repairing MDF

[rsoandrew]

Has anybody come up with a decent way to repair banged up corners/edges on MDF? Not really interested in a restore, just want it to look a little nice.

[abrannan]

If its just banged up, usually some sandpaper and maybe some wood filler can do the job.  Corners are a bit trickier, and you probably won't be able to get a nice sharp corner.  The real problem is water damage, where hthe wood has expanded and is flaking apart.  For that you really can only cut off the damaged part and put in a patch made from another piece of MDF and blend the seam with wood filler putty.

[Apollo]

For corners just use corner protectors available from many places including Happ.

[Lance]

I had the corner on my centipede chip off, and a repair with wood putty chip off as well.  Last weekend I fixed it with bondo and so far it seems super strong.  Bondo seems to stick well to almost anything.

[dmsuchy]

Lance is right, bondo is the best for repairs on MDF, wood putty shrinks too much and dosen't adhere as well as bondo also bondo is much harder!

[fredster]

I agree with the Bondo idea if you want to restore the edge.  Wood putty is just too weak to make a corner that will stay.  It's okay for a dent or to fill holes, but not for structure.

What I do for some corner breaks is just to cut the corners off at 45

[spystyle]

Has anybody come up with a decent way to repair banged up corners/edges on MDF? Not really interested in a restore, just want it to look a little nice.

I recommend Bondo (automobile filler)
It is inexpensive and tough as nails, sand it with 60 grit sandpaper on an electric sander after it dries
(then progressively higher grit sandpaper)

You can make carboard forms to apply it to the corners

Dig it?
Craig

[cica]

The best filler I've found is Durham's Rock Hard Putty.  You can find it in a can at your local True Value Harware store.  It is a powder that you mix with water.  When it hardens. it can be easily sanded and feathered.  It is much easier to work with than Bondo and is odorless.

-Tom

[Lance]

Hey Tom,

I agree Durhams is good stuff, however for larger repairs it isn't the greatest.  I used durhams for the initial repair of the corner, however it cam loose and popped off when I was removing the old t-molding.   The bondo seems to be so solid I don't thing it would do the same thing.

For surface scratches or dents I used durhams extensively and it worked great though.