Carpentry and Woodworking - MDF vs Plywood
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02-15-01, 08:55 PM
Hello all,
First (an second) question from a short time lurker...
I am planning an entire shelf system that will go in my dry basement. Even though it is dry I plan to seal the bottom ends so the occasional 'weeping' from the floor does not penetrate the wood. I am planning on using 3/4" oak laminated MDF or plywood for the project. Each shelf will be dadoed into the side pieces, and supported in front with 1-1/2 inch hardwood rails. Each shelf will be 24" wide and 16" deep.
I want the shelves to be able to support reasonably heavy weight (say 15lbs each) without any sag, and most importantly I want the entire project to still look good in 10 years, when we sell the house.
My first question is whether MDF will be ok, or should I use plywood? Second question is what to use to seal the bottom ends of the side panels?
TIA
Joe
First (an second) question from a short time lurker...
I am planning an entire shelf system that will go in my dry basement. Even though it is dry I plan to seal the bottom ends so the occasional 'weeping' from the floor does not penetrate the wood. I am planning on using 3/4" oak laminated MDF or plywood for the project. Each shelf will be dadoed into the side pieces, and supported in front with 1-1/2 inch hardwood rails. Each shelf will be 24" wide and 16" deep.
I want the shelves to be able to support reasonably heavy weight (say 15lbs each) without any sag, and most importantly I want the entire project to still look good in 10 years, when we sell the house.
My first question is whether MDF will be ok, or should I use plywood? Second question is what to use to seal the bottom ends of the side panels?
TIA
Joe