Free, but is it worth it?

[Moe in QLD]

I have a mate who can get me some free 13mm MDF sheets (well, a slab of beer or a bottle of scotch, plus transport costs)
Enough to line my entire shed easily.

The shed is steel frame colorbond and needs some lining and this seems to be the best solution
I figure since it's 13mm I won't even need battens, I can attach to the back of the hi-hat and have 3 lines of contact for each sheet (about 1.2 spacing). All I think I need to worry about is keeping the MDF off the concrete floor but that would be the same for any sheeting.

Before I start the project I'm wondering if anyone thinks I haven't thought of some of the possible problems.

Please feel free to burst my bubble :wink:

[RufflyRustic]

hmm, I'd also be sealing on all sides with an enamel paint, it would be nasty if it ended up getting wet and mouldy.

[BobL]

hmm, i'd also be sealing on all sides with an enamel paint, it would be nasty if it ended up getting wet and mouldy.

+1.

[Moe in QLD]

Yep, plan to paint the craft board on all sides before I hang it
I also plan to bevel the seams just so there's no question about the lack of sealing the seams

oh yeah, behind the board I'll put foil insulation... I have a couple of rolls left over from the house build

[RufflyRustic]

:2tsup: go the foil!!

have you used mdf before? as in, I'm not saying anything new i.e. you know to wear PPE when working with it and clean up the slippery dust when finished.

cheers
Wendy

[Grommett]

:wts:
a lined shed is so much nicer to work in, but take care installing the mdf.

[Moe in QLD]

:2tsup: go the foil!!

have you used mdf before?

yes, I've used MDF before but not to line walls
the mate I'm getting it from has and he also pew pews all my questions about it's suitability

[Grommett]

yes, I've used MDF before but not to line walls
the mate I'm getting it from has and he also pew pews all my questions about it's suitability

Its one of those materials that is fine once installed and if you aren't drilling or sawing it, then like asbestos there is no problem with dust etc. Just take care putting it in and you are fine. It is stable, and I don't think degassing is an issue.

[specialist]

even with 13mm mdf, I would put a stud every 600 to stop it from buckling over time, which it will, even with paint. I wouldn't bother with oil paint acrilic will be fine. I haven't had any problems with anything that I have done in the past this way.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

One quick question: what's your roof like? Any skylights?

If so, you ever noticed condensation?

(OK... 3 quick questions! :doh: )

[Moe in QLD]

A couple of things as way of an update
I should have said in the beginning that this is a blank slate installation
I am going to be converting half of my 7m x 12m shed into a workshop
At present it is just chockers with stuff that was damaged in the flood and I’m still sorting through it. The shed as yet doesn’t even have permanent power

I’m leaning towards using the (nearly) free craft board to line the shed.
It seems like a cheap solution and I know I’ll regret it if I start the fitout without lining the walls first


I figure since it's 13mm I won't even need battens, I can attach to the back of the hi-hat and have 3 lines of contact for each sheet (about 1.2 spacing) I’ve changed my mind and I’ll be installing timber studs to hang the sheets on

even with 13mm mdf, I would put a stud every 600 to stop it from buckling over time, which it will, even with paint. I wouldn't bother with oil paint acrilic will be fine. I haven't had any problems with anything that I have done in the past this way. specialist is right, over time it would become a problem no matter what I do to mitigate the moisture ingress… its MDF, it will sag eventually

Also, when I was thinking about the fitout I realized that I’ll want studs to be able to anchor cabinets and other things, when I started thinking about power and lighting it seems that timber studs will be the go.


what's your roof like? Any skylights? If so, you ever noticed condensation? The roof is (I think) 15 deg pitch, there aren’t trusses it’s all beam & hi-hat construction.
This means there will be no ceiling, at least not for a while.
The roof doesn’t have skylights. I will be adding some but I’ll probably replace a span of the Colorbond with some low UV blocking Laserlite to keep things simple, also planning on some whirly birds in the roof to help with the ventilation.

