Is MDF panel board good to use for building a bed?

[gnx547]

Is MDF panel board good to use for building a bed?  Does anyone here use this type of board for their bed?

 

[maki2]

Delete it from your list of choices because it is a very poor choice for a mobile dwelling due to lack of structural strength.

Plywood is a much better choice. The laminations of long wood fibers are very strong and have superior screw holding power compared to MDF.  MDF by comparison is basically a pile of fine particle sawdust held together with some glue.

Go for those long and strong wood fibers.

 

[highdesertranger]

I agree with Maki. I wouldn't use MDF or OSB for anything. highdesertranger

 

[tx2sturgis]

Building a bed (or shelving) for use in a normal house or apartment, no problemo.

For a van, RV, or cargo trailer conversion, it's very heavy and will need to be protected against moisture...by sealing or painting...making it even heavier. Plywood is a better choice.

 

[izifaddag]

It is too heavy and won't take the punishment. If you get water near it you will be truly out of luck. Plywood every time.

 

[MrNoodly]

By "building a bed" do you mean using it as the horizontal surface, or do you also mean using it to construct the vertical structure (legs, etc.)?

 

[jonyjoe303]

If you have alot of crossbeams on your bed, it should work. I use hardboard (6 dollars at home depot) which is thinner then the mdf board. I been using for the past year and it works good, no cracks, no bends, I actually walk on it getting in/out of the back of my van. But I have alot of crossbeams (1/2" pvc pipe) that gives it strength.
I prefer keeping my van as light as possible, my bed is pvc pipe(frame), hardboard(goes above frame), and the mattress is just a sleeping bag. Extremely lightweight. It works for me, but might not work for everyone.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

It wouldn’t be my choice, for all the above reasons, my bed is made with 1x3/4 framework glued and brad nailed 5mm ply glued and brad nailed to uprights 1/2 inch ply for the top.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Spend the extra money on the right material so you don't end up doing the same job again down the line.

 

[Sofisintown]

MDF is too heavy, and will be off-gassing for a couple of years, which can be harmful in a small enclosed space.

 

[Psyckosama]

Oh hell no. Not only for the issues mentioned but because MDF has a habit of swelling and even melting if you get it wet.

 

[BelgianPup]

And when it gets wet, and swells, it remains in the swollen position and shape --- it doesn't shrink back down to the original shape.

Also fans of those composite panels like to say, "but they're sealed against moisture".

And they are... UNTIL you cut them, or drill a hole, or embed a nail or screw

 

[lab_nomad]

If you have alot of crossbeams on your bed, it should work. I use hardboard (6 dollars at home depot) which is thinner then the mdf board. I been using for the past year and it works good, no cracks, no bends, I actually walk on it getting in/out of the back of my van. But I have alot of crossbeams (1/2" pvc pipe) that gives it strength.
I prefer keeping my van as light as possible, my bed is pvc pipe(frame), hardboard(goes above frame), and the mattress is just a sleeping bag. Extremely lightweight. It works for me, but might not work for everyone.

Hmm. This intrigues me. Do you have any pics or any good websites to recommend for building a bed frame from PVC?  I imagine that car seats are pretty heavy and taking them out would increase gas mileage.  And if you didn't do a build and kept things light like with a pvc bed frame, you would still have less weight than the original seats, yes?

 

[treesprite]

I've seen MDF aquarium stands literally crumble out from under the tanks (and yet people still keep buying them). The most Ive used it for is to get a removable cheap wainscoting type covering over actual wood (removable because I knew it would eventually succumb to moisture damage and require replacement).