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Shaker Drawer Fronts - MDF center panel ok?

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Hey guys, I've seen this question asked regarding doors before but not drawer fronts. I'm getting shaker cabinet doors made for my kitchen for Ikea cabinets that have a solid wood frame and MDF center panel.

Typically this company does solid wood for all drawer fronts (frame and center panel) to make hardware installation better. They gave me the option of MDF centers since I'm on a budget.

Do you think there are any big issues if I went this route? Could there be issues later with drawer pulls loosening or anything? I did see that some other similar companies always use MDF panels on similar drawer fronts so I thought it might be ok. I want to save money but don't want to cut corners on important things.

Thanks!

Featured Answer

rwiegand

5 years ago

I quite doubt that any Shaker carpenter would have touched the stuff, but yes it's fine for painted or veneered panels that you expect will be thrown away in a decade or three.

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Comments (9)

Matt
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I think most people go with the MDF. Typically your hardware get's installed on the frame and not the center panel. If your drawer front is big enough to get a panel, you will have plenty of structure close by in the frame if you wanted to mount your hardware on the MDF and not worry about pulling the panel over time.
abpatel80 thanked Matt
abpatel80
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you! That is definitely an option but for the shaker style drawers I think I like the look of the pull being centered in the drawer, not on the frame.
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Matt
5 years ago
I wouldn't worry about it for drawer fronts. If you were putting a knob in the middle of a 2ft square door and had the drawer loaded with cast iron pans, over time you might see a warp in the MDF. If you worried about the knob pulling out for some reason, just use a washer along with the screw on the inside of the drawer to distribute those forces more.
abpatel80 thanked Matt
User
5 years ago
MDF is the preferred material for all. If you feel that you are going to have more than the drawer's weight rating, worry about the drawer assembly before you worry about the pull.
abpatel80 thanked User
abpatel80
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you all! It turned out to be less than a $300 dollar difference between the two so I was stressing about nothing. But it's good to know MDF might be a better option anyway.
klem1
5 years ago
Out of respect for the fine Shaker craftsmen,it would be an insult to call anything made from MDF Shaker.
abpatel80 thanked klem1
jdesign_gw
5 years ago
There are high grades of MDF . Some are even suitable for exterior applications. beside using this type of board I always do at least a 3/8" reverse raised panel on a shaker '"style" door. This is what the back looks like.
abpatel80 thanked jdesign_gw
jdesign_gw
5 years ago
Try again with the picture.

Fromy looks like regular shaker door but panel is thicker making for a more substantial door.

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