Staining mdf

[Framer]

I'm thinking about seeing if you can put stain on mdf. My girlfriend asked if it could be done and I guess it can,just unsure of results. Any advice would be appreciated

[Roberta Moreton]

I think this. Stain is wet. MDF swells when wet. Maybe if you just did the front... I am sure I would try on scrap first. No real help, I know. Just thinking out loud. 

[SCROLLSAW703]

Why waste your time? Even if you put on a surface coat first, it's just going to keep soaking up the stain coat after coat, until you eventually saturate the sawdust with enough stain until it won't take anymore.

Remember, MDF is nothing more than pressed sawdust & glue. If your frame wasn't overly big, you might try dipping it, face down in your stain, and just let it set awhile. Then take it out, wipe it down good & let it air dry. That brings up another question of whether or not it would ever dry. I have my doubts, but if you hang it, & wipe it dry every so often, ya might have half a chance of it dryin'. My experience with it hasn't been good. And I live in Kansas where the air DRY!

Edited August 15, 2018 by SCROLLSAW703

[oldhudson]

I know there is wide disagreement about mdf among SSV members. I find it useful and and easy to work with for some projects. I would never try to stain it, but  It will seal and paint nicely.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

The question is what look are you going for??  Whatever you do it will be bland because there is no grain to absorb the stain to make it different shades along the piece. You would be better painting it. If you want to try staining use a gel stain and not an oil stain. There are people who will take a comb and run it through after stained or a wire brush to give lines and texture. Can do this with paint as well.

[Rockytime]

I have MDF finished one side left over from making work benches. It's white one side and would work well for painting.

[John B]

The density of the MDF plays a big part MdF =  "Medium Density Fibreboard" However this can vary. The higher density board takes stain quite well, if it is prepared and sanded down to about 360g.  Use a pigment stain, not a spirit stain and wipe it on and wipe it of. You can also condition the board by giving it a coat of shellac prior to staining,. If it is only small pieces, the average person wouldn't know it was MDF, however as others have said, larger pieces do not have the grain variation of timber.