Painted cabinet doors...Will 5 piece mdf with miters still crack?

6 years ago

I've been reading on the pros and cons of mdf vs wood and all the variations. I just spotted a door I think would be great for me. Not sure of the pricing, but hoping if I get 5 piece mdf instead of "real" wood frames that I can afford it. The corners are mitered. I read NOT to get mitered corners made of painted wood due to cracking. What about mitered 5 piece mdf?? I like the pillowed stiles of this door by Conestoga. I just don't want it to seem fake and plasticy and I want minimal cracking of joints....I'm replacing thermofoil doors on existing cabinets (I have granite and can't replace the boxes without major hassle)

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Comments (4)

DrB477
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I don't know how susceptible the mitered MDF are to cracking. If you want a somewhat similar non-mitered Conestoga style, check out the CRP-10 with elite bead (also called Monarch Square). In addition to not being a mitered style, it is also one of the cheaper doors. Mine is hybrid mdf/maple and has a reversed raised panel (i.e. flat) but you can get a raised center instead if you prefer. Conestoga allows for a lot of customization. There is also the presidential square door, which has a little more detail, however its quite a bit more expensive.

I have some additional pictures in my reveal https://www.houzz.com/discussions/pittsburgh-kitchen-mudroom-closet-addition-reveal-dsvw-vd~4948003?n=40

This is a sample of the same door with a raised center panel
cindywhitall
6 years ago
Your house is amazing! I actually was about to go with the Monarch, then I saw the one I posted about. I like the pillowed stiles. I think I’m just trying to get enough details to justify changing my doors....I have always liked the raised center, but yours with the flat look nice too. I just don’t know what will look better in my house! I’ll look at yours more closely on my pc later.

I am trying to keep price down, so if monarch is less expensive I will go with that.

Did you get any cracking in the paint this winter?
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About to embark on cabinet finish selection as yourself, I've read some about PCV (post catalytic conversion colorant varnish) which many fine cabinetry manufacturers are now using, a switch typically from a pre-catalytic (and other technique) lacquered varnish finish (non-conversion coating film). The advantage of PCV is a far more durable, UV inhibiting finish (no yellowing) which withstands household chemical cleanup, is hard to scratch, better resists water stains and buys the owner time on a colorant finish. It's higher in solids so it requires less coats (benefit to manufacturer) and in fact a high build of finish (5mil) will make the finish brittle. Most manufacturers don't go over 3mils. Cure time is immediate giving manufacturers an edge up on turnaround/efficiency. The biggest downside to PCV finish however is it's hard to repair, especially on site. The process of building conversion coating films is an irreversible process (there are various types, 2k, acid catalyzed and oil based). No process, including PCV finish is bullet proof. However, the selection of a MDF door and drawer front with PVC apparently is felt to be a leader in the industry for those choosing paint (actually colorant) based finish which lasts. This finish technique is worth discussing w.r.t. to your desire for a mitered door. The alternative and still widely used manufacturer paint finish, pre-catalyzed lacquered varnish, has the great advantage of being repairable. The chemical process is reversible (forms the film by solvent evaporation alone, for example, as using single component lacquers). The film is not normally damaged when re-dissolved, so standard lacquers are easier to repair (on site too). Builds to 3 mils to 5 mils are tolerable (but lower builds are more common, even as low as 1.5 mil by one cabinet maker I recently reviewed). The con to a lacquered finish is the cure time: it takes 3 to 4 weeks (not the same as the stack time), so it takes longer for an order to be properly finished. These points are taken from my notes, and experts will have more knowledge. When it comes to paint (now often called colorant) finish, it is helpful to know about these two techniques and use them to help pick your cabinet doors/drawers product selection (mdf vs plywood) as well as finish technique for longevity with minimal cracking. There is no perfect finish is always worth remembering. Hope this helps.
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Fori
6 years ago
I'd expect them to crack much less than wood. But I'd also expect them to look, well, not fake exactly, but not quite woody. Painted MDF details usually manage to look like MDF.

Basically, I'm saying GET A SAMPLE. Not a sample of a different door with the same finish/material, and not the correct door with a different finish (I know how cabinet stores can be!). Make sure this exact door style looks good in MDF before you commit.

I love that door style. Hope it works out!
DrB477
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
No cracking thus far (again this is with maple frames and MDF centers for the painted cabinets). If I didn't know they weren't all wood (because I bought them that way), I wouldn't know they weren't all wood. But I agree the all MDF mitered can be less convincing.

Get quotes on the different styles to see what the actual difference is, but the CRP-10/Monarch Square is definitely going to be less $$$. More detail is more expensive and it also provides more places to get dirty.

Raised panels are nice too, the flat panel matched the other original 100+ year old doors and cabinetry in my house better. Ironically, even though it matches the old stuff well I also think its also a little more modern looking at the same time.

I started out with a very similar door style to yours (possibly even the same) just because we liked it when we saw it in the cabinet shop. But after thinking it through and understanding the different options along with the pros/cons I ended up with the Monarch Square which was cheaper, more durable, and I think (more or less) equally attractive.

Painted cabinet doors...Will 5 piece mdf with miters still crack?

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DrB477

cindywhitall

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