What is the difference between Particle Board and MDF?

[Lorrie]

I'm just wondering what the differences are between particle board and MDF?  MDF is more expensive and I was wondering why.  What applications would you use them differently? I'm a beginner woodworker and thought that you could help me understand the difference so that I can purchase the right material for the projects.  I'm always looking to save money. . .  any help you can give will be much appreciated.  Thank You.

[Rick]

Jay that's a good thing!

Appreciate all the time you spend posting.

Jay Boutwell said:

Been doing this for better that 25 years and the only trouble is that once you get me talking about woodworking I can't shut up.
 

[Jay Boutwell]

Thank you Rick, I just hope others learn something from my experience.  I don't mind the time it takes to do all the posting just as long as some one gets something from it  The recent post have been geared to using the pocket hole jig and sleds to make angles and can be applied to many other applications using the same principals. 
 
Rick said:

Jay that's a good thing!

Appreciate all the time you spend posting.

Jay Boutwell said:

Been doing this for better that 25 years and the only trouble is that once you get me talking about woodworking I can't shut up.
 

[james wilhelm]

Yes  JAY , keep talking about wood working , you are appreciated by many of the wood workers on this site and always there to help any one when needed , thanks for sharing your know how on wood working  !!!

[Rick]

MDF looks like fluffed up cotton before it is compressed.  IIRC it starts out almost 2 foot thick.  MDF is a great paint surface. 

Regarding water resistance, the edges are the most vulnerable, but a glass of ice water laid on bare MDF will quickly wrinkle and ruin the surface.  That's why MDF should always be finished. 

MDF even makes a decent workbench if the edges are protected with wood and the surface finished with 2-3 coats of poly. 

Even a coat of Seal Coat shellac on MDF is better than leaving it exposed.

[Lorrie]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the input.  If I decide to go with the MDF I will make sure that I protect the surface with Poly and put the wood around the edges.  I appreciate all of the comments I'm getting from the website.  It helps us beginners understand things better.  Have a great day!

[Doug Harmon]

I don't use either one  . they are made from sawdust pieces of wood ,glue   and pressed together with heat

 they will not hold up to moister they will fall apart screws will come out.   if the project is worth building use a good grade of birch or maple plywood.  these two will perform nicely.

[Rick]

I hear you Doug, but when veneering or laminating, MDF and PB are actually better substrates, and at a fraction of the cost.

Doug Harmon said:

I don't use either one  . they are made from sawdust pieces of wood ,glue   and pressed together with heat

 they will not hold up to moister they will fall apart screws will come out.   if the project is worth building use a good grade of birch or maple plywood.  these two will perform nicely.

[Doug Harmon]

rick  what u say is so true.  I will not use mdf or pb for any type of cabinetry and that covers all of my custom work.  now riddle me this batman mdf and pb do not hold up to moister but they make counter tops with em

/

[Rick]

Doug, a little irony?

I always use 2 coats of 1-2-3 primer / sealer around the sink and faucet cutouts, and above the DW.  But I can't tell you how many times I have run my fingers under the front of others' sinks, only to feel the PB deteriorating.

Good incentive to switch to granite, aye? 

Doug Harmon said:

 now riddle me this batman -- mdf and pb do not hold up to moisture, but they make counter tops with 'em

[Ken Darga]

Rick,

Have you ever used thinned down waterproof adhesive, to seal the exposed surfaces of particle board material?

[Ken Darga]

Jay,

Thanks for the tip on using "ROO glue".

[RichardB]

I have some shelves from Home Depot. The frame is heavy metal, but the shelves are either MDF or particle board. All the shelves that had any weight on them are all sagging. I've replaced most of them with pine boards. I wouldn't waste any more of my money on either of those products. They have no strength - weight/humidity/moisture is their enemy, and they cave far to easy.