MDF (medium density fibreboard) Mouldings?

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ajhohen

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HI. I asked for your opinion about this subject back in January. Has anyone started stocking it? I would like to hear more good/bad points about it.

Back in January, I sent this subject to The Picture Framers Grumble:

A salesman from a company dropped by a couple of days ago, introducing me to a line of mouldings called “MDF” picture frame mouldings”. I was amazed. He had a short stick with him. It cut like wood, it assembled like wood (v-nailer, thumbnailer, etc), it used regular wood glue (not “super glue”), he said the lengths are straight, not warped, and remain straight, and it is available in over 100 shapes with the choice of over 25 finishes. The finish IS a type of “wallpaper”, with a finish to prevent fading or discoloring and to protect. The type of fiber the paper is mounted on is similar to “masonite”, except not as hard. He said it was a little bit heavier than oak, but much, much more durable than plastic mouldings, and is “satisfaction guaranteed”. The price per foot is shocking! As little as 60 cents a foot for a 7/8 x 3 ½ inch moulding and 16 cents a foot for a ¾ x 1 ¼” moulding!! The “oak” finish feels and looks like oak…same results with the cherry, mahogany, walnut, etc., etc.. I don’t stock plastic mouldings because of the extreme low quality and bad comments my customers say to me about them. BUT this IS something I would like to stock footage of as an advantage over “art and craft” retailers that do sell the plastic junk as an alternative when people are looking for something less expensive. I was told the “Williamson Company” sells a few.
Now the questions: MDF, I was told, has been around a few years..have any of you ever stocked it or are currently stocking it? What do you think of the weight, compared to oak or any type of hardwood? Did you ever have any problems with chop and/or assembly? What are your good/bad comments about it? If you don’t know anything about this moulding, or never heard of it, but “may” be interested, I will be glad to keep you posted on information about the name of the best retailer offering the mouldings at the best prices…if I decide to stock a few of these “low cost” mouldings. Thanks for any info. ajh

Thanks. ajh
 
The good news is that MDF is cheap, doesn't warp, and the finish is usually fairly uniform. Because it has no wood grain, you don't get mismatch grain problems. It V-nails and glues OK, although its very difficult to rout cleanly so it doesn't take to thumb-nailing very well. Mini biscuits should work OK. Clean cuts can also be a problem without the correct blade. And MDF is abrasive and easily dulls fine blades.

But the bad news is that it's uniformly UGLY and CHEAP looking. If you're trying to build
an image of quality, don't go there! MDF, or medium density fiberboard, is made mostly
from compressed sawdust and glue. It's in the same class as plastic moldings, as its faux
finish is supplied by plastic or paint. I've been looking for some quality round and oval
frames, but most that I can find are made with either MDF or plastic. I'm still looking. . .

Bruce Mc
 
Thanks everyone for all you info. The case is closed...I will NOT start stocking MDF mouldings. What really made me decide not to stock MDF mouldings was a shop located about 45 miles away from my business that does. The framer showed me why NOT to start stocking it, such as: when you hold a 10 foot long moulding in the middle each end touches the floor, the smaller the moulding the "wavier" it is, HAD to start wearing a mask when cutting, because he would choke and choke and choke late at night, etc. He said he should stop selling it, but his customers have really liked his prices. He keeps about 20 boxes of 20 MDF mouldings in stock. He said it was a salesman that got him started in it. I am always looking fo the best prices to put in the "bread and butter" rack, but, i woulld like to stay with something healthy....thanks "BOGframe". Thanks again all...ajh
 
Anyone looking for cheap and easy-to-work mouldings should consider extruded polystyrene. Emafyl is the main source, so far. The finishes are better looking than most of the MDF products; the plastic offgasses less and less-harmfully than MDF; plastic is environmentally friendly in terms of material usage, recycle-ability, manufacturing, shipping & storage (lightweight).

Polystyrene and MDF have similar advantages -- no warps, no flaws, low price. The disadvantages are similar, too...difficult to thumbnail or saw, but OK to chop & V-nail. Gluing is easy, too.

We stock 3 or 4 of the more attractive plastic mouldings for our "price-sensitive" jobs. We just mixed them in with our other samples. Customers often choose them by appearance, not knowing their composition. Our pricing is just a bit lower than wood, so we make *outstanding* profits on them.

One of these days, we will find it difficult to buy wood mouldings. Depletion of natural resources will be an issue, so availability will become a problem for the manufacturers. Price will be an issue, too, as wood becomes more expensive to harvest, ship, shape and finish.

Don't get me wrong -- I still prefer wood. But I see plastic mouldings as an increasingly-practical alternative to wood, for all levels of our industry, in the future.

------------------
Jim Miller,holder of CPFcm designation; FACTS/GAFP Committee Member
 
I stock the Emafyl's also, but have found lately some variance in the strength. Some of the wider profiles are warping after joining. It could be just an aberration, but I got it three times in a row, and from varying vendors. It's a good alternative for the cheaper jobs, but does bear watching.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ajhohen:
Thanks everyone for all you info. The case is closed...I will NOT start stocking MDF mouldings. What really made me decide not to stock MDF mouldings was a shop located about 45 miles away from my business that does. The framer showed me why NOT to start stocking it, such as: when you hold a 10 foot long moulding in the middle each end touches the floor, the smaller the moulding the "wavier" it is, HAD to start wearing a mask when cutting, because he would choke and choke and choke late at night, etc. He said he should stop selling it, but his customers have really liked his prices. He keeps about 20 boxes of 20 MDF mouldings in stock. He said it was a salesman that got him started in it. I am always looking fo the best prices to put in the "bread and butter" rack, but, i woulld like to stay with something healthy....thanks "BOGframe". Thanks again all...ajh<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Not a problem...I'm always glad to help


------------------
Seth J. Bogdanove, CPF
 
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