We too wanted painted cabinets and many places suggested paint grade maple rails & stiles with an MDF centre. That allows for some expansion/contraction with less visible cracking as could happen with all wood. We went with a modified shaker style with a mini-V-groove which we were told would give an bit of additional insurance. They were installed in June and we live in a climate with very dry, cold, snowy winters and so far, so good. Interestingly, some of the most expensive painted cabinets we looked at were all MDF which surprised us. We had a bit of a concern about the MDF chipping at the edges.

i struggled with this while getting bids for our mudroom lockers and other built ins. quotes i received for mdf cabinets from our cabinet maker were much lower than for painted maple. in addition to off gassing of mdf products we also considered the neighborhood and value of the home. i got several more bids and finally just had our GC hire our trim carpenter for everything ...in the maple. i understand mdf has certain advantages, particularly for painted surfaces but i don't feel we could afford NOT to use wood. again, just me. i've seen some pretty nice mdf so there definitely seem to be different grades available. i'm not at all educated on these products so please don't rely on me, but i also think mdf would be preferable to thermofoil if you decide to go that route. good luck. there are so many decisions to make, and every dollar counts! ;*)

I know that this topic is getting beat to death, but I feel I must weigh in. If you are doing a painted door you be best off doing a hybrid door, maple or birch rails with a mdf center panel. The stiles and rails will be more durable while the center panel will not show lines from the stave expansions. Cracking is inevitable with the joints, however they can be so slight, that they are not visible, and you can only feel them when you run your hand over them, A flexible finish like latex paint instead a pigmented catalyzed varnish will be more flexible and be less prone to chipping in the future. Plus it is easier to touch up. If you are glazing with a hand rub method you will achieve a better look with catalyzed varnished because they tend to yield a smoother finish. If anyone thinks that a painted finish on a mitered joint with biscuits, will never show finish fractures, than they are naive! A mitered joint is the worst possible joint for a painted finish, mortise and tenon would be a much wiser choice. If the wood at a miter joint contracts then they both contract in the same direction, thus creating the possibility for a joint fracture in the finish. Montalvo, please keep in mind when Khat is talking about cracking the reference is to finish fracturing NOT joint failure. It is possible to have finish fracturing without joint failure. This is why NO door manufacturer or cabinet company would ever warranty against this. The movement of kiln dried wood can be very significant when there is even small moisture changes, With hard maple being one of the worst. If you would like I can post the chart information if you would like evidence. To think that a cabinetmaker would not be using kiln dried wood or making mitered joints without an additional joint lock is ridiculous, they would not be a cabinetmaker, they would be an amateur woodworker.

Hi, I have an order in at Scherrs right now, based on your blog, love what you did! I have the same question as Shelby above from April 10, 2020. Did you get your Caesarstone through ikea, if so do you remember the name/color? IKEA is telling me they may be having a sale on countertops next month. Also, the marble behind your cook top, have you had any issues with oil splashes effecting the marble? Lastly can you give me the height of your backsplash leading up to the little shelf?Thx for your time and great info.