MDF Board as Shelving Material

[MachiaMan]

Can it hold as much weight on something hanging on a hook as the equivalent thickness (3/4") plywood?

 

[Bushytails]

No. And like all other fake woods, it'll sag. Or you'll rip the threads out. Or it'll in some other way convince you never to use fake wood again.

--Bushytails

 

[GarageandBeyond]

No. And like all other fake woods, it'll sag. Or you'll rip the threads out. Or it'll in some other way convince you never to use fake wood again.

--Bushytails

We use 1 inch industrial grade particle board and never had a shelf sag in my 6 years of business.

 

[DiverseCC]

i use it for all my shelves, 3/4 in, its cheap, just if its gonna have alot of weight on brace it right, i have a few 8ft by 2 ft shelves i made and a few are braced alittle stronger and i have engines and trannys on them and none of them sag, it all depends on your framing or bracing, i wouldnt just use it with 2 wall mounts or anything unless its a small shelf

 

[steve hansen]

I know companies that use the 3/4 inch melamine, that is essentially a thin formica coating, to build cabinets, shelves, etc. The melamine is at home depot with a particle board core here in Tyler, Texas yet lowes has it with a MDF core. I know that both are well suited for garage shelving that is not in a wet zone. Take a look at a company called gorgeous garage. //sites.google.com/site/gorgeousgarageofeasttexas/Home, and you can see them using it on shelves that are rated for 1000lbs every 4 feet. It does have steel braces every 4 feet and an angle iron front piece, but that is a 2 foot deep shelf. If you used smaller braces spaced closer together, and a typical 12 inch shelf, I would think either product would work. The melamine is a nice, no paint needed surface, but plain wood would work too.