Picked plywood over MDF for my built-in shelves and glad I did

I was building floor to ceiling shelves in my living room and had to choose between birch plywood and MDF. Went with plywood because it's lighter and easier to move around by myself. Finished them with edge banding and three coats of polyurethane. They've held up great through two humid summers now. Anyone else have strong feelings about shelving materials?

2 comments

2 Comments

thomas10525d ago

Is it really that serious though? I mean, plywood vs MDF for some shelves, people act like they're picking out a kitchen counter or something. Sure plywood is lighter and easier to move but MDF is way cheaper and sands down perfectly smooth. I've used both for different projects and honestly my MDF shelves from five years ago are still straight as an arrow with zero sag. The humidity thing is kinda overblown too unless you live in a swamp. Not saying you made a bad choice, just feels like a lot of drama over some wood.

jordancoleman25d ago

People act like they're picking out a kitchen counter" hit me right in the gut honestly. I get what you're saying about MDF being smooth and staying straight, but for me it's about the whole process not just the final result. Carrying sheets of MDF up my narrow stairs by myself would have been a nightmare, and plywood is just way easier to work with when you're a solo DIYer. The humidity thing might be overblown where you are but my basement workshop has seen some real moisture swings and plywood just handles it better without swelling at the edges. I'm glad your MDF shelves are still going strong, that's legit, but I don't think it's drama to care about what feels right for your own build.