Beware of MDF face frames if you build in humid climates

A customer called me last week from Naples, Florida saying their custom cabinets started swelling at the joints. I installed those cabinets 3 years ago with MDF face frames because the client wanted to save money. The humidity down there turned the edges into mush and now the whole kitchen needs refacing. Has anyone else run into MDF failing long term in coastal areas?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantt391d ago

“started swelling at the joints” - thats exactly what happens. Im in Houston, same kind of humidity, and Ive been warning people about MDF for years. The problem isnt just the edges swelling. The glue they use in MDF breaks down when it gets wet enough. I pulled apart a swollen joint once and the MDF was basically turning back into sawdust and glue chunks. Looks fine on the surface until you poke it. Coastal humidity is a slow killer for that stuff.

sanchez.mary15h ago

Oh man that Naples story is rough. My cousin lives in Tampa and swears by solid wood for everything now after his MDF baseboards turned into a sponge during one rainy season. He said the humidity just seeps in slow like you wouldnt even notice until you push on a spot and your finger goes right through. The worst part is how it swells unevenly so your doors start rubbing and sticking at the bottom but look fine at the top. He had to replace his whole bathroom vanity after the face frame started peeling apart like wet cardboard. People see the cheap price tag and dont think about what happens when the air itself is wet for months at a time.

nguyen.angela11h ago

Ehh, I've seen MDF hold up fine in Seattle if you seal the edges right. Depends on the install.