Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

[johnnyrichards]

At Menards this evening... 2'x4'x3/4" MDF handi-panels on-sale were still just a touch under $10. Is it the season? Solar flares? BP/Halliburton polluting the Gulf? What gives?

My ultra-budget DIY Iowa entry is running the risk of ceasing to be "ultra", darn it.

Particle board was on sale, though. So the project will consist of 5/8" particle board walls, 3/4" particle board baffles and some nice poplar bracing.

[Paul K.]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

I'm not sure if you are aware, but for Iowa the only costs that matter are those for drivers and crossover components. You could build the cabinet out of solid gold and that wouldn't affect the Class to be entered. OTOH, maybe you are aware and you're just trying to keep all out of pocket expenses as low as possible.
Paul

At Menards this evening... 2'x4'x3/4" MDF handi-panels on-sale were still just a touch under $10. Is it the season? Solar flares? BP/Halliburton polluting the Gulf? What gives?

My ultra-budget DIY Iowa entry is running the risk of ceasing to be "ultra", darn it.

Particle board was on sale, though. So the project will consist of 5/8" particle board walls, 3/4" particle board baffles and some nice poplar bracing.

[Rightbrained]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

When I bought mdf for "The Bonecrusher" last month I noticed that 3/4 mdf had gone up @ $8.00 a sheet here.

[bobbarkto]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

Same here in Chicago.
I wonder what is going on... lumber in general is pretty low right now.

[dwigle]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

We're starting to see the impact of the drilling ban in the gulf.

[christianb]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

I haven't purchased MDF in about two years since I have a ton of it. I did see the price of it is up past $30/sheet at Home Depot a few days ago. If I remember correctly, I was paying around $20 a sheet two years ago.

[johnnyrichards]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

Yeah, I was aware that the cost is based on components - but I really am trying to see how cheap I can really be with this one and still make it look and sound decent.

[cooper]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

Every time I go to Home Depot, no matter what I'm there for, I check the cull cart.

I once picked up eight pieces of 3/4" MDF that was cut into 4'x4' sheets, for $1 ea.

[arlis_1957@yahoo.com]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

yeah, go to the other side of town and go to home depot. 2x4 sheets seem to be a good deal. you could try one of those counter top remnants (particle board with formica top) for $2 from menards. i used it for my rb-1's and i think wolf used it too. great for baffles.

[johnnyrichards]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

Well, I am already committed to the crap I bought, but I did find a scrap of 3/4" MDF big enough to cut my baffles from.

[kornphlake]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

A couple years ago I was pricing lumber and oak ply was cheaper than baltic b!rch, a few weeks ago the cost of oak was nearly double the cost of b!rch. Lumber is like any other commodity, it's value will fluctuate with market conditions. I've noticed the cost of everything going up lately, the only thing that I can think of that hasn't gone up in the last 2 years is my salary.

[DIYNut42]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

At Lowes, and Southerlands here a 4 x 8 x 3/4 sheet of MDF is close to $34 right now. If you can substitute, ask them if they have any surplus ash stock laying around. The Emerald Ash Borer bug is causing havoc all over the US in ash trees, but it's created a surplus of ash too.

[atropos]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

Yes I just payed $32.59 plus tax for a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" mdf. Also, $5.49 for a 24x24" sheet of the same.

The cost of MDF just about takes away the benefit of DIY. Madness.

[robwest]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

You'd think the 'new construction' slowdown would make the raw materials cheaper, but I guess the reduced value of the dollar overseas means foreigners can compete for and have it shipped now.

Have you gone grocery shopping with the wife lately? Ground hamburger has just about doubled in the last couple years, here. I'm not surprised at the 50% increase for MDF in 2 years. I'll bet, if you can check, there was a similar increase in the preceeding two years with higher oil prices beeing blamed. But they never dropped once oil prices did.

Inflation is well on the rise.

[mgrabow]

Re: Holy smokes, MDF pricing...

Almost $11 a sheet in Long Island...