Anyone stainesed MDF. pics?

[budget76]

Well, I have to sand it down smooth anyway, so might as well see if it's possible/how it looks to stain MDF. I would assume the smooth layer would have to be sanded off, but i will be doing that anyway, and I would clear coat after if stained.

Building my box in shop class because the tools are set up vs digging through the shed to get to them, and can't test until Monday, and that's when I'd like to stain it if it's possible. If I don't like it, I can eventually carpet it, but I want to see if staining's possible first.

I'd appreciate any pics

[joetama]

IT doesn't work good...

[Flipx99]

I can't doesn't stain easily...then it puddles

[joetama]

I can't doesn't stain easily...then it puddles

Like supa_s mom?

[InhumanAcura]

why would you even want to stain it?

[MemphisCherokee]

i swear, a thread like this appears ever month

[joetama]

twice a month actually...

[dragnix]

it's just gonna turn a solid color since there's no grain on the wood, painting it with spray paint would probably be cheaper

[joetama]

Actually... I'm sorry, we have all been lying to you. You are the first person to ask this question. Also, MDF stains beautifully. You will love it, looks better than any other wood. A wood working trade secret is to cover oak, birch, cherry or other low quality junk woods that look terrible with MDF so it looks super good when the stain is applied...

[Immacomputer]

Well staining can work and it can look decent but not like other woods that actually have a grain to show off.

A dark stain can allow the MDF to look deep yet textured. I did it with a dark walnut stain and it turned out decent. The biggest pain is getting the stain on even because it will soak it up right away. Make sure to use some pre-stain wood treatment.

This is a bad picture of it, but you can get an idea. It's really dirty and scratched as it was in the back of my hatch with my bike.


If you want some more pictures, I can take some and post them later.

[InhumanAcura]

why not just use some birch ply and stain it..rather than some mdf, i mean wtf

[joetama]

Nice and brown....

Like poop....

[SkatinBassPLaya]

ohhhhh baby




its not mdf though, its 1/2 inch slightly burled mohagony capped on pine.

[joetama]

You could get one of those paint kits that will paint on wood grain...

[budget76]

Ok, i'm a ******* for not searching first. I know it has no grain and will look like **** compared to staining real wood, but I know right now I have zero skills at carpeting, and was exploring my options. I don't want it a gloss paint, so I guess it's either going to be flat black, or i'll work on carpeting it. I asked because I have the stain and everything for free, and figured what do I have to lose besides time.

Immacomputer, thanks for the pic, appreciate it. It doesn't look bad compared to what I pictured it would. Not sure if it'll go with my truck though, even with a dark stain and a bunch of coats.

And I was planning on using birch over MDF and using a dark stain on it, but at the time I didn't have the extra $20 or more for the birch. Also, I knew it wasn't going to turn out perfect and pretty like I'd want with birch, since it's my first box build.