Can I Make Coasters from MDF?

[rejb68]

Hi

I'd like to make some little coasters for cups and possibly bigger ones for plates. I'd like to be able to paint them and would normally do things like this from MDF. But will MDF be heatproof enough for this purpose? And could it be waterproofed enough with an enamel/acrylic varnish? If not, what wood should I use instead?

Many thanks!

Rej

 

[Burnerman]

MDF will stand the amount of heat, but it won't repel moisture unless very well painted - it will simply fall apart. I'd go for thin hardwood, personally.
John

 

[rejb68]

Many thanks - as you can see, I'm a bit of an amateur but will look into thin hardwood. Can it be sanded nicely to give very smooth edges and corners?

Rej

 

[Burnerman]

Hardwoods will sand smooth beautifully - mahogany and teak being two common examples.
However.....if the wood is too thin then expect it to warp to some degree, so the bigger the coaster is, the thicker it needs to be.
You could of course laminate your material - this means laying one piece on top of another, and glued, but with the grain running in opposite directions, as in plywood. You can get a lot of strength this way.
John

 

[big-all]

when i install hardwood worktops i convert any cut outs for sinks and cookers into a matching set off pot stands coasters chopping board bread bins ect
they never know they are comming and are always very pleased to get a matching set
any way the point i am making is if you know someone having a kitchen fitted you can get the cutouts for nowt