Hey Heads, Back in May of 2001 there was a thread here about MDF for exterior applications. Now while most folks posted a resounding "For God's sake NO!!!" there were a few posts that reflected the availability of a mysterious "exterior grade" MDF. Has anyone had any experience with the stuff here in the states? Good, Bad, Indifferent?
Posted by John Smith (Member # 1308) on :
I bet this thread throws its ugly head towards MEDEX !!!! Posted by Marty Happy (Member # 302) on :
I think I may have been the one who originally posted that query last year. I use MDF for interior dimensional signs because it's readily available to me here in the middle of the prairies but I still wouldn't dare use it for exterior use due to advice here and because I've seen what happens to MDF outside. I knew another signmaker who used something called "Rangerboard" which was supposed to be a water resistant MDF but in his golf course bench back application it failed in a few months but of coarse golf courses get pretty saturated.
However, a few issues back there was an interesting article in SignCraft featuring a company in Britain who I believe used MDF estensively for painted and dimensional exterior signs. I believe that Britain is pretty wet climate so I am very curious as to how they avoid moisture damage to the substrate or whether the MDF available there is a better quality possibly made with some sort of moisture proofing.
Someone suggested using Thompson's water seal to waterproof MDF and I have been meaning on experimenting with it. I do know that two coats of Pellucid did not completely seal the edges of an unpainted MDF cut-out letter that I then dropped into a bucket of water as an experiment. Maybe another coat or two over primer and paint would have made a diference. But comes a time that too many coats becomes a little too labour intensive and impractical.
Hope we get some positive new info!
[ May 15, 2002, 05:41 PM: Message edited by: Marty Happy ]
Posted by Terry Bull Sign & Custom (Member # 1876) on :
Waterproof mdf? Remember the name, Medex, then forget it.
No way.. INTERIOR USE ONLY !
Terry
Posted by Steve Purcell (Member # 1140) on :
Hmmm, Medex.
As I recall...
-It sucked to carve -It was heavy as hell -It fell apart at the slightest hint of moisture
...and those are it's good points.
Posted by Bruce Deveau (Member # 1600) on :
FOR GOD'S SAKE, NO!!!!
Posted by Mike Kelly (Member # 2037) on :
If you go back about 5 or 6 issues of Signcraft, there were profiles of of two signmakers who used quite a bit of MDF for exterior signs. One was from England and the other from Ireland. Some really outstanding work, too. There must be a few Brits or Micks lurking out there that must know something about this product that us Yanks don't. Alright, you guys.........the gig's up.........it's time to spill the beans. We're waiting....................................
Posted by Stephen Broughton (Member # 2237) on :
Its called Medite or Green MDF, the fella in Signcraft that uses it is called Paul Rafferty and I have met him and seen some of signs that he makes out of Medite. Yes Marty it is wet here, i think somedays the best way to describe the climate is crap.
The way to prepare this stuff is 2 coats of exterior primer/undercoat then 2 coats exterior grade gloss colour, back and front, all paints are oil based and are specific for exterior use decorators paint i.e. house paint.
Posted by Jonathan Androsky (Member # 2806) on :
HA! I knew I wasn't nuts!(well ok, maybe just a little) Spud and Steve went right where I was going with this. I kept seeing all these MDF signs from the UK in Signcraft, so I'm thinking "what do those blokes across the pond know that we don't?"
I do agree with the american masses though, Medex is complete gash.
The reason I'm asking about this is that I'm looking at a job for about 150 to 200 tiny signs for a pet memorial (This fire hydrant in loving memory of Fluffy and Flopflop....no lie) and they want the edges beveled. Now I don't feel like filling in voids on the edges of 200 chunks of beveled MDO and I think there is way to much traffic for HDU, lots of kids, dogs, that sort of thing, I dont think ¾"HDU would last a week.
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