Baseboards, trim, crown...MDF of primed pine?
caroline94535
16 years ago
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sierraeast
16 years agoRelated Discussions
MDF Baseboard and Trim
Comments (37)I don't think it has anything to do with being a snob or being "cheesy" or any of the other pejoratives that are being thrown around. Dixie and I both had bad experiences with MDF trim. I have a friend who is planning on replacing the trim in her house (MDF) with wood where they might be exposed to water because it has been so problematic. Obviously this is not an inexpensive undertaking. She bought a spec house and didn't know what was under there until a baseboard got nicked by a dump truck ;). MDF trim is more problematic than wood - doesn't have to be, but it CAN be. If you are a single person living alone or empty nester, you may not have the issues a person with a houseful of boys and dogs might have. . . If you clean your own house, you will likely be more careful than a cleaning service would be, and certainly would be more careful to keep water away from you baseboards. There are all sorts of factors that go into this decision. It is also not uncommon to get the builder run around re: MDF. They like it because it is easier and cheaper to install. If you understand what you are getting, that is fine, but most folks don't know and they trust the builder that it is an equivalent (or better) substitute. I think most would agree in a money is no object situation that wood trim is a better, more long lasting, less potentially problematic choice. However, we all have budgets and have to make compromises in what we would ideally like to have and what we can afford to have. I choose to have wood baseboards and am willing to pay more to do that. In order to do that I will have to compromise in other areas (areas in which you might prefer to spend money). These are the decisions that we all have to make in building a house, and the best thing you can do is get all the information and make the decision that is right for YOU....See MoreBaseboards and trim
Comments (15)I am in the process of doing my common area trim - we did a big spurt before xmas as we were having xmas at our place this year, 15 people for dinner - wow. That was a first for me, fortunately, MIL did almost all the cooking. Anyway, I bought a 10" sliding compound mitre saw for well under $300 - a Rona (Canada) hardware store own-brand with laser and everything, plus a mitre saw stand for under $100 - as someone said, you get to keep the tools after. I borrowed an air brad nailer, it's been awesome. I had my own little compressor and the other hand tools etc, and had some help from my FIL who had some good ideas and was a big help overall. You should also get some tall sawhorses, that are able to be jacked up to the height of the saw itself - without sawhorses, it'll be a nasty job. I also own an airless sprayer, I'd bought big, flat plain trim which is what we wanted, a modern look for our 26 year old house, previous owners had some fru fru wannabe old house trim, we wanted to be modern - trim we selected was a third of the fru fru prices, and made from mdf and preundercoated...I sprayed two coats of topcoat on the uncut trim, and will just touch up the filler holes and nicks etc. Well worth using the airless sprayer, the finish looks very professional. It's really not thaaaat much work, but worth reading up on if you haven't done it. It's also very satisfying, doing it yourself, and you'll be proud of it (previous owners had done such a poor job, replacing it was a no-brainer to us.) Good luck with it!...See MoreFlat baseboards and trim = affordable?
Comments (9)Not a miter box--a 45-degree angle on a table saw! Yes, ripping a clean angle would still give a simple,modern look and not make me lose my mind. Too late for avoiding some rip-outs, though! Do you really want to dust your baseboards every single week? In every room of the house? I don't. Once a month, sure. That's why I was glad to get raised panel, not shaker doors. I shouldn't NEED to dust my doors, for heaven's sake. Shaker anything I now avoid. I never would have dreamt the difference....See MoreChanging painted wood baseboards and trim that have been distressed...
Comments (7)I think the doors you have pictured are very attractive. If all the trim is done the same way you may be better off replacing it though as the labor and cost of restoration may not be worth the effort. The antiquing job that was done seems to have held up well so it most likely has several coats of poly on it. If you like the cabinet doors those could be redone in a darker, richer antique finish which could look beautiful next to lovely new cream molding....See Moremacybaby
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16 years ago
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