Drywall compound as MDF filler?

454Casull · 11th April 2005, 05:35 PM

Can I use drywall compound to fill in the cut edges and corners of MDF before priming?

Thanks,

Howard

mwmkravchenko · 11th April 2005, 05:46 PM

THere are great auto body putties that work well with MDF but I would not use drywall compound even if it was all that I had. It is much to soft. Will eventually break off and you will be sorry that you did it. Get a good ployester scratch filler. One that has to be used with a hardener. Canadian Tire has the stuff. Don't use the red stuff that comes from a tube. It just doesn't work that well except for very thin filling. Basically only for scratches and little dings.

Mark

Cabinetmaker at large.

chris ma · 11th April 2005, 05:55 PM

I do not think that is a good idea with dry wall compound, they are not strong enough.

I have use liquid nail apply to the edges using a 1 inch spreader/scraper to good effect. Just scrape off extra before it is set and they can be sand well and get smooth too. In fact I have used it to the MDF main surface using a 4 inch spreader to scrape on the surfaces, as MDF absorb it well just a very very thin layer of liquid nail left on it to really seal the MDF before painting. Work fast like plastering the drywalls.

The Butcher

planet10 · 11th April 2005, 06:20 PM

I'll secound the auto-body filler suggestion... drywall compound is a bad idea.

dave

dhenryp · 11th April 2005, 06:22 PM

Dry wall compound is not good to fill in cracks or, even worse, to build up a corner or edge if you'ce cut it wrong. I have had good results using dry wall compund to fill in the pourous cut edges of MDF. It won't help to seal the ends as the dry wall compund will let the MDF below it suck the paint right through it. What I have done is first seal the edge with a 50/50 mixture of carpenter's glue and water. Let dry then put a little bit of thin joint compound (kind watery is OK) on the edge with you finger. Sand it down with fine sand paper - after sandiong you should see MDF with just a light haze of compound in the pores. After this apply primer and paint.

jleaman · 11th April 2005, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by planet10
I'll secound the auto-body filler suggestion... drywall compound is a bad idea.

dave

Me being the one that dry-walled and lots of mudding at daves. Then to add to that 4 years of it in Prince Rupert where i used to live Drywall filler / Mud is not good for wood it will crack and fall out of the places you put it into. It dryes out and turns brittle.

454Casull · 11th April 2005, 07:02 PM

Is Bondo an automotive body filler?

EDIT: Looks like it is. Should I get the lightweight or heavyweight type?

mwmkravchenko · 11th April 2005, 07:26 PM

Bondo can be used for really big goofups or making cool curved work. But it definitely is difficult to sand. The stuff that I am telling you about is made to be sanded. It feathers out to a nice edge. The scratch and filler putty that IS HARDENED WITH A CATALYST is more than durable enough.

P.S.

Liquid nails is a soft glue. I think acrylic or latex based. Not something that I would put paint or heaven forbid laquer. The glue ides works in a pinch but is much harder to make nice and smooth.

MArk

454Casull · 11th April 2005, 07:48 PM

Can you remember the name of it?

Do all two-part putties work well?

What should I use to prime the surface? I was thinking I would get something made specifically for MDF, but I don't know how it would work on the filler.

thylantyr · 11th April 2005, 08:47 PM

There are many ways to seal mdf edges.

A. Diluted yellow wood glue with water, 50/50 mix.

B. Generic Bondo body filler works.
http://www.bondo-online.com/catalog_...sp?itemNbr=176
[Comes with cream hardener.]

C. Minwax sanding sealer.
http://www.minwax.com/products/woodprep/sand-seal.cfm

D. BIN primer
http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=10

If you want to seal the MDF but not the edge, then I would
use the Bin primer or the sanding sealer, but not Bondo
or diluted wood glue.

11th April 2005, 05:35 PM	#1
454Casull diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada	Drywall compound as MDF filler? Can I use drywall compound to fill in the cut edges and corners of MDF before priming? Thanks, Howard

11th April 2005, 05:46 PM	#2
mwmkravchenko Mark Kravchenko --- www.kravchenko-audio.com diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Perth Canada	It's too soft! THere are great auto body putties that work well with MDF but I would not use drywall compound even if it was all that I had. It is much to soft. Will eventually break off and you will be sorry that you did it. Get a good ployester scratch filler. One that has to be used with a hardener. Canadian Tire has the stuff. Don't use the red stuff that comes from a tube. It just doesn't work that well except for very thin filling. Basically only for scratches and little dings. Mark Cabinetmaker at large. __________________ Mark

11th April 2005, 06:20 PM	#4
planet10 frugal-phile(tm) diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Victoria, BC, NA, Sol III Blog Entries: 5	I'll secound the auto-body filler suggestion... drywall compound is a bad idea. dave __________________ community sites t-linespeakers.org, frugal-horn.com, frugal-phile.com ........ commercial site planet10-HiFi p10-hifi forum here at diyA

11th April 2005, 07:26 PM	#8
mwmkravchenko Mark Kravchenko --- www.kravchenko-audio.com diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Perth Canada	Bondo is not a surfacing putty! Bondo can be used for really big goofups or making cool curved work. But it definitely is difficult to sand. The stuff that I am telling you about is made to be sanded. It feathers out to a nice edge. The scratch and filler putty that IS HARDENED WITH A CATALYST is more than durable enough. P.S. Liquid nails is a soft glue. I think acrylic or latex based. Not something that I would put paint or heaven forbid laquer. The glue ides works in a pinch but is much harder to make nice and smooth. MArk __________________ Mark

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11th April 2005, 05:55 PM	#3
chris ma diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Pickering, Canada	I do not think that is a good idea with dry wall compound, they are not strong enough. I have use liquid nail apply to the edges using a 1 inch spreader/scraper to good effect. Just scrape off extra before it is set and they can be sand well and get smooth too. In fact I have used it to the MDF main surface using a 4 inch spreader to scrape on the surfaces, as MDF absorb it well just a very very thin layer of liquid nail left on it to really seal the MDF before painting. Work fast like plastering the drywalls. The Butcher

11th April 2005, 06:22 PM	#5
dhenryp diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mass.	Dry wall compound is not good to fill in cracks or, even worse, to build up a corner or edge if you'ce cut it wrong. I have had good results using dry wall compund to fill in the pourous cut edges of MDF. It won't help to seal the ends as the dry wall compund will let the MDF below it suck the paint right through it. What I have done is first seal the edge with a 50/50 mixture of carpenter's glue and water. Let dry then put a little bit of thin joint compound (kind watery is OK) on the edge with you finger. Sand it down with fine sand paper - after sandiong you should see MDF with just a light haze of compound in the pores. After this apply primer and paint.

11th April 2005, 07:02 PM	#7
454Casull diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada	Is Bondo an automotive body filler? EDIT: Looks like it is. Should I get the lightweight or heavyweight type?

11th April 2005, 07:48 PM	#9
454Casull diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada	Can you remember the name of it? Do all two-part putties work well? What should I use to prime the surface? I was thinking I would get something made specifically for MDF, but I don't know how it would work on the filler.

11th April 2005, 08:47 PM	#10
thylantyr diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Mars	There are many ways to seal mdf edges. A. Diluted yellow wood glue with water, 50/50 mix. B. Generic Bondo body filler works. http://www.bondo-online.com/catalog_...sp?itemNbr=176 [Comes with cream hardener.] C. Minwax sanding sealer. http://www.minwax.com/products/woodprep/sand-seal.cfm D. BIN primer http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=10 If you want to seal the MDF but not the edge, then I would use the Bin primer or the sanding sealer, but not Bondo or diluted wood glue.

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