Am completing a project that includes several large pieces of 3/4″ MDF such as a 4′ x 4′ piece. Any suggestions about what to do with the MDF – leave it untreated or coat it with something? Seems that I read somewhere someone put Watco on MDF to protect it (from what – moisture?), but it also seems to me like MDF might exactly like a sponge for an tung oil based product like Watco.
Alas, my local big orange store (you know the one) carries a Behr tung oil based product – a gallon of which costs only about twice as much as a quart of Watco. These two products seem to have the same properties – tung oil based/UV protectors, etc. Anyone willing to compare/contrat these two products?
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I occasionally use MDF for drawer bottoms and cabinet backs for utility cabinets and find the best finish to be some sort of varnish or urethane. It is difficult to get an even finish with oil because of the absorbency of the MDF; you really have to saturate it.
I use the Behr product and find it perfectly satisfactory. I rarely use Watco because I've always found the colour a little thin.
Watco Danish Oil, Behr Tung Oil Finish, Minwax Antique Oil, Minwax Tung Oil Finish and Deftoil Danish Oil Finish are all almost identical. They are oil/varnish mixtures and there is little or no real tung oil in any of them. All can be more cheaply replicated by mixing equal parts of your favoring varnish, boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. For natural wood, wipe them on, let them sit for 20-30 minutes and wipe dry. Repeat the next day but after applying sand them in using #400 W&D sandpaper, then let it sit for the 20-30 minutes and wipe dry. All oil/varnish finishes are relatively poor in durability and resistance to moisture.
As to MDF, it's your choice. No reason to finish it at all unless you want it to look better or be easier to keep clean. You can use the oil/varnish mixture or paint it.
Thanks for the info. Mixing up varnish/BLO/mineral spirits sounds good to me although I'll bet that MDF can soak in aquite a lot of this mixture. Will have to try it on a small scrap piece first to see if this is what I really want to do.
Thanks for all of the informative replies. This forum is very helpful.
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