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My MDF kitchen countertop

JFink | Posted in Photo Gallery on January 29, 2007 11:25am

I first wanted cherry for the countertop on my kitchen island, but I don’t have the money to spend right now. I decided to mock something up out of MDF, to use as a temporary countertop…truth is, I’m not sure that I will be changing it….

Perks:

– Cost me less than $50

– Flat and stable

– Can be dyed to different colors (within reason)

– Cost me less than $50

– I was able to get the shape of whole island out of one 4×8 sheet (though it’s doubled up for the 1.5 inch thickness) – that means no seams

– Cost me less than $50

I know it’s not very conventional, but I think it’s going to make a nice little island countertop once it’s all done.

Photos here are after application of the second coat of polyurethane – it’s still wet and blotchy.

View Image

 

View Image

Justin Fink – FHB Editorial

Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator


Edited 1/29/2007 3:26 pm ET by JFink

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  1. emmetnee | Jan 29, 2007 11:34pm | #1

    Besides looking really good, it has all the benifits you mentioned. Definitely worth considering.

  2. CAGIV | Jan 29, 2007 11:36pm | #2

    definatly is un-convential, I'll be interested to hear the long term durability.

    Have you thought about making a CC countertop?

     

    Team Logo

    1. FHB Editor
      JFink | Jan 29, 2007 11:39pm | #3

      I assume cc stands for cast concrete?

      I've thought about it, but really only in passing. Seems like it would be moderately expensive...but I'm not sure how much?

      Justin Fink - FHB Editorial

      Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator

      Edited 1/29/2007 3:42 pm ET by JFink

      1. rasher | Jan 29, 2007 11:57pm | #4

        Don't ever get it wet or you'll be sorry.
        I did my cabinet doors and drawer front out of clear poly finished MDF and five years later, the doors over the range, around the DW, and under the sink need to be replaced due to moisture infiltration and swelling. We'll be going with plyboo (as soon as the rest of the house is done) when we do get around to replacing...

        1. FHB Editor
          JFink | Jan 30, 2007 12:07am | #5

          How many coats of finish? If you did a floating panel in the door, was that finished before being inserted into the frame? I understand that it's necessary to plan for the worst, but several coats of poly seems like a pretty good waterproofer...especially on something like a door that doesn't get a lot of hard surface wear and tear. Justin Fink - FHB Editorial

          Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator

          1. User avater
            observer | Jan 30, 2007 12:18am | #7

            If memory serves me, you can boost to about 75 to 80% waterproof with 3 coats of epoxy resin. Best you can do with varnish type finishes is the 50% range.Looks good, just make sure you never scratch the finish or wear it thin anywhere.

          2. FHB Editor
            JFink | Jan 30, 2007 12:30am | #9

            Where did you get these figures from, out of curiosity?Justin Fink - FHB Editorial

            Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator

          3. User avater
            observer | Jan 30, 2007 01:16am | #11

            An old issue of FWW I think, about 12 or 15 years back. Faint memory tells me they were in an article about finish durability and protectiveness. The figures were useful to me so stuck in my mind.

          4. User avater
            IMERC | Jan 30, 2007 08:12am | #19

            do the underside too....

            the dishwasher will raise havoc with it if you're not careful...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

            WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

      2. joeh | Jan 30, 2007 04:15am | #15

        Don't you guys have a library around there?

        Look up some of the old concrete counter top articles in FHB, or maybe have a look at that book you sell on the same subject?

        Less that $50 should get you a nice countertop from concrete.

        Good practice too.

        Joe H

        And let me add, a good trick for your resume. You're trying to make a living as a remodler I think? Concrete counter top maker is a skill worth having. You can use the rejects for stepping stones.

        Edited 1/29/2007 8:17 pm by JoeH

        1. stevent1 | Jan 30, 2007 04:36am | #16

          Justin,

          You can use Medite, or Medex MDF. We used it in hospitals. We ran a test and put an 8X10 scrap in a 5 gallon bucket of water for 3 months. No cahnge. Kind of pricey but we used it under PLAM in substerile locations in hospitals.

