MDF versus Sandiply

[GAtekwriter]

I was pricing out the materials today and found a product at Home Depot called Sandiply.  It's plywood that's been sanded on one side.  The interesting thing about this product is that all the sheets they had were absolutely flat, square, and undamaged.  They had it in both .5" and .75" and I'm seriously considering doing my cabinet with this material versus MDF for the two main reasons of weight and dust (or lack of using Sandiply).

My question is whether anyone here has used this product?  I guess it really is simply plywood, but it looks like they do a better job of preventing warping and edge damage on this product.  The downside is that it's $33US per sheet versus $20US for the MDF.  I'm thinking the $36 difference (for 3 sheets) might be worth not having to put up with the extreme MDF dust and the heaviness of the material.

Thanks, all, for any feedback.  I'm particularly interested in major reasons NOT to use plywood other than the warping issue.

Jim

[NiteWalker]

Definitely go with the plywood. MDF is heavy and stable but the dust is troublesome and also there is no strength with all that extra weight. I only use MDF for control panel tops now.

[kingflynn]

Sandeply is excellent.  Last year I went through about 70 sheets of it building displays for a clothing store.  It is consistant quality from one sheet to the next.  You'll have to give it a quick sanding between coats as the paint will raise the grain. It's a bargain price too.

[NiteWalker]

Very nice.

[leapinlew]

You'll have to give it a quick sanding between coats as the paint will raise the grain. It's a bargain price too.

Great info... tell me more. Are you saying that this can be hit with primer/paint and as long as I do some sanding between coats it'll hide the grain? If so - that rocks.

[leapinlew]

I saw it at Homedepot as well - I was just concerned about 2 things. The weight and the grain for paint. If the grain can be overcome the only concern left is the weight. As in, it doesn't way enough for a bartop project I have planned. My last bartop was MDF and it's just heavy enough to keep the cabinet in place during a game of robotron.

[NiteWalker]

Put some of these on the bottom and it won't move at all. I use smaller (15/16" diameter) feet on my arcade sticks from the same place and nothing moves. Even during some heavy tekken or street fighter playing.

With those you can make the carcase very light.

[kingflynn]

Well, the grain might not exactly disappear, but you won't feel it as you run your hand over it.  If you didn't sand between coats it would feel scratchy.  As always, the higher quality the paint, and the more coats the better.   If the slight appearance of a grain is an issue, you might stick with MDF.

[ChadTower]

I saw it at Homedepot as well - I was just concerned about 2 things. The weight and the grain for paint. If the grain can be overcome the only concern left is the weight. As in, it doesn't way enough for a bartop project I have planned. My last bartop was MDF and it's just heavy enough to keep the cabinet in place during a game of robotron.

Ooooh.  I'm working on a design now for a couple of bartops and was going to go with plywood.  I hadn't even considered the cab weight issue for an enthusiastic gamer. 

[GAtekwriter]

Based on what I'm hearing, I'm definitely going with Sandiply.  I was planning on doing multiple coats of paint after sanding, so I'm not concerned about the grain being visible.  After a good coat of prime and 2 or 3 coats of latex paint, I'm sure the grain will be sufficiently covered.

Thanks for all the feedback.  I really don't want to deal with MDF dust and since I'm working by myself, the lighter weight of the sandiply will be great.

Jim