MDF Ggrrrrrr!

[hanser]

Hi Guys

I'm in the process of DIYing some built in bedroom wardrobes for home.....4 doors plus the quarter doors above. Framed and faced with MR MDF. Inset 'Shaker style' doors are 22 mm MR MDF with a slotted in 6 mm MDF panel. The build has gone ok until now. Taking off the doors pre paint I've realised that the MDF is 'fine' splitting where the hinge screws (3's x 20mm Gold) are inserted.

Perhaps I was optimistic that the MDF would take small screws sawn edge on? Any ideas other than drilling out and glueing in/trimming 100 s/wood dowels? It's a lot of dowels #-o

 

[chippy1970]

Dont blame the MDF

You should never screw in the edge of MDF it will always split even if you pre drill. One way you can do it is to drill thru the sheet and glue in wooden dowels which you can screw into securely but I wouldnt myself I would use the correct hinges either blum type concealed or flush hinges that have the crank in them so you dont have to edge screw them.

 

[Karl]

Until recenly i'd have agreed with you Chris.

But Jake posted over on WWUK about the screws he was using for carcass jointing, without pre-drilling and no splitting of the MDF. Much brow raising later, he posted a pic of the screws into MDF end grain, copied below (hope he doesn't mind)

Anyway, for further info, the thread is here.

Cheers

Karl

 

[petermillard]

Agree with Karl, Spax MDF screws are very good, but only available in a limited number of sizes. Also agree with Chris - don't blame the MDF I've found that MDF can take small screws into the 'end grain' just fine, but 3mm x 20mm screws aren't long enough - if you must use 3mm screws (flush hinges?) then I've found 3x30 or 3x40 to work well without splitting provided you pre-drill.

Cheers, Pete

 

[RogerP]

Even if you get screws to take into the end of MDF without splitting the fixing will surely be fairly weak so are they going to last over time?

 

[hanser]

Thanks for the replies. Live and learn!

Off to get a couple of lengths of dowel this morning and I'll experiment a bit on how best to cleanly drill out the screw holes without further splitting the edge MDF.

 

[Chrispy]

If you pinch the MDF with a small G-cramp where you are putting the screws and drill a pilot hole and use longer screws than normal it can work OK.
I would do the same when drilling and knocking in the dowels as well

 

[hanser]

Chris - more good advice. Thanks.

 

[M4RKE]

What i have done in the past is to rout a half inch slot in the back of the door and insert a piece of hardwood that is half inch thick this is glued in and will give you a good fixing