Prime-Line's MDF is Environmentally Friendly!

Prime-Line's MDF is manufactured from 94% pre-consumer recycled wood residue, reducing the drain on our forests. Prime-Line has never contained, or been manufactured with any Class I or II ozone depleting substance as listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Prime-Line meets or exceeds all voluntary limits for urea formaldehyde in fiber board products.

What is MDF?
MDF - Medium Density Fiberboard - is a composite board made from wood fibers and synthetic resin binders bonded together under high heat and pressure. This manufacturing process creates a board that is flat, smooth, uniform and free of knots and grain, as well as a board that can be easily shaped into almost any form. High quality, clean, sharp contours and edges can be achieved in a wide range of profiles and designs. This uniform composition allows finished to be applied directly to the surface, creating a smooth seamless surface.

Common MDF Applications and Uses
MDF is an exceptional product for mouldings and millwork including base, casing, crown, jambs, window stool, shelving, cabinetry, doors, wall panels, stair parts (treads and risers), and a whole host of other applications.MDF moulding with properties that enhance moisture resistance should be considered for use in bathrooms and for baseboards where construction is slab-on-grade. Exterior use is common as well. MDF can be manufactured with special adhesives suitable for exterior applications including brick moulding, mouldings around doors and windows, exterior window sills, column facings, gable vents and louvers, soffit trim and other exterior trim.

Storage & Handling
MDF products must be stored inside and in a horizontal position. Protect all MDF products from moisture during storage and construction. This will help avoid extra preparation or field sanding.

In addition. Prime-Line's exclusive "Guardsman" lacquer oil-based enamel primer virtually eliminates the phenomenon called "fiber raise" or "fiber pop" that is common with water-based primers. Like solid wood, MDF changes dimensionally with changes in relative humidity. It is important to store MDF products on site for a minimum of 24 hours or longer in the heated environment in which they will be installed.

Working with MDF
Sawing & Cutting: MDF is easily cut and installed at the job site using standard woodworking tools. When sawing MDF with power tools, use a sharp carbide tipped combination blade for best results. Sawing MDF generates fine dust, thus, like with all wood products, a vacuum system, half-mask respirator, side shielded safety glasses and a long sleeve shirt and gloves should be used on the job or home shop for safety reasons.

Joints: Long wall sections will usually require a joint in the moulding. The least noticeable way to join two pieces is with a 45 degree angle cut made with the miter box or power saw. For inside corners, a coped joint will provide a smoother and more precise fit. A coped joint also can help hide wood movement due to humidity changes.

Fastening: MDF moulding may be fastened with nails, staples, screws, bolts, or other suitable methods. Most MDF moulding is installed with power nailers. Slim "needle" nails with slight heads are best. Nail 1/4" from edges and 1" from ends. Adjust air pressure as recommended by the equipment manufacturer, generally 90 psi to 110 psi. Adjust air guns to drive the fastener as flush with the surface as possible.

If you chose to fasten the MDF product via manual nailing, ring shank nails are preferable to conventional finish nails.Stalpes are another viable option for fastening MDF mouldings. Pneumatically driven narrow coated crown staples with a chisel point penetrate MDF mouldings in a consistent manner without puckering, dimpling, or splitting. A finer gauge staples works better than heavier gauges.

Fastening with a high speed drill is also an option. Predrilled pilot holes are strongly recommended and should be 85 to 90% of the root-diameter of the screw. As slight countersink may also be desirable to prevent pryramiding under flush mounted hardware. Use a high speed drill to avoid chipout or breakage on the exit side. Use screws specially designed for MDF, or type A or AB sheet metal screws, twin fast and fully threaded screws designed for use in particleboard. These provide better holding capacity than standard wood screws.. Do not over tighten the screws.

Painting and Finishing: Most MDF comes pre-primed. Before cleaning, clean all surfaces to remove dust, dirt, finger prints, and grease. Fill all nail holes and any minor surface indentations before applying the top coat.

Still have questions? Please contact us at 1-800-624-3471 or email
Sales@primelineinc.com and we will be glad to assist you.