Expert: Kirk Ryan - 3/2/2008

Question
I can't make up my mind whether to go with white painted maple doors or white painted MDF doors.  They both look good in the show rooms I have been to. I'm worried about the joints showing in the future with wood.
Can you help?

Answer
A lot of people are making the switch to MDF. Its a big change in the furniture world. People are realizing its more environmental friendly.

I would recommend it if you can get away with it in the house. If it looks good with everything else in the room then why not? The problem is it looks a lot like real wood, but will never really be real wood. Can you see any grain in the MDF or is it just solid white?

MDF tends to be easier to manage and clean. Wood tends to need to be treated more.