Finishing MDF

[Sarge]

Hi Guy's

I have built a workshop cabinet and a large Mitre saw workbench of MDF and used pine edges on it. My problem now is how to seal it so it looks great but is also durable enough to withstand the treatment it will get in a workshop. I have used full gloss lacquer on some scrap MDF and it looks pretty good but I don't know how long it will last.

Whats the best way to finish this bench ???

[Wayne Davy]

My thought (and action) would be NOT to make the worksurface hard. The reason is that if you are working on a piece of soft wood you could easily damage the piece just by bumping it against the bench. If the bench is soft, this will be way less likely to happen.

[Eastie]

A product as fine as mdf deserves an equally good finish - how about a couple of coats of polyurethane ?

Alternatively shellac, especially U's hard shellac is great. A bench of mine has been treated with it and it's standing up to all sorts of punishment, inlcuding a metho spill and some harsh treatment with a copper and lead solvent.

[DaveInOz]

It is MDF and its a work bench in your shed. It will be scuffed and abused, spilled upon and beaten in frustration.

For something like that where looks are all important, I'd go for a french polish, and perhaps some brass fittings.

[Sarge]

Thanks for the advise guys.

Dave, the brass fittings do look good on my workbench but I'm not french polishing is the way to go, I think the very fine grain in MDF would look better with a different finish, but thanks for your advise anyway

[DaveInOz]

anytime Sarge

[knuckles]

A flamin good finish for MDF is to coat the entire surface liberally with mineral turpentine then whilst it is still damp put a match to it.

Works wonders with some people too. So I've been told

Knuckles

[Shane Watson]

While I somewhat share Knuckles sentiments. If your prepared to experiment, you can achieve some rather good faux finish's on MDF. A lot of people don't realise that most of the arms on lounge suites (even from places like Hardly Normal) are just Fauxed MDF.......
CHeers

[John Saxton]

Oh a... Faux Pas

[soundman]

In all seriousnedd chaps.
I have had good results with estipol sanding sealer with jet dry paving paint over.

hard wearing and reasonable looking particularly iff sprayed.

if its a general purpose workbench
estipol sanding sealer sanded with a bit of a wax rub.
the sanding sealer realy consolidates the surface and the wax stops you gluing things to it.

the above are polyeuathane based products.