Dollhouse Materials: Plywood vs. Fiberboard (MDF)

There's one question that always comes up when dealing with dollhouse kits and materials: which is better--plywood or medium density fiberboard? The answer is ultimately a matter of preference, but the information below will help you to make a knowledgeable choice.

Plywood Dollhouse plywood is known by several names and acronyms: milled plywood or MP, birch plywood, and cabinet grade plywood (because it's often used in household cabinetry). One of the major advantages of plywood is its natural wood grain appearance. Also, in dollhouse kits using plywood, a clapboard profile milled into the surface makes it easier and faster to assemble a house with clapboard siding. Plywood is lighter than MDF, which is helpful if you are frequently moving your dollhouse. If you intend to install electricity in your dollhouse, plywood takes eyelets and brads (1/8" brass nails) easier than MDF. Plywood dollhouse kits are sometimes more expensive, and plywood can splinter, but plywood finishes well and offers a true wood look.

MDF

Medium density fiberboard is a building material made from compressed wood fibers bonded together with resin using heat and pressure to form sheets or boards. MDF is not the same thing as pressboard or hardboard.

Compared to plywood, MDF presents a smoother, plaster-like appearance. MDF is free of splinters and blemishes and is thus easy to paint. Its smooth surface also makes adding interior wallpaper a simpler task. MDF offers uniform thickness and stability from warping.

MDF is heavier than plywood, and though it won't splinter or warp, it is more prone to chipping, denting, or splitting. MDF dollhouse kits using 3/8-inch fiberboard can be glued or nailed together, though gluing is often preferred due to the nature of the material.