Shannon's Kitchen - The Baseboard and MDF

When we replaced all the flooring in Shannon's living space, it was necessary to replace the baseboard as well. We decided to go with a taller baseboard than what the house had previously. Since the baseboard will be painted, there are two options-- use all wood or use medium density fiberboard (also known as MDF).

This is what we ended up with:


We used a 6" piece of MDF on the bottom and a piece of 1 1/4" wood molding (called PM5) on top, total cost is $.74 per linear foot. If we had used all wood, the cost would have been $1.44 per linear foot. At almost half the price, MDF is the better deal! This is what it looks like before it's painted:


Many times, MDF is not recommended in wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. With repeated exposure to water, it will probably puff up. I have it in my bathrooms and have not had any problems. My neighbor has it in her bathrooms and has had problems with it, she also has 4 young children. But even wood that is repeatedly exposed to water will have problems . . . At Shannon's house, it's not a worry because water is not used to clean the engineered floors. So we got a great look for less!