Use of MDO in painted cabinet

[Rennie Heuer]

I'm building a couple of vanity cabinets for a customer. They've chosen a shaker style inset door/drawer configuration. These will be painted - sprayed, likely Target lacquer of some form.

My question pertains to the inset panel. The frames will be hard maple. Construction will be groove and stub tenon. The frame is 3/4" and my plan was to use 1/2" MDO for the panel because it takes paint well and can handle the humid environment.

Opinions?

 

[Jim DeLaney]

MDO ought to work great for that. It's intended for paint, and presents a nice, smooth surface.

 

[larry merlau]

what is mdo jim i have used mdf core plywood maple venerr and it ws was fine but not this mdo stuff

 

[Rennie Heuer]

Actually, my supplier recommended, and I have ordered, a product they call "platform". It is a wood veneer core with 1/16" MDF veneer. Good screw holding capabilities because of the wood core, super flat and smooth paintable surface. At $47 a 4 x 8x 1/2" sheet it seems reasonably priced to.

 

[Jim DeLaney]

what is mdo jim i have used mdf core plywood maple venerr and it ws was fine but not this mdo stuff

It's Medium Density Overlay. It's used a lot by highway departments, and others, for outdoor signs It's essentially exterior grade plywood with a rosin paper coating on it.

 

[Don Baer]

It's Medium Density Overlay. It's used a lot by highway departments, and others, for outdoor signs It's essentially exterior grade plywood with a rosin paper coating on it.

I used to use it when I was making "A" frames for sign companies because once it is painted with a high gloss sign it makes the perfect background for sticking the printed vinyl.

 

[larry merlau]

thanks guys i have seen that jim with paper coating on top

 

[Ted Calver]

They also make an HDO (High Density Overlay), with a thicker rosin coating. It's not very common and more expensive than marine grade plywood. I wouldn't mind having a sheet to play with. Should be good for outdoor projects as long as you can keep the edges protected.

 

[fred hargis]

The MDO I've used wasn't truly dead flat across the surface, it have some minor waves that really stood out when painted for cabinets. I think the stuff you ordered will be much more smooth. (That said, I do like the MDO.) I've seen MDF covered ply, but never solid wood core....I wonder if that will have the normal wood movement (?).

 

[Rennie Heuer]

The MDO I've used wasn't truly dead flat across the surface, it have some minor waves that really stood out when painted for cabinets. I think the stuff you ordered will be much more smooth. (That said, I do like the MDO.) I've seen MDF covered ply, but never solid wood core....I wonder if that will have the normal wood movement (?).

I should have been more specific - sorry. The "platform" material has a wood veneer core.

 

[Rennie Heuer]

Here is the material I bought. Wood veneer core, mdf veneer face.
Looks like it will work quite well.

 

[Darren Wright]

Interesting material, I've seen mdf core with wood face, but not that way.