Best Sander / paper / technique on MDF edge for Euro style cabinets

[davidwilkie]

I am adding some Euro stlye cabinets to my kitchen to match the existing. Made from MDF and to be painted white (professionally sprayed) I am wondering about the best treatment for the MDF edges. Inspection shows my existing cabinets have an edge veneer. Yet for same-design cabinets I built for our basement couple of years ago I did not edge band them and they look good (I cannot recall if I put any edge primer on them, so suggestions on that welcomed). My concern is that these -- being in the kitchen -- will get more use and even though drawer and door fronts cover the edges when closed, I would hate for all my work to suffer from poor treatment of the edges. Should I veneer them? If not, any suggestions for prep and which sander/paper for the best prep pre-painting are greatly appreciated! I want to keep them flat and, other than softening the edge, perpendicular.

 

[mouppe]

MDF + WATER = DISASTER.

Since these cabinets are in the kitchen, I would want to put an edge banding on them to provide extra protection against water spills.

 

[fidelfs]

There is an article in finewoodworking about painting MDF.  They suggest to use Drywall compound for the edges instead of edge-banding, it sands really easy.

 

[Chrisem]

Some years ago I was a furniture spray painter, and 90% of my work was MDF. We specialised in high gloss finishes. We sprayed the edges of the MDF with an acid catalysed sealer before it was sanded prior to undercoating. A quick smooth over with 150 grit with the fingers didn't round the corners. This allowed the undercoat to build without soaking into the edge.
Wiping PVA glue onto the edge works quite well, too.

 

[EcoFurniture]

What I did in the past:

Clean up the edge with 150 grid, then step up to 220, 320 and then 420. Taking these steps "seals " the edges and all you have to do is use a good primer and then the final coat of finish. But I have to admit, I personally, would never put MDF in a "wet" room.... Maybe use some neutral wood instead? Like beech...

Good luck!

 

[davidwilkie]

I should have added that these cabinets make up a desk and pantry area and will not be exposed to any water.

 

[duburban]

All,

I wanted to revive this thread to see if anything new is happening with this subject. I am very interested in painted euro cabinets which raises the question on the edge and moisture issues again. Any new positions on painted MDF kitchen cabinets?

 

[Holmz]

First I am no expert in this.
Secondly, water or not, I would pretend that they will see water.

Maybe Zinsser BIN as a first coat or their seal coat?
Do you have a scrap to experiment on?
You could attach a wooden edge, which will stand up to abuse better.
Do you have a domino or biscuit joiner? (Or you could just eyeball it on)
Or just iron on a melamine style edging.

Do you have a router or router table? If so then finishing a wooden edge would be perfect on there.

Without the wooden edge, then...
As for a sander... A 3M rubber block should do it.
Or depending on how much rounding over of the edges you want to have, a random orbital can be used.
A table mounted belt sander would be going in the right direction, but it is bit of overkill.

 

[junk731]

If you think moisture will be an issue, use waterproof MDF, not much more than regular MDF and moisture is no issue. The other method would be to seal, a quality MDF with Vinyl Sealer. Sanding edges to a minimum of 320P as Eco recommended in 2011 also works very effectively when using quality MDF, not as well on the low end garbage most Big Box stores sell.

John

 

[Cheese]

If you think moisture will be an issue, use waterproof MDF, not much more than regular MDF and moisture is no issue.

Just curious how well waterproof MDF actually holds up to water? Any insight?

I made some MDF doors 4-5 years ago, used SW sanding sealer on all surfaces then coated them with 3 coats of SW Proclassic. They came out beautifully...just noticed this weekend a small amount of MDF lifting/swelling on one corner, about 3/8" square, probably just a few drops of water sat there at some point.  [sad]

 

[junk731]

We did a little test about 10 years ago, using some for an outdoor project. Tossed a piece in a bucket of water and left there for a couple of weeks then checked it and there was no significant change after it was dry. You would have more trouble with a finish holding up than the MDF. By the way Vinyl Sealer is solvent based water resistor and also works great as sealer with WB topcoats. Just make sure you let it dry sufficiently before applying WB similar to using shellac.

John