MDF/OSB instead of drywall?

[Stockholms]

Hello! Renovating a bit at home.

We're going to replace the kitchen countertop and extend it over the part that used to be a "half wall/bar section." Before we cut the wall, it was about 30 cm higher. Now we've cut the wall and will lay the countertop all the way out to the drywall. However, we will need to replace the outer board that the plinth rests on (it was a bit difficult to save the drywall). However, I hate working with drywall and we don't have a good space to saw. The building supply stores also don't cut drywall, only wood materials. Is it a bad idea to use a 16mm OSB or MDF board instead of 16mm drywall at the end? Pros/cons?

The countertop will only rest on the frame, even though it extends all the way to the last drywall board. All the material behind will be ~1mm lower than the frame where we fill the gap.

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[OscarFC]

Hi! Renovating a bit at home.

We're going to replace the kitchen countertop and extend it over the part that used to be a "half wall/bar section." Before we cut down the wall, it was about 30 cm higher. Now we have trimmed the wall and will lay the countertop all the way out to the plaster. However, we will need to replace the outer board that the baseboard rests on (it was a bit difficult to save the plaster). However, I hate working with plaster and we don't have a good space to saw. The hardware stores do not cut plaster either, only wood materials. Is it a bad idea to use a 16mm OSB or MDF board instead of 16mm plasterboard on the outside? Pros/cons?

The countertop will rest solely on the frame even though it extends all the way out to the last plasterboard. All material behind will be ~1mm lower than the frame where we seal the gap.

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I would say it depends on the finish you want. OSB is quite coarse in texture and needs a lot of spackling to get it even and nice but of course, you can paint directly on it although it might look a bit rough. MDF painted with regular wall paint gives the same finish as with plaster but is more expensive, so it's mostly used for furniture, etc. Otherwise, you don't need to saw plaster since it creates a lot of dust; just a utility knife is enough but I'm sure you're already aware of that.

 

[Stockholms]

I would say it depends on the finish you want. OSB is quite rough in structure and needs a lot of filling if you want it smooth and nice, but you can of course paint directly on it even if it looks a bit rough. MDF painted with regular wall paint gives the same finish as with drywall but is more expensive, which is why it is mostly used for furniture, etc. Otherwise, you don't need to saw drywall since it creates a lot of dust, a utility knife is enough but you probably know that.

Thanks for the tips!

It never comes out straight when I cut drywall. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but no matter what I do, the edges crumble... SO - if I'm willing to spend more money on MDF to avoid some headaches, do you think the finish will be similar to drywall and it might be a good idea?😉

 

[OscarFC]

Thanks for the tips!

I can never get a straight cut when cutting drywall. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but no matter what, the edges crumble.. SO - if I'm prepared to spend more on MDF to avoid some headache, do you think the finish will be similar to drywall and it might be a good idea?😉

I would think you might not have a sharp enough knife in that case. If it crumbles a little, you can file it a bit with a regular file, but the sides are usually covered with a drywall strip that you spackle in or a regular corner strip in wood. Otherwise, the edge will easily break if you bump it.

If you use MDF and the edge of the board is visible somewhere and is going to be painted, it must be treated first for it to look good when you apply paint. I usually apply two fairly thick layers of wood glue before priming, and that gives an OK result.

 

[g.kraft]

MDF is sensitive to moisture; if there is a scratch/hole in the surface treatment, it will swell up when exposed to moisture. So if it's exposed to water, it might not be ideal. Typically, OSB + gypsum is used to achieve a smooth surface. Using putty on OSB is probably not recommended.

Can't you buy cover panels that match the kitchen doors/worktop and make it a part of the design? (With the caveat that I haven't seen the rest of the kitchen)

 

[Avemo]

Previously, people often used chipboard on the walls and wallpapered directly on them. It often cracks at the joints. I can imagine that it’s easy to have the same problem with MDF. Regarding moisture, MDF is not as water-resistant as one might wish for kitchen cabinets. But that is not the issue here. This is not a place that will be particularly exposed to moisture. Gypsum is not particularly water-resistant either.

It’s certainly possible to get good results with MDF. That being said, it’s possible to break gypsum in a controlled manner without it dusting dangerously as well. However, you cannot putty and sand the wall smooth without it dusting, regardless of the board material.