Thread: Cost of Laminate V Veneer V Solid Wood

Sounds like a "go away, we're not interested" price to me. $8k is a dining table and 8 chairs, made to order, polished and upholstered.

Not sure about the sports car, but I certainly think you're being taken for a ride...

Ged,

If you have a look at Plyco in Australia https://plyco.com.au/collections/all...nt=36895692816 you’ll see that 19mm birch ply with American Walnut Veneer is around $A84 for a 1200mm x 600mm panel. Ok, your bench will be thicker than 19mm and will be finished, but $NZ8,000 does sound expensive.

Brian

I have never been able to understand why people take expensive ply and veneer it; if you want veneer, just use MDF, it's cheaper and more stable. A 2.4x1.2m sheet is $100-120

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

I have never been able to understand why people take expensive ply and veneer it; if you want veneer, just use MDF, it's cheaper and more stable. A 2.4x1.2m sheet is $100-120

Expensive ply has far fewer issues with moisture, hence mould etc. I used marine ply for both the kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity units, now 30 years on and not a single issue despite a few "accidents."

I don't like to pay even $1k for $200 worth of materials. Time to DIY? Can you draw a sketch of what the wood and stone is supposed to look like?

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

I have never been able to understand why people take expensive ply and veneer it; if you want veneer, just use MDF, it's cheaper and more stable. A 2.4x1.2m sheet is $100-120

Because mdf is heavy, absolutely dies when wet, doesnt hold screws as well, emits formaldehyde lile crazy, doesnt flex like plywood.

They make ata flight cases with 12mm baltic birch for a reason.... Mdf is junk

They make formply from plywood for a reason... .

Mdf has no place in a wet area. Eg kitchen

Mdf is not more stable than proper plywood.

Originally Posted by 44Ronin

Mdf has no place in a wet area. Eg kitchen

My 15 year old kitchen, laundry, and bathrooms with laminated MDF cabinet doors would beg to differ with your sentiment. I'm the third owner and it's was previously rented out for 6+ years, so the place hasn't been babied either.

If you're using bare MDF in your wet areas... no comment. Plywood has advantages over MDF and MDF has advantages over plywood, don't know why there is so much argument over it.

Solid wood will also warp if it's in an environment with varying moisture, does that mean it's garbage as well?

Originally Posted by 44Ronin

Because mdf is heavy, absolutely dies when wet, doesnt hold screws as well, emits formaldehyde lile crazy, doesnt flex like plywood.

MDF is only about 10-15% heavier than ply, HMR is easily available and is fine with water/steam, screwing into the face is fine (edges I'll concede), most of the stuff available now is E0 and has very low formaldehyde emissions on the order of less than 1 ppm (plywood also emits formaldehyde as the resin used is the same stuff). As an aside, at my old work we left a piece of HMR MDF outside with no cover or shade for several years and there was only swelling at the edges for a few mm (it was lying flat, so it did cup), in a home environment where the MDF is sealed there is very little chance of anything close to it dying.

MDF is absolutely more stable; plywood is dimensionally stable, but will still warp and twist because it's solid timber, MDF will not do that as readily.