Tell yourself that MDF is wood--little particles of wood that have been subjected to extreme pressure. Like molecules of carbon that become diamonds, when subjected to extreme pressure. ;)

What MG said ;-) And will shrink and contract less than "real" wood leading to fewer gaps for your paint to crack...

Ya, but that's the problem (can you hear the whine in my voice). I love the gaps and cracks - cause it's wood. I look at my friend's perfect island and I can admire it, but I wouldn't want its plasticy presence in my own home. I want a living breathing piece of furniture that will bleed sap when I bang my heavy pot against the edge of its drawer - not cave and crumble (okay, that was a bit melodramatic).

Remember, I'm the one with marble in her old bathroom and who is currently planning on using the eminently stainable cement floor tiles. I also prefer a hand painted finish over factory. I think i may be living on the wrong continent. Or maybe/probably I'm just contrary.

Can you ask him to build the boxes, then order the drawer fronts from Scherrs, or another company? I know how you feel. We have some closet doors that are MDF. While they were being built the guy offered to spray paint them for us, if we wanted the same paint that he was using on another project. As it happened, I loved the color, so we accepted. When they arrived, I found out the paint was actually a lacquer--it looked factory finished, and he was very proud of his work. But it looks kind of like plastic or melamine.

I painted my kitchen cabinets myself, to make sure that they looked hand painted, with brush strokes visible. You're not living on the wrong continent--you and I are living in the wrong century.

So, like MG said, the plasticy feel really has more to do with the paint finish than the mdf. A hand painted finish wont feel like that, whether it is on mdf or pine.

i insisted on "real" wood trim that I knew I would be painting in my parents apartment (my parents have an apartment in our home). Flash forward a couple of years and I have a bunch of cracks that look pretty crummy. Now I am going to have to recaulk and repaint. Should have just done the mdf. Sigh.

I wil go downstairs in a bit and try to get a picture for you. We live in Seattle, so very humid in the winter. I understand climate does affect how bad the cracks will be. And, of course, you should do what makes you happy! Just letting you know my experience.

Maybe we should examine why you think wood , would be better?

Why do you think this ?

Based on what?

Are you one to worry that a lot of your car is made of plastic?

Have any clothing made out of synthetic ? Why? Everyone knows that cotton , wool, and silk are the best materials and natural ones to boot. Does that worry you ?

I think I just have this prejudice against man-made materials. Like you weaver, I used real wood when I redid some of the trim in our 100 year old home (previous owners had taken out the original wide mouldings in the kitchen and replaced with narrow). I love the cracks. But the guy that redid our bathroom used MDF to do the same thing and the bottom got wet and swelled up. The swelling in the bathroom moulding probably doesn't look any worse than the cracks in the kitchen wood, but I find it really disgusting.

Looking in my closet, most of my clothing is cotton, wool, silk, etc. I drive a volvo (still some plastic, but it feels like a tank), my sofa is slipped in linen and my rugs are all jute or wool and kitchen floor is cork. Sooooo, I guess not too surprising that my psyche is wood and not MDF.

MG, I think you're right about the wrong century thing. Growing up, my parents bought most of our furniture at antique stores or auctions and refinished it themselves. Probably where I got the appreciation of real wood from. Glad to know I'm not the only one who likes the brush marks.

I am tempted to just do what's easiest and go for the MDF. It's just I know I'll never afford another one and really want it to be something I love. Our last island was ruined, but I built it myself from solid wood and had a carpenter who really loves wood make the top (he spent an hour explaining to me how he did every step). I think I'll spend at least another week looking for different options before I give in.

I completely agree with you daisychain and that's why I have real wood blinds and shutters instead of faux-fake ones. I didn't care that they were heavier or more expensive and DH didn't need to know.

Keep looking - there has to be a way of doing this. Are there any custom carpenters that you can get in touch with for some ideas?

I just got off of craigslist. I was looking for Quartersawn Oak furniture and saw an early 1900s bed and dresser in perfect condition for $400. I'm not sure what you mean by appreciation for real wood, though!!! ;) ;)

Here's a nice natural wood stair tread. That stuff grows on trees, you know.

Our cabinet insides are MDF but the fronts and doors are maple, stained. I rarely think about the insides being MDF, but I see and appreciate the maple every day. However, I think that's because it is stained. If it were painted I'm not sure I would care if it were wood or MDF. I think the suggestion to have the carpenter make the box of MDF and then have real wood doors is a good one.

We like what we like. I am firmly in the "real" wood camp and would never pay good money for MDF anything...don't like it, don't want it, don't care it it's better.

Lots of 200 year old wooden furniture, no 200 year old MDF furniture. QED.

Seriously, I do use some MDF for throwaway pieces I make, it does take a nice paint finish, machines well, and is (relatively) cheap. It's a nice stable substrate for veneer. It's also heavy, smells bad, makes godawful dust when you work with it, does not hold mechanical anchors like screws well, and shows no evidence of having a half-life of anything like solid wood in use.

I really wouldn't ever make drawer boxes from MDF-- they are subject to a lot of twisting force and I've had many joints in such drawers fail. Solid wood with dovetails or baltic birch plywood with a lock joint hold up way better. You can argue for making the cabinet boxes from MDF, it seems to be OK for that. For the slight difference in price vs plywood I'd rather not put up with the dust in making them and the weight in horsing them around to get them made and installed.

Oh Sophie, you're so funny.

Preferring MDF over wood is like preferring Cheetos over a Tortilla that mama ground by hand and cooked for you over a fire.

Only an idiot of a craftsman will allow wood to warp like that potato-chip stair winder.

Casey

Maybe it was all of the cheap Sauder-type furniture we had as newlyweds - screws were always falling out, veneer peeling off. We vowed to buy only solid wood when we could afford it.

Have you asked this cabinet maker if he would make your item without using MDF? Or, limit MDF to large box and door panels? Have a good discussion about this with him before you go hunting for other options.

Give the guy a fair opportunity to address your concerns before giving up on that route

Thanks everyone!

I did ask him what the cost would be for wood and it was 50% more. I was considering it, but he also said that he then wouldn't guarantee his work.

I spent two hours today at a different place and am soooo happy. I'd been there before but got a different person this time and she was much more helpful (she owns the shop and has been a designer for 20 years). It will be done in all wood and she came up with a slightly different island plan than my designer had drawn that I think will work better. Very relieved!

Why do people gripe about MDF but LOVE composite quartz countertops?

Sombreuil - yeah,,.. but iit's not Mama building the "solid" wood cab, it's some Joe, who's likely to burn that tortilla...