MDF vs. “Sande” plywood.

[Packard]

The local lumber yard stopped selling MDF a few years back.  Lowes stopped selling 1/2” MDF in full sheets.  It is only available in 1/4 sheets, resulting in huge amounts of scrap.

Home Depot sells full sheets for $50.00.

Full sheets of 1/2” “Sande” ply is $53.00 from Lowes.

I need these for center panels for cabinets (to be painted).

I am not finding much out there about Sande ply.  Is it flat?  Does it have an open grain like oak?  Will the grain telegraph through the paint.

I used to be able to go directly to paint on MDF and not worry about raising th “grain” on non machined surfaces. Now I have to wet and sand first, and again after the primer.

These are essentially the same cost.  So which will work better?

 

[festal]

I bought some of the sande plywood from HD. I have yet to find a flat one lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jeffinsgf]

If you have a Menards or a professional grade plywood house, check into MDO plywood. It has a resin impregnated paper on the face that is paint-ready. It is very flat and very easy to work with. Usually fir core veneers. There are a couple companies that make it, but the biggest (or at least the one I'm most familiar with) is Roseburg out of Oregon.

 

[Nick86]

I have used Sande ply a few times, usually for internal parts that can be glued via large joints.

Pros: light weight (especially compared to MDF), appears to sand up well if surface is unmarred--though even light marring is likely going to filled and sanded gently, as the wear layer is thin (I have not painted, so I can't say for certain you can hide the grain entirely, but I suspect yes).
Cons: Not flat, filled with voids, soft, will not hold screws reliably at all.

My general perception after working with it is it's an oddly powdery substance, although I am accustomed to baltic birch and thus was perhaps more taken aback than I should have been.

Since it's visible, my vote is MDF. Save yourself the time and headaches in finishing and getting to flat.

 

[dashboardpws]

We've used Sandply for things like carts and shelves but it's a bit like paper mache`:cuts easily, light, relatively cheap, but weak. I wouldn't use it for cabinetry apart from maybe pedestal bases.

 

[Packard]

With sources for full-sheet MDF drying up, I envision a day when it will not be available at all.

For shaker cabinet center panels, the 2’ x 4’ quarter panels are absurdly wasteful.  I can get one cabinet door panel from each piece.  With a full sheet, I can get 9 or more cabinet doors. 

So the 1/4 panels are not an acceptable format.

MDO panels are available but from a vendor 63 miles away—or 126 miles round trip.  With my van, that is almost 6 gallons of gas— or adding $19.50 per trip.  I don’t usually buy more than I need for a given project, so that would add up quickly.  Plus, MDO is fairly expensive.

ADDENDUM:  I see that Lowes will sell 1/2” MDO in full sheets for $88.00 per sheet.  It is special order, but no minimum is shown.  But that is still $38.00 per sheet more than MDF, which is generally fine for center field panels on Shaker doors.  For the time being I think I will stick with MDF.

Thanks for the replies. 

 

[Packard]

I just put together an order, but Lowes charges $80.00 delivery fee, so that was cancelled.

I can pick it up, but that is 54 miles round trip. That pretty much kills either a morning or afternoon and costs about $18.00 in gas. 

So, for as long as the MDF is available, I will continue to use it.