MDF vs. HDF: Which to Choose?

MDF vs. HDF: Which to Choose?

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If you choose the wrong board, your project is eventually doomed to failure. Using the right material for the job is the difference between your work lasting a lifetime or falling apart within weeks.

This article will talk about MDF and HDF. Continue reading to find out which – if either – of the two materials is best suited for your project.

MDF and HDF (Hardboard): The Basics

Before jumping into the differences, let’s look at the materials more closely.

What Is MDF?

MDF is an acronym for medium-density fiberboard. As a material, it is considered to be a type of engineered wood. Many carpenters, joiners, and cabinet makers use MDF in their work. However, it is very different from natural timber.

It cannot be grown like timber. Instead, a factory manufactures the material. Two main ingredients make MDF, wood fiber and resin. The wood fiber is very fine. Like dust, it gets compacted down into the dimensions of a board. The resin is mixed with the wood fiber to bond it as a board.

The manufacturing process result is a medium-strength board that is very easy to work with. MDF is highly stable and doesn’t move with grain because there is no grain. A board cuts and shapes easily. A standard sheet is 8’x4’, but boards come in a variety of different sizes and thicknesses.

There are standard boards of MDF, as well as more specialized products. For example, a moisture-resistant MDF board stands up much better against water. People often use the moisture-resistant MDF in vanity units, bathrooms, and around sinks.

Pigmented MDF is used to provide a uniform finishing color. Rather than the standard brown of ordinary MDF, the manufacturers mix wood dust with a color pigment. The pigment turns the entire board into a color, such as green, red, yellow, orange, black, and grey.

What Is HDF?

HDF has many similarities to MDF, which are discussed in more detail later in this article. An acronym again, HDF stands for high-density fiberboard, and people also refer to HDF as hardboard.

HDF is also a manufactured material. To create an HDF board, wood chips and pulp get pressed together under heat, and the chips bond together to form a board using resin and glue.

The wood chips and fibers are usually offcuts and waste from wood milling. The boards are stable, and they resist expansion and contraction under heat. However, moisture will damage the board’s integrity severely.

Similarities of MDF and HDF

There are many similarities between MDF and HDF. This section will explain the crossover between the two board types.

1. Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing of MDF and HDF is very similar – they are both engineered wood products. Both processes involve compressing wood fibers and binding them with resin. The result is a board of set dimensions that is repeatable again and again.

2. Offgassing

The resin used to bond the boards together offgases. Unfortunately, one of the critical elements of the bonding resin is formaldehyde.

Exposure to formaldehyde in large amounts is a health risk. As a result, it should be avoided as much as possible. However, formaldehyde is commonly used throughout the building industry.

3. Material Dimension

One of the positive points of both MDF and HDF is the material’s uniformity. Because the boards are made in a factory, the sizes are repeatable and standard across manufacturers.

The most common board size is 8’x4’. However, thicknesses vary dramatically, usually between ¼ inch to 1 inch. Custom board sizes and thicknesses are available, but a manufacturer has to make them specifically.

4. Usage

HDF and MDF are suitable for a lot of projects. In some circumstances, both boards are acceptable to construct with. For example, cabinets, worktops, and some furniture components use both types of board.

5. Veneering

A veneer is frequently used to cover MDF and HDF. It gives a nicer finish and disguises the board, often with higher quality material. Wood veneers, such as oak, ash, maple, walnut, and sapele are all available – amongst many other wood species.

A veneer doesn’t just improve the look of a board; it protects the substrate from moisture.

6. Moisture Resistance

Both materials have a weakness to moisture, and continual exposure to water or humidity causes the boards to lose integrity and shape. Neither material will resist water for long. However, HDF lasts slightly longer.

Differences Between MDF and HDF

Despite the similarities between the two materials, there are some key differences. We’ll talk about these more in the section below.

1. Base Timber Ingredients

The fundamental difference between MDF and HDF is the base ingredient. There is only one difference: the size of wood fibers used. Fine dust creates MDF, larger wood chips make HDF.

The different base material creates all the other differences between the two board types.

2. Cutting and Shaping

Both types of board cut easier than many naturally grown timbers. However, when comparing the two, MDF is easier to cut because it is less dense.

Standard saws and cutting tools will work effectively on MDF and HDF. However, the resin can blunt and chip blades. To counter this, some professionals have a set of blades and chisels specifically for cutting and shaping engineered wood boards.

3. Appearance

Standard MDF is a uniform brown color. Although, pigmented MDF is available, which comes in a range of colors. HDF, on the other hand, has a non-uniform pattern. The wood chips are visible and create unique patterns across the surface.

4. Texture

MDF is smoother to touch. The finer particles in MDF make a less rough surface than HDF.

5. Strength

In general, HDF is considered stronger than MDF. The difference in strength is because the larger wood fibers in HDF are denser than the dust of MDF.

6. Price

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, prices of all materials have increased dramatically. Traditionally, MDF is cheaper than HDF, this should still be the case, but in some areas, supply and demand have distorted the usual pricing.

7. Usage

MDF is better suited to shaping than HDF. However, HDF withstands more handling and movement. For example, coving and molding are better to shape in MDF than HDF. On the other side, HDF is a more robust choice for a tabletop.

MDF vs. HDF: Which Should You Use?

The material depends on what your project is and how much budget you have. In situations where you don’t have to use HDF, use MDF. Switching HDF for MDF lowers the cost you spend on materials. For a DIY project, this means you can save more. For professionals, this creates a more significant profit margin.

If what you make is repeatedly used, moved, or in contact with people, the stronger HDF is a better option. However, if you need a lighter material that must be shaped, MDF is better. For uniform color, consider a pigmented MDF. It can give a sleek, modern finish.

Furthermore, if you will paint your project, MDF gets a better finish because the surface is smoother. Unless absolutely necessary, cabinets are usually created from MDF over HDF. This is because the material is lighter, cheaper, and can be finished to a higher standard.

How Can You Tell MDF and HDF Apart?

At a glance, it is sometimes challenging to tell MDF and HDF apart. However, MDF is smoother than HDF and the surface is nicer to touch. If you feel HDF, you will feel the chips. As standard, HDF is thinner than MDF, but that also depends on the board’s thickness.

Summary

MDF and HDF are excellent construction materials. Versatile, stable, and relatively cheap, MDF and HDF are used worldwide. People often think of the boards as wood, but this is not strictly true. They are wood products manufactured by humans, not grown, creating a predictable and reliable material. However, the boards can be ugly and weak compared to natural timber.