# MDF Safety



## Trickdog (Feb 11, 2020)

I read in a book that the adhesive used to bind the sawdust together in MDF has dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde that are released as dust when you cut the MDF. How much of a hazard is this, and what can I do to protect myself from this, and dust in general? Would a dust mask work?


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Not harmful for contact unless you have existing allergies or sensitivities, as far as breathing protection goes just wear a particulate mask. Personally I'm of the opinion that you should be wearing a full respirator, but a dust make should work


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

Welcome to the forum, Henry! Add your location to your profile so it shows in the side panel.

Yes, like Epic said, a dust mask will suffice. The best way to control MDF dust, and all dust really, is to catch it at the source before it becomes airborne.

We like photos so show us your shop, tools, projects, etc. whenever you're ready.

David


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## DrRobert (Apr 27, 2015)

Yes, MDF dust is horribly dangerous, especially routing procedures (so is chinese plywood that red colored glue - not good stuff) 

A good quality respirator, adequate shop ventilation, dust collection, air filtration unit work, exhaust fan, etc. 

Be aware that MDF dust gets _everywhere_ and covers _everything_. So even when you're done cutting it, you're not out of the woods. 

I usually leave the exhaust fan and a couple other fans running the blow everything off at the end of the day. If using a vacuum be sure it has a HEPA filter.

I do all the rough cuts with the tracksaw outside.


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## kiwi_outdoors (Jan 15, 2020)

MDF is junk - I can't imagine anyone with an interest in woodworking every buying it.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

kiwi_outdoors said:


> MDF is junk - I can't imagine anyone with an interest in woodworking ever buying it.


Can't disagree with that but it sure makes a great spoilboard on the CNC! And it was perfect to make the radius dishes and side molds for my acoustic guitar work. Other than that, junk, I agree.

David


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

kiwi_outdoors said:


> MDF is junk - I can't imagine anyone with an interest in woodworking every buying it.


Now that is just blatantly false. For one, MDF is about the perfect material for making jigs, assembly fixtures, saw sleds, anything you want to be dimensionally stable and flat. Its inexpensive, doesnt move, and is plenty strong enough to make a crosscut sled or tapering jig out of. For two, its an excellent cabinet material, for a lot of the same reasons it works well for shop tasks. Its flat, takes paint well, relatively inexpensive, plenty strong enough for the load. For three, its got its uses in finer woodworking projects as well, drawers, box bottoms, dresser backs, the occasional table tops. Its all about matching the material to the project.

But, what do i know, guess i dont have an interest in woodworking:
























(Red oak frame, MDF panels, top will be MDF rimmed with red oak trim. Weird white space because yall dont need to see my shop)


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

DrRobert said:


> Yes, MDF dust is horribly dangerous, especially routing procedures (so is chinese plywood that red colored glue - not good stuff)
> 
> A good quality respirator, adequate shop ventilation, dust collection, air filtration unit work, exhaust fan, etc.
> 
> ...


That is also not completely true. As previously mentioned, yeah, it puts off a fair bit of dust, but that doesnt make it "horribly dangerous". Sanding puts off a fair bit of dust as well. Its lot like shooting lacquer in a basement with a gas water heater, thats horribly dangerous


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

kiwi_outdoors said:


> MDF is junk - I can't imagine anyone with an interest in woodworking every buying it.


That's why it's your shop, your rules.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Mdf arritated me. I just cut it and move on. I have chronic hay fever.37 years later I still don't wear a mask..


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

epicfail48 said:


> That is also not completely true. As previously mentioned, yeah, it puts off a fair bit of dust, but that doesnt make it "horribly dangerous". Sanding puts off a fair bit of dust as well. Its lot like shooting lacquer in a basement with a gas water heater, thats horribly dangerous


Agree....


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## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

DrRobert said:


> Yes, MDF dust is horribly dangerous, especially routing procedures (so is chinese plywood that red colored glue - not good stuff)
> 
> A good quality respirator, adequate shop ventilation, dust collection, air filtration unit work, exhaust fan, etc.
> 
> ...


MDF = Mucho Dust Flying


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

There are just different needs in woodworking and MDF is the best material for some applications. I used to do a lot of commercial work and the stores and businesses needing fixtures usually changed their furnishings every six months for one reason or another so the structure of the fixture wasn't something that needed to last decades. MDF is very stable and can be laminated with formica and can easily be stained and finished. It was just disposable furnishings.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

DrRobert said:


> Yes, MDF dust is horribly dangerous, especially routing procedures (so is chinese plywood that red colored glue - not good stuff)
> 
> A good quality respirator, adequate shop ventilation, dust collection, air filtration unit work, exhaust fan, etc.
> 
> ...



What are your qualifications for calling MDF "horrible dangerous?" Please list some research studies on the effects so that we may all be informed.

George


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Years back I was in the junk end of wood working manufacturing nursing home furniture. It is junk because they want it to be junk so it will fall apart and they can make more money. The nursing home industry is a racket, but any way, 99% of all of nursing home furniture, that I had to do with, is made with mdf and for that type use it is not very sturdy. Mdf is a stable product and it does have it's place in the industry and it is good when it is used where it is supposed to be used. mdf is not as strong as plywood or solid wood but it does have its place in wood working.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

It's all good. In the 90's this stuff started being used in cabinetry. Painters didn't know how to work with it in the beginning but after a learning curve it all worked out, My daughter just bought a new house. It's all paint including the cabinets. It's cheaper these days. Can't tell her this as she doesn't hear me. Stained kitchen cabinets and trim have dropped I new contruction. It's now an upgrade.

MDF is trash by hobby woodworker standards.it's used in csbinetry, commercial work, furniture, etv. Has a lot of uses..


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

GeorgeC said:


> What are your qualifications for calling MDF "horrible dangerous?" Please list some research studies on the effects so that we may all be informed. George


I did a basic web search for "dangers of mdf dust formaldehyde" and found this and this, both from government sources:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/woodworking/faq-mdf.htm
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer...bstances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet

I wouldn't call them "research studies", but they could serve as a starting point from somewhat authoritative sources. I found many other websites that talk about the dangers of formaldehyde from MDF in home products. I would take it as obvious that the fine dust that results from machining MDF is more dangerous than finished furniture products resting in a home.

From my own experience, I have found many examples where overseas manufacturers make products that are non-compliant with the standards that they claim to meet. I would be concerned that formaldehyde levels in the least expensive MDF products from overseas may not be compliant with US standards. I have no proof, but point out that "the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior."

I do a lot of web searches to write responses to George's basic questions. I have given him a start, but in this case, I will leave it as an exercise for the student (George) to do his own web searches to find published peer-reviewed journal articles regarding the dangers of formaldehyde and MDF dust.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Lucky for most they don't have to work with it. Some of us did. There's always new product being introduced to keep prices low. That's why we have salesman in our industry, always telling about products to keep prices down. Some products stay, some disappear....


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

That dern dust makes me cough like crazy, just hate working with it, and it will dull a carbide bit/blade really fast also.


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