After working in there this weekend, it was pretty obvious that there isn’t enough natural light or fresh air flow.

I’ve seen no sign of any moisture on the things that I have in there… at least not that I’m aware of, there’s a lot of stuff that was from my old storage shed that took 1.2m of water in January. I guess I’ll see as time goes on.

Anything I need to worry about that you know of?

Thanks for all the input so far and if you think of anything else I’m all ears
When I start the project I’ll start a new thread with pix and plans
Cheers
Moe

[damian]

If it were me I'd use fibro to line your shed. It's cheap and I put some unfinished fibro under the house 15 years ago and it's still perfect. It forms both ext and int skin so it's unpainted and exposed to water sun dirt everything. It's the post asbestos stuff.

It's light and easy to work and doesn't seem to sag. If you buy some of the very cheap fiberglass insulation that's around now and put it in the cavities it'll help control temperature. The fibro is also a light colour which helps with seeing stuff in the shed.

2c.

[banjoping]

I did not think MDF is treated? Wouldn't the termites have a field day?

[corbs]

Do it :2tsup:

I lined my shed with free MDF and it's awesome:)

[beer is good]

G'day Moe,
I lined part of my shed with MDF a while ago. To stop any damp coming up through the floor, I bought some plastic channel from Bunnies and slipped it over the bottom edge of the sheet and put some glue on to hold it in place. So the plastic channel (I think it was 16mm wide by about 15mm high) is resting on the floor. I screwed steel top hat battens horizontally on the steel walls and screwed through the MDF into the battens. I painted the MDF white to help with the lighting. All going well so far.

I wouldn't use the battens again - they are a bit hard to cut to length, so I would use unequal channel, and if I couldn't find the right size I'd just use equal channel and cut a V shaped cut in one face to get the screw in.

[specialist]

Never seen termites eat mdf, but I suppose there is always a first time:think:

[wun4us]

G'day Moe,
I lined part of my shed with MDF a while ago. To stop any damp coming up through the floor, I bought some plastic channel from Bunnies and slipped it over the bottom edge of the sheet and put some glue on to hold it in place. So the plastic channel (I think it was 16mm wide by about 15mm high) is resting on the floor. I screwed steel top hat battens horizontally on the steel walls and screwed through the MDF into the battens. I painted the MDF white to help with the lighting. All going well so far.

I wouldn't use the battens again - they are a bit hard to cut to length, so I would use unequal channel, and if I couldn't find the right size I'd just use equal channel and cut a V shaped cut in one face to get the screw in.


I think that BIG's reply is a wise answer to keeping the MDF off the deck ands should provide a long life for the MDF.

As far a hanging things on the MDF, at 13mm it should for the most part be good enough as is. If worried, then put pine battens on the MDF inside, when ands where you need them. nFix with screws after applying some clear silicone to the batten. Stuck forever, ands like Superman holds (almost) anything!! :U:2tsup:

[pellcorp]

As soon as you add laserlite you might notice condensation. My new jet jointer sits under one of the sheets and I had forgotten to cover it when I left for the day. Come next weekend bloody big rust stain which looks like it came from water off roof. My roof does not leak must be condensation

[dai sensei]

Sealed MDF may be Ok down south where the humidity is low, but in QLD I would avoid it. IMHO it is just a matter of time before you end up with a sagging mouldy mess.

[wun4us]

As soon as you add laserlite you might notice condensation. My new jet jointer sits under one of the sheets and I had forgotten to cover it when I left for the day. Come next weekend bloody big rust stain which looks like it came from water off roof. My roof does not leak must be condensation

You sure it wasn't overspray from the bottle of champers that you opened to celebrate a new achievement or ??:oo::2tsup:

I've got laserlite on the roof of my patio, and I do notice some condensation at times where it nis cloe up to the house; but it's only a 7 degree fall andc I've just put it down to that. But, I do see quite heavy condensation at times inside my garden shed, and that does run and drip, but steel roofs without any form of sarking under them invariably do I guess.:doh: