Prepare MDF Panels for Painting with Oils or Acrylics

[ltblank]

Great vid, thank you very much.

[audreycomille]

Can you substitute the gesso with regular house paint?

[mariosport]

how can i accelerate th drying process?

[dcopley51]

Do you use "untempered masonite"? I've read that tempered masonite contains acids that will someday ruin the paintings.

[theTRUE1414]

i should have watched this video before buying my bord D:

[kensmind]

You're going to need at least three coats on BOTH the front and the back. Failure to coat the back with gesso will result in warping of the board when you start painting. You can also create a fine finish by using a brush to first apply the gesso, and then while it's still wet, smooth it out with a wide foam paint roller.

[maddogguitars]

how would you hang a painting on MDF? Particularly if it's large (say, 6ft x 4ft on 12mm MDF) Thanks for the upload, v.useful!

[TiffanyJeanFineArt]

Thank you for your video and for all the information I learned in your comment section!

[JCL404]

its one direction when you paint MDF for better looks

[RaughPower]

I like to have a very smooth surface for my oils, will MDF sealer, a clear, watery, acrylic emulsion resist the acids in the oils?

[LamiaPandora]

hey, im curious about MDF. ive never really seen it, but i see a lot of ppl use it for oils. i just want to know what kind of surface it is and where i could get it and if its expensive?

[FineArtExperience]

@LamiaPandora

MDF is a very smooth surface. You can add texture when applying the gesso by leaving the brush strokes if you desire.

I buy mine at Home Depot. It is 1/4" thick and comes in 2 ft by 4 ft sheets for under $5. Very economical!

Hope this helps!

Brandon

[LamiaPandora]

@FineArtExperience thank you so much brandon. that helps a lot :) ill b sure to come to u for questions i may have. thanx again.

[sorfingers1965]

I live your attitude toward encouraging and inspiring other artists. MDF is believed to be a carcenogenic (cancer causing) material and must not be inhaled if sanded. I cannot tell if you are wearing a mask or not; but I feel strongly enough to point this out. Can the board be primed without sanding?

[MegaMuzio]

Great Video! Who plays the wonderful music?

[Brooksk818]

Thanks for the step by step; I've seen lots of people use MDF, but didn't have a clue as to how to prepare it. Did you let the Gesso dry in between coats? how long between each coat? Again, great video, thank you

[FineArtExperience]

Brooksk818,

Glad you enjoyed the video. I was preparing quite a few panels at the same time so by the time I finished the first coat on the last panel the first panel was dry and ready to go. I would guess about 10-15 minutes between coats. If you have any other questions please let me know!

[wxpeople]

I enjoyed this video. thank you for posting it. I am enjoying them all. A few questions though, What thickness do you use? Is there a maximum size panel for this thickness? Do you put any type of support on the back? Do you gesso only one side? Why not use masonite? Thanks again for the video.

[FineArtExperience]

wxpeople,

Thanks! I prefer to use 1/4" as if is very rigid I have used 1/8" but it will only work well on smaller pieces. If you purchase the 1/4" mfd from home depot they come in 24" x 48" and I have painted panels this size with no issues. I do not use any bracing as they are plenty stiff on their own.

[FineArtExperience]

I only gesso one side because these panels are very stable and since I only paint on one side the gesso is only to let the paint adhere to the board. I have used masonite (tempered board) before and have found that it is harder to find boards that are double sided tempered and they just are too flimsy for my taste. The MDF is stiffer and I prefer the surface. But this is just my opinion.