At One Place

MDF

Density of MDF
750 kg/m³ (600–850)
0.75 g/cm³ · 46.8 lb/ft³

Wood fibres and resin pressed into a board with no grain at all, which is why it routes to a crisp edge and takes paint like a solid surface — the two things that made it replace timber in painted joinery. It is heavier than the plywood it displaces and it has almost no screw-holding power in the edge, so it needs specific fixings. Standard MDF turns to porridge if it gets wet and its dust is fine enough to demand extraction and a mask.

Properties

Density
750 kg/m³ (600–850) — 0.75 g/cm³
Young's modulus
3.6 GPa
Floats in water
Yes
Magnetic
No

What it is used for

  • Painted furniture and shelving
  • Skirting, architrave and door casings
  • Loudspeaker cabinets
  • CNC-routed panels and signage

How it compares

Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.

air 1.2 kg/m³
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³
MDF 750 kg/m³
Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³
gold 19,300 kg/m³
platinum 21,450 kg/m³
Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.
Material Density Relative to water
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³ 0.04×
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³ 0.02×
air 1.2 kg/m³ 0.00×
MDF ← 750 kg/m³ 0.75×
platinum 21,450 kg/m³ 21.45×
gold 19,300 kg/m³ 19.30×
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³ 19.25×

Does it rust?

MDF contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

Is it magnetic?

MDF is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Common questions

What is the density of MDF?
750 kg/m³ (600–850), or 0.75 g/cm³.
Does MDF float?
Yes. At 750 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.
Is MDF magnetic?
MDF is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked