Choosing btwn solid maple wood & MDF cabinets for my kitchen in off white color. Cost not an issue. best one?

Question

everything is selected with glaze finsh and dovetail in solid maple wood. Which is the best quality? I have been getting mixed advice. Insight appreciated.

Answer 1

be aware that mdf is sawdust glued together and there is the constant fear that if gotten wet enough the glue breaks down with the wood returning to a pile of sticky sawdust. mdf however at times is straighter than convention lumber and easier to work with but those aren't a concern to you. I would suggest the solid wood. good luck,hope i helped

Answer 2

The major problem with solid wood is it tends to warp. The major problem with MDF is it tends to disintegrate when it gets wet. A cabinet made from a hardwood veneered plywood will have the real wood exterior and the anti-warp construction of plywood.

Take a look on-line or in a store like EXPO at the construction of the top line cabinets to see the difference in their construction.

Answer 3

The question is: what kind of finish are you looking for? If it is going to be a natural wood finish - then the maple. If it is going to be painted white(who cares what is underneath the white)?
For example, my dad built cedarstrip canoes.....you know, the ones with the multicolors of cedar strips glued together which looks really cool<< Then he painted them over. He still classifies it as a cedar strip canoe, but as much as I can see it looks like a painted canvas covered canoe or painted alunimum canoe..in otherwords, nothing special. You can paint anything with a color, but you would be hardpressed to make it look like real wood grain.
So why pay for the cost of maple, when you are just going to paint over them?
Getting back to the cabinets...there are a multitude of cabinet shops out there so you have to learn about cabinet construction yourself and what to look for in "strong" construction. Check out the hinges. Good quality hinges and mechanics would normally mean that the builder of the cabinets build a good square cabinet. Cheapy hinges and ill fitting drawers and doors lets you know the quality of the builder.

Answer 4

theire are pros and cons to both as you can see from previous answers, I install kitchen counter tops and ther is no difference in integrity it all depends on the look you want, MDF cabinets have a 1/16" of a skin over it and small amounts of water dose not affect MDF.