Wanna make new doors for kitchen cabs...

oilcan · 02-11-08, 12:53 AM

So, I'm gonna spruce up our little kitchen as a surprise for the

while she is out of town next week. Looking to paint the existing cabinets, and I am wondering the feasability of using 3/4" MDF to create new door/drawer fronts.

The current doors are quite dated and have a lot of grime, etc. on the edges, so don't want to spend a lot of time cleaning and prepping for paint. This kitchen is going to be torn out in 1.5-2 years when we add on, but want to make it nice in the mean time.

So will MDF work? Or will the screws pull out, or some other odd reason why it wouldn't work?

KLF · 02-11-08, 02:58 PM

Are you gonna route any type of shape on them? Or just make plain slabs?

I think it will be hard to keep the screws from pulling out. And make sure they don't get wet, cause they will swell up and fall apart.

oilcan · 02-11-08, 06:08 PM

I plan to just do a 1/4 round on the edges with a router, keep it simple. Also, I would think that priming and painting them would seal them up pretty good from any water. I use MDF base and trim all the time, but never have tried it in an application like this.

reffug · 02-12-08, 06:37 AM

It should be fine if its primed and painted, that should protect against any moisture.

monton · 02-12-08, 08:28 AM

It should work fine... pre-drill all screw holes and you will have no problem.

Creeker · 02-12-08, 11:28 AM

My Kitchen cabinet fronts are all painted MDF. They're about 14 yrs old now, and still look good. Cabinet fronts are made like panel doors - stiles and rails. Drawer fronts have a bead cut in about an inch from the top and the bottom. All holding up very well.

We did manage to chip the corner off of the bottom of one cabinet, but some glue and more paint and it was fine.

79fj40moneypit · 02-12-08, 09:39 PM

Mdf is good for alot of things I build custom mantels and raised panel wall systems with it, I have a trick when I put screws in mdf I drill and plug with hardwood dowels where I put the screws it works great!

oilcan · 02-13-08, 06:56 AM

drilling and plugging with dowels is an excellent idea. I did a little test run with the hinges that I want to use, and it all seemed to hold together very well.

FJ60Cam · 02-16-08, 08:34 PM

The wooden dowel sounds like a good trick. I had a cabinet shop make some MDF doors...they sent some specially sized plastic anchors for the holes. No problems with them.

rjcruiser · 02-26-08, 12:43 PM

The only issue with MDF is that the edges want to suck up the paint faster than the surface, unless you sand them down really smooth. I guess the white glue tape would work well to cover up the edge. Go for it.

oilcan · 03-03-08, 07:57 PM

So the MDF turned out much better than expected, using a sheet of 3/4" MDF, cutting to size and using a 1/2" roundover bit on the router table. For about $30 I updated the look of the cabinets, and the wife was pleasantly surprised.

I will post pics in a day or two, as I am still finding which programs need to be reloaded after rebooting the hard drive (photoshop comes to mind)

02-11-08, 12:53 AM	#1
oilcan IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Murray, UT Posts: 104	Wanna make new doors for kitchen cabs... So, I'm gonna spruce up our little kitchen as a surprise for the while she is out of town next week. Looking to paint the existing cabinets, and I am wondering the feasability of using 3/4" MDF to create new door/drawer fronts. The current doors are quite dated and have a lot of grime, etc. on the edges, so don't want to spend a lot of time cleaning and prepping for paint. This kitchen is going to be torn out in 1.5-2 years when we add on, but want to make it nice in the mean time. So will MDF work? Or will the screws pull out, or some other odd reason why it wouldn't work?

