Wood or MDF for skirting and architraves?

[u587162]

What are the deciding factors to take into account when thinking about using either wood or or MDF for architraves and skirting?

 

[foxhole]

If you are painting then mdf is cheaper, more forgiving of errors as it can be filled [and quicker if pre-primed].

 

[u587162]

From a quality looking perspective, if it is going to be painted white, do you think it still looks better? I suppose with MDF you can also do mouldings or designs etc compared with wood. But do they chip or break a lot more easily than wood?

 

[Diver Fred]

In todays market MDF skritings and architraves are thicker 7/8inch rather than 1/2inch. Otherwise both are as easy or hard to fit as each other. MDF is probably less water resistant.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

AFAIK most MDF skirtings and archis are 18mm (just under 3/4in) - not the 7/8in (22mm) you quote. In terms of moisture resistance, almost all the MDF skirting I've dealt with was MR-MDF which comes pre-primed (i.e. sealed). Once painted there appears to be little difference in the performance (durabiity) when compared to pine.

From a quality looking perspective, if it is going to be painted white, do you think it still looks better? I suppose with MDF you can also do mouldings or designs etc compared with wood. But do they chip or break a lot more easily than wood?

MDF will not take such a sharply detailed moulding as softwood, so it is less suited to really complex mouldings, however in today's market fairly simply designs are the norm and in that case I see no advantage for pine. The big plusses of MDF in installation are that it generally comes pre-primed, it has no defects (pine always has a few knots, etc in every piece which must be treated with patent knotting and/or filled) and it cuts without as mared spelching (even with a blunt blade). It is far easier to bend round curved bay windows, etc and easier to scribe to floors (by dint being more bendible) as well as giving a superior (smoother) painted finish to pine and moving far less with changes in the weather. The downside is that it generates more dust when cutting it with power tools. In service MDF stands up well to everyday use - why else would it be used so extensively for commercial jobs such as offices and hotels?