MDF 3'0x8'0 interior doors

[bruce_taylor]

has anybody made interior doors out of mdf and cut designs into them with good results? Need about 18 for a project and thinking about painting mdf instead of making panel doors out of pine.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Most of them are 3'x8'

[cabnet636]

frames of wood, panels of mdf, very common done it several times. problem with mdf rails and stiles is holding hinges.

jim

[bruce_taylor]

how about a full slab of mdf for the door no stiles or rails like the cabinet doors but 1 1/8 thick ? Thanks for the reply.
bruce

[cabnet636]

you can purchase 1.25 and 1.5" mdf in 4x8, rare right now as the plants have no call for it. it is the hinges that will not hold over time you could consider a wood insert depending on desire.

jim

[myxpykalix]

I've never done any full mdf doors but i can't see how you could screw into the ends for hinges it wouldn't hold i'm sure but have had ideas about doing it the way James describes it. I had thought about having a carved out center of a wooden door that you could insert a carving into with a lip to hide the edge then you could make it so you had interchangable carvings.

[gc3]

3X8 door at 1.125" thick....to thin.I would go with solid stiles/rails at 1.75" thick with a 1.375" panel thickness. Make a door not a mistake.


Gene Crain
www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com)

[carlcnc]

Bruce
I don't see why this wouldn't work.
Use the best mdf you can buy, insert/epoxy
hardwood plates where the hinges mount.
I did some pine doors,stain grade,
I hid 1" thick maple blocks behind the hinges and at the strikeplate area.I made them about 1/16 smaller than the plate
no one could tell they were there
Carl

[cabnet636]

it would not be too expensive nor difficult to build a wood rail and stile 1.75" thick and use mdf for the panel, gene is right the quality would speak loud!!

jim

[coach]

Bruce, You saw the cabinet doors I did with the v carve. Stop by the shop, I have a sample door for a bi-fold. It is only 72" tall and about 12" wide. It has a divider rail with MDF for raised panels. I used maple or poplar(I forget)for the rails and stiles. It leaned against a wall at the shop for 3 years and it is as straight as the day it was made.
1 1/8" MDF ,,,, man you gonna need a fork truck.
I laid up 1 1/8" particle board before and don't want to again.

[bruce_taylor]

If I go to the stile and rail route then I'm thinking stain grade pine.
Thought the solid stability of mdf and the weight would make nice solid doors. I could route a groove and put in some hardwood around the hinges in an inch or so to hold the hinges? Thanks David for the invite I'll stop in the next time I have a second or two.
Our local supplier doesn't have any 6 or 8 quarter stock so I'll have to find somewhere to get this. Thanks for all the good advice from everyone.

[gc3]

For a door that size you need to use at least 4 4X4 Arq. hinges that come with 1.25" screws...so go at the very least 2" of solid filler in the hinge side stile. Think about longevity of the door, not getting paid after final installation. Whatever material you use a door like that will have weight plus owner abuse.

This is a good link for professional woodworking info. www.woodweb.com (http://www.woodweb.com) Maybe post your question on the Arq. woodworking forum and see what responses you get...




Gene Crain
www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com)

[bruce_taylor]

how about gluing two sheets of 3/4 with pockets for hardwood at the hinge points and routing a design into each side to customize.
Is this a stable door? would it be a quality job? Thanks for the insight.
bruce

[Gary Campbell]

Bruce...
Sheet MDF is not a good material for a door. As stated above, it is extremely heavy versus its strength. It holds screws very poorly and has a tendency to split where multiple screws are used. Where used for cabinet making a special screw, ie. the Conformat, was invented so that joints could meet specs.

MDF is NOT a stable material. It has a very high rate of expansion and contraction with humidity changes. It does however work well as a core for veneers as it is flat, and when veneered and sealed, stays flat better than plywood does. It is still the cheapest material out there. Period. It should only be considered for use in the lowest quality applications as a cost saving measure. We have replaced many wood style & rail with MDF panel doors. The panels shrink enough to disengage from from the groove in the styles. Even minimal shrinkage shows nasty paint lines.

There are many inexpensive doors that can be used. Legacy doors come to mind. They are made from an MDF type product with wood edges to hold screws and have a raised panel design, with or without an imprinted woodgrain. A door panel costs around the same as a sheet of MDF without the work.

Did I mention that MDF harbors mold and releases non healthy fumes? Sorry about the rant.
Gary

[robert_cheal]

I have skinned birch hollow core doors with 1/4" MDF for styles and rails on both sides and even put a glass window at the top, then took them back to the door shop to be pre-hung. The interior doors were 1/2" thicker but not too heavy and have worked fine in my house for 8 years. I would think you could do the same with solid 1/4" MDF skins. Your designs could not exceed the 1/4" depth.

[bruce_taylor]

Gary Thank you for pointing this out. It is nice to have the forum to bounce ideas around without wasting the time and energy to see it doesn't work so well. I like the pantry door in the show and tell and think I will travel down the path of Pine raised panel with some engraving. Anyone have a good source for 8/4 pine?I will look into legacy also.
Thanks
Bruce

[myxpykalix]

"Make a door not a mistake"....good advice! lol

[Gary Campbell]

Bruce...
Heritage in DeLand is where I would go.
Gary

[gc3]

Plane 1" stock to .584" and laminate 3 pcs to get your 1.75" stock...will be very stable.


Gene Crain
www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com)

[geometree]

I learned to make doors by gluing 2 pieces of hardwood back to back, opposing growth rings. 4/4 for 1 3/8", 5/4 for 1 3/4" doors. Keep them as thick as possible before glue-up. After gluing let them sit for a couple weeks, then re-straighten. Always turns out great, but does not make for a cheap door. Charge double the price if you make them out of 8/4, because you will be making them over when they bow/twist.

MDF and Masonite doors can be bought for less than it would cost you to make them. They aren't bad for the money, heavy like a wood door.

[gc3]

Best to use a balanced core laminate...3-5-7 so on...The chances of a double lamination "going south" are pretty high, there is no balance on the center core. Use the laminated pieces for the stiles and solid stock for the rails. Doors have been made for many, many years from 8/4 stock with little problems. You have to have quality material, correct moisture content and proper machining, fabrication and finishing methods to build a long lasting door.
As I said in an earlier post, take a look at www.woodweb.com (http://www.woodweb.com) and search the knowledge based articles on triple core door lamination methods.
Have you thought about a stave core composite with veneer?


Gene Crain
www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com)

[geometree]

Gene, I read the articles you suggested and agree that the more layers the better. However to suggest that method to someone who inquired about paint grade MDF doors seems like overkill. These guys were talking about 60% waste. With two layers glued up in 10' lengths, all stock not suitable for stiles becomes rails and intermediates, very little waste. I guess my reluctance to make doors from 8/4 comes more from the stock that I've seen come thru our shop than the actual technique. Most 8/4 I've seem can barely be made into trim. So, my advice to Bruce is to buy MDF doors and have fun carving them.

[bruce_taylor]

Lots of good info here, I have looked at just buying the already made 3'0 8'0 slabs in raised panel pine about $200 each. Need a dozen and another six 2'8 6'8. $100 each. So my budget is $3000.00 to buy. I would like to build myself and do some carving to enhance. These are for my own home or I would just buy them and move one, but I feel I want,need, deserve something special.
So once again Thanks for all the views and I will post as I move forward with this project. Also looking at some custom moulding maybe a vine design carved into the trim running around/through the trim.
Gary,
Thanks for the heritage info !!


Bruce

[wberminio]

Bruce

I've made my own MDF Doors in the past as a test.
I inset wood strips into the edges for hinges and lockset.
It all worked fine,but noticed that the door was a bit flexible.Narrow doors 2'-0" were fine wider 2'-8" and above had more flex.
In the end,it was worth the time and effort.

I think I would be best to buy the slabs and then add carvings.Let the door companies do what they do best.


Gary

I think the extremes in MDF that you have experienced may be do to the high humidity in your part of paradise.

I have used solid frames and MDF center panels for years to eliminate the shrinkage problems in solid wood door panels on painted doors.If fact,I insist on it with my customers,never had an issue-yet.

I agree with you,MDF is not my 1st choice of materials,but it does have a place.

[gc3]

If you take a 2X6X10 piece to yield a 1.75X4.75X8 stile you have 60% waste.

Those doors going in your own home can be a great selling point. Build nice doors that will last and that you are proud of.



Gene Crain
www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com)

[bruce_taylor]

I have been building a little over 3 years (seems like 10 )
I hope to never have to sell !!! More like a sample of my work.
Maybe engrave a different scene on each panel to add some character and charm. I'm going to order some pine and make one to see if I like the results. Going for something a little different .
Thanks for all the input thus far.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone !!

Bruce