MDF (medium density fibreboard) is a combination of soft/hard woods that have been refined into fibers and mixed with a hardener such as wax and resin. It is then processed with high heat and pressure while being formed into large panels.
MDF (medium density fiberboard) is more often used in applications such as laser art, scroll saw, CNC work, shop jigs, and some applications for furniture building. It generally has a lighter colour and a more raw finish, similar to the fibers you can feel on a sheet of paper.
HDF (high density fibreboard) is compressed at a higher pressure, making it stronger and more durable. It has a darker appearance in colour, and a finish that feels very smooth and can have a slight sheen. It can be more difficult to cut on lasers due to the higher density of the material.
Unlike baltic birch or other plywoods, MDF doesn’t have voids or imperfections throughout the material that you need to take into consideration when you’re choosing your laser settings. As with all laser materials, we recommend running a material test to ensure you are using the best settings for your laser. See here for our list of setting recommendations based on different machines.
If you are planning to paint your pieces and your settings are correct, you shouldn’t need to mask this material. If the MDF is being left raw, a suggestion could be to mask the top and lift the material off the honeycomb bed to avoid flashback marks on the bottom side.
Our first recommendation is always to make sure that you have run the appropriate material settings tests, and that your settings are as dialed in as possible. MDF can create more fine debris while engraving and cutting than other materials, so ensuring that your lens is cleaned, along with mirrors being cleaned and aligned would be the next step to troubleshooting.
