MDF wall panels in the apron and kitchen walls

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Contents
  • Characteristics, Pros and Cons of
  • How to choose a MDF panel for the kitchen?
  • Installing a kitchen apron from MDF
  • Price review

In the kitchen, MDF wall panels are most often used to finish the apron, but often for partial or full wall cladding. In this article we will talk about how to choose the right material, as well as how to install a kitchen apron made of MDF with your own hands. In addition, here you will find 25 photo examples of the use of MDF in the interior.

Characteristics, Pros and Cons of

So, briefly about the material:

  • MDF boards are produced from waste wood processing industry. In fact, it is small chips, which are pressed with a binder, lignin, "wood glue".It turns out that MDF is much more environmentally friendly than its chipboard relative and has E1 formaldehyde emission class, that is, it is as safe for health as natural wood.
  • Wall panels are sold completely ready for installation: veneered, laminated or painted.
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  • Apron for kitchen from MDF is often laminated, standard sizes: 4x2440x60 cm. For wall cladding, you should look for wall panels of greater length. For example, Egger offers 2700 cm long panels.

What is good for an MDF kitchen apron? We can name at least eight of its main advantages:


  1. Resistance to moisture and humidity. The tree in this criterion strongly loses MDF.
  2. Strength - the panels will easily withstand random shocks due to their high density.
  3. Installation of panels does not require careful alignment of the walls, you can install them yourself quickly and easily, unlike tile and glass.
  4. Ease of care. Washing MDF panels is much easier than glass, wood or tile with numerous seams.
  5. Mass of design possibilities: you can choose imitation of wood or stone for your kitchen, pick up material to match the worktop, or use photo printing panels. The photo below shows an example of a "marble" apron from MDF( scroll).
  1. Low price compared to wood, stone, porcelain stoneware or agglomerate.
  2. Wall panels can be installed with a gap( that is, on the batten), which will allow you to install electrical wiring or ventilation under them.
  3. If you decorate with MDF panels not only “working”, but also other walls, then in the kitchen it will become quieter and warmer.

But this material has its drawbacks:

  • Firstly, MDF-panels are afraid of high temperatures, therefore it is undesirable to mount them near the gas stove. Material may be deformed due to overheating.
  • Secondly, MDF has a weak point - these are the ends. If they are open, they should be protected from moisture and mechanical damage.
  • The third drawback is instability against scratches and damage with sharp objects. No, if you do not lightly touch the walls with a knife, nothing will happen, but if you knock it off with force, then the decorative upper layer is likely to peel off.
  • And finally, the last minus is unnatural. No matter how high quality the photo printing on the melamine film is, the MDF panels will still play natural wood or stone.

How to choose MDF panel for the kitchen?

  1. MDF is worth buying from well-known manufacturers who have all the relevant quality certificates and value their reputation. For example, it can be Russian Kronospan or German Egger. It is better to overpay for the brand than to run into poor-quality materials of insufficient density and high formaldehyde emissions. In the store, do not hesitate to ask for documents confirming the originality of the plates and their compliance with the formaldehyde emission class E1.
  1. Of course, before going to the store you need to make the appropriate measurements and understand how much material and how long you need to buy. For example, for a U-shaped, corner or long kitchen you will have to buy at least two sheets. If you are confident in your measurements, then cutting the material exactly in size can be ordered directly at the store. Otherwise, the exact fit of the material is made at home.

  1. As for thickness, it is better to choose MDF 4 mm thick: this material is more resistant to moisture and wear, but at the same time it does not interfere with the installation of kitchen cabinets.
  2. Wall panels should be chosen taking into account the design of the headset and the interior of the kitchen. You can navigate the color and texture of the facades, countertops, as well as the floor, kitchen furniture and curtains.
  3. Keep in mind that if you choose a light apron, the kitchen will visually appear larger; if it is dark, the space will become more intimate, cozy.

Below are photo examples of bright MDF aprons:

  1. Also, keep in mind that on dark walls there is very noticeable dust, grease stains and water stains.
  2. Choosing a wall panel with a photo print to finish the apron, do not forget that too motley designs can overload the kitchen interior. Bright flowers, types of megalopolises, fruits and vegetables will become an excellent accent only if the fronts of the headset and the situation in general are very laconic, as, for example, in this kitchen project.

If the interior already has colorful curtains or, say, wallpaper, then it is better to abandon the apron with photo printing in favor of, for example, the traditional imitation of wood.

  1. When buying a panel with photo printing, it is worth finding out by what technology the image was printed on MDF.There are four basic technologies:
  • Drawing directly on a plate with ink. In this case, the price is minimal, but the resistance of the image is low.
  • The image is applied to the film, and it is glued to MDF.
  • The picture is printed on acrylic, and then it is glued to the panel.
  • Hot lining: the image is applied to the plate, and then opened with varnish and protected with a special thermoplastic layer.

The price in the last two cases is higher, but the quality of the panels differs for the better.

In the following video you can see a small MDF crash test with photo printing on acryls:

And here is a video of crash test apron made of varnished MDF with photo printing:

Installing a kitchen apron made of MDF

.amount of material. If you have not ordered the cutting of the apron to the desired size, then you need to do it yourself using a jigsaw.

  • Keep in mind that under the hood will need a panel of greater height. Often, this area is not installed MDF, and use a neutral background material, for example, a metal or glass screen or tile. Below is an example of the protection of MDF in a place above a plate of transparent glass.

Step 2. After the panel has already been cut to the required size, you need to prepare it for installation and cut out all the necessary holes in the places where the sockets are installed. As a rule, 3-4 outlets are mounted near the working area, and their location should be precisely measured out, then outlined in shape and cut out.

Step 3. Next, set the mounting bar - it will serve as a "backup" for MDF apron. However, if the lower cabinets of the kitchen set are already installed, then the support will not be required.

Step 4. The fourth stage is the installation itself. Fix the panel can be glue or screws. Every technology has both opponents and fans. And we will consider both, so you can decide how to install wall panels with your own hands.

Fastening on self-tapping screws

Mounting with self-tapping screws allows you to quickly replace the panel if necessary. The fastening itself provides sheet marking for self-tapping screws: one fastener each 500-600 mm. Holes in the wall need to be done in advance, insert dowels in them, and then screw in the screws, pulling the plate as fully as possible. The caps of the screws can be hidden by special decorative caps.

Installation on

glue With this method of installation, no holes will be needed: you just need to prepare the holes for the installation of sockets. Glue is purchased special, in a tube. You also need a gun for glue, with which it is much easier to apply. The glue is spread on the back of the plate, horizontally, every 20 cm. An apron with glue is applied to the wall and fixed with special spacers for 14 hours.

Step 5. Next, the joint between the apron and the pedestals is treated with a sealant and closed with a plinth. After which you can proceed to the installation of sockets, railings or washing.

You can see the process of assembling an apron for kitchen from MDF with your own hands in the following video:

Price review

And the last question that interests kitchen shoppers from MDF is price. The cost of full-size panels with photo printing 60 cm high is 1500-1800 rubles. Variants with imitation of brick, wood, stone, tile will cost in the range of 800-3000 rubles, depending on the thickness of the material( 2 or 4 mm).Also, when installing, you need a special mounting adhesive, and this is another 250-300 p.per pack.

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