02-11-08, 02:58 PM	#2
KLF IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Southern NH Posts: 1,723	Are you gonna route any type of shape on them? Or just make plain slabs? I think it will be hard to keep the screws from pulling out. And make sure they don't get wet, cause they will swell up and fall apart. __________________ KB1OSF '87 Toyota xcab SR5 - SAS'd, stuff '98 Lexus ES300 '04 Toyota Highlander

02-12-08, 06:37 AM	#4
reffug grown up MOD Join Date: May 2004 Location: 'in dat der briar patch' TLCA# 14549 Posts: 4,133	It should be fine if its primed and painted, that should protect against any moisture. __________________ "If it wasn't a Landcruiser and hadn't been built the way it was you do realize you would be DEAD." VA State Police Officer

02-12-08, 08:28 AM	#5
monton IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 174	It should work fine... pre-drill all screw holes and you will have no problem. __________________ '89 HJ61 OME heavy heavy, 33x12.5 BFG muds, black beadlocks, blackout tint, 24 - 12 volt converter, Alpine stereo, alarmed, camping kit, custom rack... keep on keepin on.

02-12-08, 11:28 AM	#6
Creeker Drinking the Kool-aid Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Stony Creek, CT Posts: 160	My Kitchen cabinet fronts are all painted MDF. They're about 14 yrs old now, and still look good. Cabinet fronts are made like panel doors - stiles and rails. Drawer fronts have a bead cut in about an inch from the top and the bottom. All holding up very well. We did manage to chip the corner off of the bottom of one cabinet, but some glue and more paint and it was fine. __________________ '88 FJ62 - 12HT conversion, OME Lift, ARB front bumper, Roof Rack '04 Prius - stock '66 Pearson Commander - a hole in the water to throw money into. __________________________________________________ ________________________________________ "Dang me, dang me, oughtta take a rope and hang me..." Roger Miller

02-11-08, 06:08 PM	#3
oilcan IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Murray, UT Posts: 104	I plan to just do a 1/4 round on the edges with a router, keep it simple. Also, I would think that priming and painting them would seal them up pretty good from any water. I use MDF base and trim all the time, but never have tried it in an application like this.

02-12-08, 09:39 PM	#7
79fj40moneypit "rust never sleeps" Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: CT. Posts: 765	Mdf is good for alot of things I build custom mantels and raised panel wall systems with it, I have a trick when I put screws in mdf I drill and plug with hardwood dowels where I put the screws it works great! __________________ pat 79fj40 rebuild and 3B diesel conversion 85 fj60 gasser 00 Chevy 6.5 td 14' van 03 Camry 79 triumph T140 70 triumph T120Rt "It's a dogs life" aren't we all just dogs anyway? falfiles#19313FAL STG58 Aint no poodle shooter

02-13-08, 06:56 AM	#8
oilcan IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Murray, UT Posts: 104	drilling and plugging with dowels is an excellent idea. I did a little test run with the hinges that I want to use, and it all seemed to hold together very well.

02-16-08, 08:34 PM	#9
FJ60Cam IH8MUD Addict Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Memphis, TN TLCA# 16341 Posts: 873	The wooden dowel sounds like a good trick. I had a cabinet shop make some MDF doors...they sent some specially sized plastic anchors for the holes. No problems with them. __________________ Cameron Mosley '85 FJ60 - Daily Driver UNDER THE BRIDGE TOUR 2008 Last edited by werd; 08-20-08 at 11:08 AM. Reason: Sorry my gammar isn't that good...

02-26-08, 12:43 PM	#10
rjcruiser IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Covington GA Posts: 316	The only issue with MDF is that the edges want to suck up the paint faster than the surface, unless you sand them down really smooth. I guess the white glue tape would work well to cover up the edge. Go for it.

03-03-08, 07:57 PM	#11
oilcan IH8MUD Junior Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Murray, UT Posts: 104	So the MDF turned out much better than expected, using a sheet of 3/4" MDF, cutting to size and using a 1/2" roundover bit on the router table. For about $30 I updated the look of the cabinets, and the wife was pleasantly surprised. I will post pics in a day or two, as I am still finding which programs need to be reloaded after rebooting the hard drive (photoshop comes to mind)

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