 

[Flyfisher]

The doors in question are decorative, to hide a TV and music system.

Perhaps there is quite a temperature differrential across the MDF due to heat from the TV and music equipment, which could contribute to the problem.

Is it possible or practical to add some strips of wood to the inner surface of the doors in order to stiffen them? Lime's suggestion of piano hinges also sounds good to me.

 

[biffvernon]

Name names and we can have them sorted out.

Er, me. Is that a problem? Why can't folks just be nice to each other and then we can get on with being rude about materials that we hate.

 

[Juju]

Now I've read about the potential problems of mdf here I'm a bit worried as I reluctantly agreed to have some mdf in our internal window shutters. The carpenter didn't advise all wood as they'd be too heavy (I think - might have been other reasons too). It's just the panels - the bulk of it will be wood. We'll paint both sides but we do get a lot of condensation on those windows so will this cause warping? Mind you, he's making them as we speak so it's too late to change my mind...

Apologies for hijacking thread to my own dilemma....

 

[Nemesis]

It's very hard to get the thin wood required now for the panels. I think ours on our new shutters and door are thin ply.

As these on your shutters will be held between wood framing I suspect there will be no problem, once both sides are painted.

I did find that both the shutters and the door, despite both supposedly being made from seasoned wood, shrank though!

 

[Pford75]

Would it be possible to remake the doors with thicker MDF? Obviously you want the surface to remain flush, but I have been advised in the past that the thinner MDF (especially in small panels) can be prone to warp.

 

[Nemesis]

This is the newly extended Egger factory Hexham.


[Open Image] [Hosted by PhotoGalaxy.com]



[Open Image] [Hosted by PhotoGalaxy.com]



[Open Image] [Hosted by PhotoGalaxy.com]

Nick Barrett, Tynedale Council's Head of Health Protection, continued:
"Residents in the vicinity of this major manufacturer are bound to be affected in some way

http://www.tynedale.gov.uk/residents/newsviewsdetails.asp?newsid=648

Actually you can even see the plume from the WHS of Hadrian's Wall.

Still, some trees are going to be planted to shield everyone from the worst of the view.

Not sure how long that will take and what species of tree will grow so tall...

 

[skier-hughes]

We used to view a power station from our old house.
We quite liked it, in thee vening it was all lit up and looked rather romantic.
I believe beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I'm not saying that is beautiful, but I'd rather see that and hundreds of people in work than fields full of jobless people.

 

[Nemesis]

Many people don't consider it very lovely. However, if you think it lovely well, so be it. It is hugely controversial. The years of the smell etc haven't been too great.

And the issue of jobs isn't simple either - many wonder how many other businesses have not started in Hexham through the blight of this place (not British owned I add - not in their back yard either?).

 

[biffvernon]

I'd rather see that and hundreds of people in work than fields full of jobless people.

Ah, so mdf is a job creation scheme. Now I understand it's true purpose.

 

[Penners]

I agree with chuckey and Andrew, as regards a solution. I think I would adopt the following procedure:-

1. Remove each door and rest on two trestles that are as far apart as possible, so that the warp curves upwards. I'm assuming that this will leave the thinner paint coat on top.

2. Paint the top to even up the paint coverage on the two sides.

3. Once the paint is dry, if necessary place weights on the door* so that the warp is cancelled out - maybe even get is sagging the opposite way for a while.

4. Keep checking the condition of the door until you find it has straightened out.

5. Re-hang complete with a third hinge.

* Do make sure the paint is really dry, otherwise the weights could stick.

 

[Penners]

The carpenter didn't advise all wood as they'd be too heavy (I think - might have been other reasons too).

Your carpenter is talking through his aspidistra.

Softwood typically has a density of 500 - 600 kg/m^3
MDF typically is 600 - 800 kg/m^3

Might we suspect that he wants to use MDF rather than wood?!

However, as you have observed, the argument is now academic, if the shutters are already in the course of production. To avoid warping, be sure that they are well painted and that he doesn't skimp on the number of hinges.

 

[skier-hughes]

I'd rather see that and hundreds of people in work than fields full of jobless people.

Ah, so mdf is a job creation scheme. Now I understand it's true purpose.

Everything has to have at least one puropose in life :wink: