# MDF Board as Shelving Material



## MachiaMan (Sep 10, 2008)

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


----------



## Bushytails (Sep 10, 2008)

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 (Oct 26, 2008)

Bushytails said:


> 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 (Mar 18, 2009)

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 (Apr 17, 2009)

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.


----------

