Using MDF as cheap finished flooring
It's a temporary fix – not a long-term solution.
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) has a ton of useful applications, just as a finished flooring cloth? About five years agone, we needed a cheap "temporary" finished flooring solution in our upstairs, 1,200-sq.-ft. addition. MDF isn't as cheap as it was so, even so. Now it runs about $30 per sheet. The idea was to use MDF until we could afford something better (we called it our "five-year" flooring). Well, five years downwards the line (and no sign of new flooring in sight), hither'due south how the MDF is holding upward (photo below).
Nosotros've found that using cheaper materials is OK if you're prepared to put in A LOT more than labor to make them expect finished. That was definitely the case with the MDF floor. We glued and screwed down 4 x 8-ft. sheets of MDF throughout our living room, office, dining room and kitchen. We countersunk the screw heads but left them exposed (just you could fill them). Nosotros besides installed ½-in. aluminum channels betwixt the sheets for decorative purposes and to allow for expansion and contraction (we have radiant in-flooring heat). We sanded the floor and put three to 4 coats of polyurethane on it. If you choose to use MDF every bit flooring, shop effectually at different lumberyards and home centers. You'll find that it comes in many dissimilar shades of brown, yellow and tan.
Pros:
— Less expensive than other flooring materials.
— Easy to work with.
— Surprisingly stable and solid.
— Looks good, feels good underfoot and has held up improve than expected (peculiarly in the lower-traffic areas).
— Has a monolithic look like to concrete but with the warmth and softness of woods.
Cons:
— Emits potentially harmful fumes (until sealed).
— Swells after contact with water or oil (correct through many coats of sealer, so nosotros covered the kitchen MDF with cork a couple of years agone).
— Scratches easily (especially when you lot're scraping dining room chairs over it constantly).
Lessons learned:
— Every run of MDF is a different color and texture. Buy plenty the showtime fourth dimension to avoid variations.
— It was difficult to utilise the poly in identify. The MDF absorbed information technology unevenly and created an uneven cease. The side by side time effectually, we'd spray the sheets with at least one coat of sanding sealer to seal the pores earlier installation.
— Not good in high-traffic areas or where water will exist a trouble.
— Elisa Bernick, Associate Editor
For more ideas most how to install wood floor, cheque out these great stories:
– Install Prefinished Wood Flooring
– Installing Wood Flooring Over Concrete
Source: https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/using-mdf-as-cheap-finished-flooring/
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