---
title: "MDF — density, melting point and properties"
description: "MDF has a density of 750 kg/m³ (600–850). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/mdf/
site: "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

- [Does MDF float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/mdf/)
- [Pine](https://atoneplace.net/material/pine/)
- [Plywood](https://atoneplace.net/material/plywood/)
- [White oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/white-oak/)
- [Red oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/red-oak/)
- [Balsa](https://atoneplace.net/material/balsa/)
- [Spruce](https://atoneplace.net/material/spruce/)
- [Western red cedar](https://atoneplace.net/material/cedar/)
- [Hard maple](https://atoneplace.net/material/maple/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)