Home construction has changed quite a bit in the last decade or so. Builders have gravitated towards the use of MDF vs wood in many applications. This was a surprise to us as my in-laws home is pure wood throughout (it was built 25 years ago) and I thought that would still be the case. However, we had MDF in our 10 year old home in WestU.
MDF is everywhere now and used in almost every application possible. Every builder from the very high end to the very low end uses MDF in some form or fashion. This is something to get used to. Wood, and particularly high quality hardwoods used in interiors, is increasingly harder to come by without imperfections such as knots, warping, grain issues, etc. As a society, we are using way too much wood and lumber yards are relying more and more on younger immature sources.
There are tons of websites dedicated to the discussion of MDF vs Wood. Here are a few:
- MDF vs Solid Wood – Woodmeister Master Builders
- MDF vs. Plywood — Differences, Pros and Cons, and When To Use What
- What is the difference between solid wood and MDF cabinet doors …
- Episode 11 – Wood vs. MDF – YouTube
You’ll find this choice come up in all the following applications:
- Baseboards
- Trim
- Cabinets
- Interior Doors
- Shelves
- Coffered Ceilings
- Window and Door Casings
- And, much more
In the end, I think it comes down to expense and personal choice. Wood is expensive but it you like the feel of wood, the natural imperfections, the painted texture, and the heft, go for it. If you want a modern high performing building material, MDF is fine.
We went with MDF as I like the precision of it, the thermal characteristics, the look of painted MDF, the lack of imperfections, the higher weight, the sound deadening properties, the achievable architectural sizes, the consistent quality of the surfaces, and of course, the cost.
We did use wood wherever we would get better performance/detail, particularly in humid environments, trim work, ceiling details, cabinet faces, etc.