"Which Side of the MDF" Topic

After you cut up a sheet of MDF to use a bases for terrain, which side do you use to affix the terrain? The rough side or the smooth side?
And why?

MDF is equally smooth to both sides.

Hardboard (seldom seen these days) had a smooth and a toothed side.

Hi

Both sides have there good points. The Rough side can either hold the terrain to the MDF or hold the piece to the game surface. I always have the rouge side down to keep it from moving during games.

just make sure you treat both sides with pva or paint to avoid warping.

I personally use the rough side up to give a better fix for terrain.

Rough down to lessen slip on terrain cloth.

As above, all my MDF is smooth on both sides.

I use PVA as a key though.

Is there still a bit of confusion between the USA and the UK over MDF and Hardboard.

The OP asked about the rough side versus the smooth side of MDF.

My experience of MDF in the UK is that both sides are the same whereas Hardboard in the UK has a smooth side and a rough side.

I also understand that Hardboard has a different name in parts of the US, I cannot remember what it is.

I am, therefore, still confused.

Near as I can tell, here in the US hardware/lumber stores frequently sell a product called MDF that is, in fact, hardboard. Typically 1/8 thick, fibrous in composition, smooth on one side, with a burlap-looking texture on the back.

Crispy… Correct!! Home Depot calls it MDF. I bought several sheets there and used a jigsaw to cut it into amoeba shapes.

I usually use the smooth side for terraining, but this time I thought that perhaps the rough side would take basing materials better. So, I sanded the edges to favor the rough side and painted the smooth side so that it would not warp.
I did not paint the rough side because the basing materials will cover it and I did not want to over do it.

That certainly sounds like hardboard, I tend to avoid using that for modelling as it warps so badly unless you weigh it down while it dries.

Hmm, google throws up a number of interesting contradications as to what MDF and HDF/hardboard are.

MDF is made of wood fibres mixed with resin, whereas hardboard is highly compressed wood fibres and HDF is compressed wood fibres with added resin.

If hardboard doesn't have any resin, it would explain why it seems to soak up so much liquid, but otherwise the difference in US/UK nomeclature is baffling.

MDF – medium density fibreboard
HDF – high density fibreboard
hardboard – compressed wood fibre board

If you are looking for hardboard, you might try a search on Masonite.

@Heisler

Masonite, yes, that's it!

I'd be cautious using hardboard for terrain. It absorbs moisture very easy and it's even easier to ding the edges. Its not much different than thick cardboard. It's primary use is backing for flat pack cupboards, where these things aren't an issue.
Best stuff I have found is the plastic signs they use for things like for sale signs.

When using a cut piece of Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) as a base for terrain, it is generally recommended to use the smooth side to affix the terrain. Here's why:

Surface Uniformity: The smooth side of MDF offers a more uniform surface compared to the rough side. This makes smash karts easier to attach and secure the terrain elements evenly. The smooth surface allows for better adhesion of glue, paint, or any other adhesive you may be using to affix the terrain.

I suspect there's an autocorrect somewhere in this sentence . . .

"This makes smash karts easier to attach and secure the terrain elements evenly."

Cheers,
John

I am going to go against the consensus: I glue mini's and flocking to the rough side of my MDF bases. It is often recommended to roughen a smooth plastic surface, for example, to provide better glue adhesion on such models.

Most of my bases have square-cut corners, which are very good at snagging my ground cloths (usually woven indoor/outdoor carpet fibers, or cotton cloth) when anyone tries to move them, so sticking to the ground cloth is not an issue, for me.

I use colored sand mixtures for my flocking (not painting required). I adhere my flocking with PVA Wood Glue, brushed on with a throw-away brush; then I swirl the base in the sand mixture, within a bowl. I get pretty good results with this approach. The sand mixtures are course enough that the Glue-Sand mixtures hide the rough MDF surfaces beneath them. All examples have the rough side up: two large dragon figures, on 150mm-square bases, with sand mixtures applied; 28mm cavalry figures, on 25mm x 50mm bases; 1/72 scale Dwarf figures, on 25mm-square bases.

MDF is made of epoxy and wood fibers. I don't know that the PVA/other glues have better adherence to a smooth surface, versus a more textured surface, but I'm willing to chance the rougher side is better, by a slight margin, based on personal experience -- we all know how reliable that is… LOL! Cheers!