Our cabinetmaker said the same thing, though for slightly different reasons---the MDF panels apparently just take paint better than maple does in general. He uses solid wood for stained cabinets and MDF for painted, though we had the option of either for the same price. We stuck with his recommendation, but don't have them yet, so can't say much on that front...

Thanks, artemis78. If the cabinets are ever refinished/repainted, does the MDF sand down just like solid wood? Do you think it's "inferior" quality???

What do others think???

When my Mom did her kitchen we visited one custom shop and they used MDF centre panels for the same reason your cabinet maker told you. Some companies do offer all MDF doors (Cabico for one) for painted finishes. If you were changing the finish you wouldn't sand them back to the substrate anyway so it shouldn't have any impact on refinishing them.

MDF - Medium Density Fiberboard
Medium density fiberboard, or MDF, is a composite wood product similar to particleboard. It's made out of wood waste fibers glued together with resin, heat, and pressure. MDF is appropriate for many applications, from cabinetry to moulding, because it is smooth, uniform, and won't warp.

MDF has many advantages over plank wood, particleboard, or high density fiberboard. It's very smooth because the wood fibers used in its manufacture are uniform and fine. This makes it have low "tear out," which means that when sawed, the end has a smooth cut instead of a jagged edge. This also means that a coat of primer and a couple of coats of paint take well, leaving an attractive, finished surface unlike other composite wood products. MDF also has a mild reaction to moisture, meaning it won't warp or swell in high-humidity applications like a bathroom cabinet.

here are some old links

http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/wood/msg0422465719842.html?7

http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg052132034578.html?16

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg11121915306.html

Thank you all for the information. Is the MDF door panel what you would recommend for me?

My hubby is a cabinetmaker. Over the years he has worked with both solid wood and MDF door panels. He is currently (finally!) building our cabinets and using MDF confidently and without hesitation.

Just like Jdesign above said there are many high end custom cabinet companies that use MDF for thier door panels. It is the exception to have solid wood panels for paint grade panels.. not the other way around.

~ D ~

Thank you all for your wonderful feedback and advice. I feel confident now that I should go with MDF panels.

In my last house I had reversed raised panel doors because I wanted wood.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what are reversed raised panel doors? Does this solve the problem with the panel and frame gaping as would expands and contracts?

Haha Kharamarie I had to ask my DH what that meant also. So you are not alone in your ignorance :)

See the link below that shows an example of one..

~ D ~

Here is a link that might be useful: Reversed Raised Panel Door...

As a cabinet maker and finisher I would like to share my experience and home owners opinion. As a finisher I love mdf. It gives me a flawless grain less uniform finish. As a cabinet maker I prefer not to work with mdf. Cutting and sanding creates a lot of dust. Now for my opinion as a home owner: I might go for the mdf doors on wall cabinets, but I would not go for mdf in base cabinets. The primary reason is water. Your dishwasher, sink, ets all use water. Liquid gets spilled on counter tops then falls on the doors... When mdf encounters water it swells. It does not take much water to swell. Furthermore I would not use 2 different materials between base cabinets and wall cabinets because the grain or absence of grain will show thru the pigmented lacquer. So now we are back to a good quality plywood with veneer. Best of both worlds.

As a cabinet maker and finisher as well I have to disagree to a point. Regular MDF may swell when exposed to water but I wouldn’t and don’t ever use standard MDF. There are water resistant and ”water proof” versions available that can be soaked in a bucket of water overnight without any effect. I use “Medex” which is widely available here in LA.