           

          Chuck S.live, work, build, ...better with wood

        2. ponytl | Jan 30, 2007 05:55am | #18

          I'd guess under $100 for materials for concrete...  alot more work... but... i happen to like working with concrete...

          a few tips... might take some dumpster dive'n....  I really like lexan for my forms... i can get concrete as smooth as marble using waxed lexan... look for old sign faces in sign companies dumpsters..... i cut it in strips for the edges  you can get great shapes with a little heat to bend it... you'll have to back it up with wood...

          buy type I portand, i prefer white but depending on the color you want... grey can work just as well...  anything that will tint latex paint... will tint concrete.... iron oxide works, lamp black,  ect...   i use what they refer to as "golf course sand" very white and very fine... i try to keep my rock down to anything below 1/2... i use a very rich mix...  by weight... 1 part portland  2 parts dry sand  2 parts rock  should get you in the ball park...  clean water and keep the mix on the dry side... so dry that you really want to add more water... but don't....  a cheap (under $10) jig saw from harbor freight makes a great vibrator (for the concrete not the... )

          we cast alot.... just got 25 tons of  super fine white sand today....   weird when you get excited about the quality of san you got....

          p

  3. Piffin | Jan 30, 2007 12:08am | #6

    Nice shape, but the drawback is that unless you used MEDEX exterior rated MDF, it will disolve on you when it gets wet.
    I have done countertops with Medex that hold up fine, mine included, under laminate and a customers, under stainless teel

    so triple seal all edges and faces of that nice shape there.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. FHB Editor
      JFink | Jan 30, 2007 12:26am | #8

      I should have mentioned that, at worst, it's a temporary countertop. I figure if it really goes south on me, I can get the cherry, glue it up, then use the MDF countertop as my template for the new cherry replacement - it will act as a router guide and all...

      by the way, I got the how-to for marking/cutting the ellipse from Mike Slogatt's Master Carpenter a few issues back - really terriffic info on that one if you have't had a chance to read it yet. Justin Fink - FHB Editorial

      Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator

      1. Piffin | Jan 30, 2007 01:14am | #10

        Take a scrap of that MDF, wet it good a few times, and then imagine yourself using it for router guide material. 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  4. MSA1 | Jan 30, 2007 01:26am | #12

    You stole my idea. I did that about 2 years ago for a client patiently awaiting his granite (his cabinet order was really screwed up). I made mdf countertops with routed edges and put about 6 coats of poly on. The HO loved them. He wanted to keep them, of course the boss (DW) would not hear of it. The poly wore really well, the only problem I had was the seam by the sink was not sealed properly and did swell.

    To my credit however, these countertops were not supposed to be in service more than a month (ended up being there almost a year). Had I known they would be there that long I would have moved the seam.

    I'd post a pic of mine but when I press "attach files" nothing happens.



    Edited 1/29/2007 5:28 pm ET by MSA1

  5. User avater
    bp21901 | Jan 30, 2007 01:32am | #13

    12 years ago we put a piece of old laminate on top of our island cabinet while SWMBO decided on what kind of top she wanted. Its still there and since it is covered by a table cover all the time nobody notices. Ours was less than the $50 limit you set, it was free!

    I guess its days are numbered because the next kitchen project is a double wall oven and gas cooktop on that island.

  6. kayaker | Jan 30, 2007 02:38am | #14

    Looks darn good for a temp top.  The common run of the mill mdf that I get is very durable (I hate to admitt)  Threw a scrap piece off the end of a skirt board in the front yard of the job and about one month and a dozen rains latter had swelled about a 1/16 th at best.

  7. IdahoDon | Jan 30, 2007 05:14am | #17

    That's also a great way to model/mock up all sorts of things that are hard to visualize, or that have to be used a bit in order to decide on the final shape.

    On almost every job we'll end up with a MDF counter top, built in mock up, or some other architectural detail made from the fake wood.

    Love it or hate it, MDF is awfully handy and dirt cheap.

    Good building

     

    Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.

  8. User avater
    zak | Jan 30, 2007 09:00am | #20

    I like it.  It's got a  nice shape, and hey, it's only $50.  What's to lose.

    Did you consider baltic birch?  I made a nice laundry counter of 3/4" Baltic birch, doubled up on the edge, and rounded over. Picture isn't that great (click on it), but you get the idea:

    View Image

    zak

    Hmmm. . . can't get the link working.  Maybe later I'll feel up to it.  First, dinner.

    "When we build, let us think that we build forever.  Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin

    "so it goes"

     



    Edited 1/30/2007 1:03 am by zak

  9. tek | Jan 30, 2007 05:22pm | #21

    That's awesome.  It looks exactly like a poker table I made for New Years Eve a few years back, ellipse and all.  The cards slide nice and easy on the MDF.

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