MDF
MDF is a homogeneous engineered panel of refined wood fibre bonded with resin and hot-pressed to a dense, smooth-faced board, produced to ASTM D1554, EN 622-5 and GB/T 11718 in standard, high-density (HDF), low-density (LDF), moisture-resistant (MR) and fire-retardant (FR) grades.
Reference datasheet — MDF is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
MDF tempers and conditions
MDF is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Light / ultralight MDF | Choose for weight-critical or thick non-structural parts — display props, exhibition panels, model-making, lightweight case goods. | 12 | 0.09 W/m·K | |||
Fire-retardant MDF | Specify where reaction-to-fire class B-s1,d0 / GB 8624 B1 is required — shopfitting, public interiors, wall linings. | 15 | 0.13 W/m·K | |||
moisture-resistant, MUF resin, green-tinted | Use in humid interior service — kitchen/bath cabinetry, worktop cores, laundry furniture; still not for exterior exposure. | 19 | 0.13 W/m·K | |||
High-density fibreboard | Pick when you need maximum stiffness, edge-profile crispness and screw holding — laminate flooring cores, thin door skins, speaker baffles. | 25 | 0.16 W/m·K |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways MDF is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
STDDefault | Standard interior MDF | Standard supply |
What is MDF?
MDF is a homogeneous engineered panel of refined wood fibre bonded with resin and hot-pressed to a dense, smooth-faced board, produced to ASTM D1554, EN 622-5 and GB/T 11718 in standard, high-density (HDF), low-density (LDF), moisture-resistant (MR) and fire-retardant (FR) grades. At 0.75 g/cm³ with 18 MPa tensile strength, 3 GPa modulus, 0.12 W/m·K and a machinability score of 90, it routs and coats more predictably than plywood and suits profiled furniture parts, trim and enclosures. It has no grain direction but poor edge screw-holding, swells with moisture (durability score 20) and is limited to about 100 °C. Plywood is the alternative where stiffness or wet exposure matters. MDF has a density of 0.75 g/cm³ (0.0271 lb/in³), heavier than 65% of natural material grades. MDF has a tensile strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi), weaker than 55% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 3 GPa (0.435 Msi).
What is MDF used for?
- furniture
- cabinetry
- moulding and trim
- laminate flooring core
- speaker enclosures
Advantages
- Easy to machine — 90/100, better than 86% of natural material grades
Limitations
- Needs corrosion protection — 20/100, worse than 98% of natural material grades
- High embodied carbon — 0.85 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 76% of natural material grades
MDF properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
MDF has a density of 0.75 g/cm³ (0.0271 lb/in³), heavier than 65% of natural material grades.
Mechanical10
MDF has a tensile strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi), weaker than 55% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 3 GPa (0.435 Msi).
Thermal5
MDF is rated for continuous service to 100°C (212 °F). It conducts heat at 0.12 W/m·K (0.0693 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 70% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 8 µm/m·K (4.44 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
MDF is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 2.5 kV/mm (63.5 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10⁷ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is poor (20/100), worse than 98% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of MDF takes about 12 MJ of energy and emits 0.85 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability2
MDF's machinability is excellent (90/100, better than 86% of natural material grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Working with MDF
Is MDF easy to machine?
Machines like a soft isotropic solid — carbide or diamond-tipped router bits, high spindle speed and low feed give crisp profiles; the resin-laden dust is abrasive and respirable, so dust extraction and tool-life allowance are mandatory.
Can MDF be welded?
Not weldable; joints are made with PVA/PUR adhesive, dowels, confirmat screws or knock-down hardware, and screws into edges need pilot holes to avoid splitting.
Can MDF be formed, bent or molded?
Flat panels can be cold-formed only over large radii; use kerf-cutting, thin flexible MDF or postforming-grade panels for curves, and 3D-embossed doors are produced by membrane-press moulding of routed blanks.
MDF chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| urea-formaldehyde resinMUF/pMDI used for moisture-resistant and low-emission grades | 7 – 12 | 10 |
| paraffin wax emulsionhydrophobing agent | 0.4 – 1.5 | 0.9 |
| moistureequilibrium board moisture content as shipped | 4 – 9 | 6 |
| hardener / scavenger (ammonium salts, ur | 0.1 – 1 | 0.4 |
| fire-retardant salts (FR grade only)phosphate/borate loading in FR variant | 0 – 12 | 0 |
| wood fibre (cellulose/hemicellulose/lignrefined softwood/hardwood chips, sawmill residue and recovered wood | ≥ 78 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on MDF?
Faces take primer, UV lacquer, foil, melamine and veneer excellently; cut edges are porous and must be sealed with edge filler/PVA-primer or banded, and any water-based finish will raise the fibres unless the panel is sealed first.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to MDF in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Similar grades
- D1554622-5GB/T 11718
How much does MDF cost?
MDF is a budget-cost natural material ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
MDF — frequently asked
What is MDF used for?
MDF is typically used for furniture, cabinetry, moulding and trim, laminate flooring core and speaker enclosures. In short: best-machining wood panel; flattest paint-ready substrate; low-cost CNC-routed panel.
What is the tensile strength of MDF?
MDF has a typical tensile strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi) — weaker than 55% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is MDF easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated excellent (90/100, better than 86% of natural material grades). Machines like a soft isotropic solid — carbide or diamond-tipped router bits, high spindle speed and low feed give crisp profiles; the resin-laden dust is abrasive and respirable, so dust extraction and tool-life allowance are mandatory.
Can MDF be welded?
Not weldable; joints are made with PVA/PUR adhesive, dowels, confirmat screws or knock-down hardware, and screws into edges need pilot holes to avoid splitting.
What surface finishes work on MDF?
Faces take primer, UV lacquer, foil, melamine and veneer excellently; cut edges are porous and must be sealed with edge filler/PVA-primer or banded, and any water-based finish will raise the fibres unless the panel is sealed first.
Can MDF be formed, bent or molded?
Flat panels can be cold-formed only over large radii; use kerf-cutting, thin flexible MDF or postforming-grade panels for curves, and 3D-embossed doors are produced by membrane-press moulding of routed blanks.
What is the maximum service temperature of MDF?
MDF is rated for continuous use to about 100°C (212 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does MDF cost?
MDF is a budget-cost natural material ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- EN 622-5 Fibreboards — Specifications, Part 5: Dry process boards (MDF) — CEN (2009)
- ANSI A208.2 Medium Density Fiberboard for Interior Applications — Composite Panel Association / ANSI (2016)
- ASTM D1037 Standard Test Methods for Evaluating Properties of Wood-Base Fiber and Particle Panel Materials — ASTM (2020)
- ASTM D1554 Standard Terminology Relating to Wood-Base Fiber and Particle Panel Materials — ASTM (2020)
- Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material, GTR-190, Ch. 11 Wood-Based Composite Materials — USDA Forest Products Laboratory (2010)
- Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE) v2 — timber & panel products — University of Bath / Circular Ecology (2011)
- Standard / MR / FR / ultralight MDF panel datasheets — Kronospan, Egger, Medite, Dare Global ( / ) (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.