MDF MY “Pet Hate!”

 

MDF MY “Pet Hate!”

One item that I always said that I would never work with during my art work is MDF!

But what is MDF?

(MDF) medium density fibreboard.

What is it Made of?

It is a manufactured (engineered) wood product composed of wood fibres that are mixed with resin and wax and pressed into flat panels under high temperature and pressure. It is used much like plywood as a building material in residential and commercial construction. 

What are the advantages of MDF board?

MDF board has many benefits besides the low cost. For one, it's stronger than particle board (which is made from compressed sawdust) and is often made with a veneer to create the look of a solid wood board. Compared with hardwood, MDF is lighter, the chemicals within repel termites, and it doesn’t warp much in humid weather.

What are the hazards of MDF?

MDF contains a substance called urea formaldehyde, which may be released from the material through cutting and sanding. Urea formaldehyde may cause irritation to the eyes and lungs. Proper ventilation is required when using it and face masks are needed when sanding or cutting MDF with machinery.

The pros and cons of using MDF Wood over solid wood while building your green home - Ecofriend

Why do I hate it so much?

Eco-friendly quotient

MDF can be considered Eco-friendly in the sense that it is made from recycled wood. But the amount of chemicals it holds will disqualify it from being considered as green. The urea-formaldehyde used in its manufacture is poisonous to the respiratory and digestive systems. Especially, if there are toddlers at home, they should be kept away from MDF so that they do not chew at it or lick it.

MDF is definitely a convenient material to make use of for building homes. But if you wish to make a green home, it may be best avoided due to health, cost and durability reasons. It would be a good idea to use MDF for making some parts of the home which does not involve exposure to either water or children.

Is MDF safe for children?

This is my main concern and always been the main reason why I have not wanted to use MDF when making and designing things for children.

Please look at the links below for more information.

https://www.childrensfurniture.co.uk/mdf

https://childrensfurniturecompany.blogspot.com/2009/03/mdf-is-safe-right.htm

Due to MDF being so cheep and a lot of the items are mass-produced overseas in places like China, you know that the Health and Safety Laws have probably to been followed or the same that we would have to abide by in the UK.

Now that the UK is no longer under the EU it is even more important to know what guideline we must follow when selling and product or service to the general public from 2021.

So this is something that I will be looking into so that I can hopefully set up Self Employment in April of 2021.

My aim is to sell finished products where ever possible and not fro under 3years old.

Over the Covid 169 Lock down I have been looking at using up all my art supplies with my family and have brought MDF Precut shapes to achieve this. However this is not what I will be looking at using in the long run I get my business established I will be looking at creating my own library of Computer Aided Designs (CAD) that I can then look at have cut into any type of Materials and not MDF.

Thank you for reading.

"Eat Well", "Shop Well" and "Save Well" to HELP take care of YOU Remember Remember the 5th of November

Like most families when it comes to shopping I find it a nightmare epically with two small children in toe, So what I am doing at the moment is setting my self a weekly budget of about £50.00 per week for my major shopping.

Being a single mum on benefits. (not universal credit) I have a fixed income that I have to work with, I also receive Health Start Vouchers which means that I have a fixed amount to spend on Milk and Vegetables per month for my family until my youngest is five.

What I am going to write about this how I have looked at shooing for less and Eating well for less over the next couple of months.

I will explore my options by using local stores that are accessible to me and also by using online options too.

So please feel free to follow my blog(s) and you tube clips.

Firstly I would like to talk about setting a budget.

The first think that I have done is set a budget for myself of £50.00 per week in order to spend on my average weekly shop. Now for me this dose not include milk and vegetables that I can uses my Health Start Vouchers to buy.

So If I manage to stick to my weekly shop of £50.00 per week then I would be spending on average of £2,600 per year on shopping. Now we both know that this is not always the case so my new Years resolution is to keep annual report on my weekly shopping budget.

So over the next two months I am going to research and aim to do this.

Now if I add my Health start Vouchers to this a mouth at £30.00 per month it helps to saves me. £360.00 per year on shopping.

So my budget to aim for on shooing per year is £3,000 if I add any unexpected buys. (Based on one adult and two children.)

Now I know how easy it is to bulk buy and think that you are getting a bargain. But STOP spit back and start from scratch.

Make a shopping list once a week of what you will need and try to stick to it, I know this is easier said than done but try and get into the habit of doing so Also split your week shooing into categories

Likes

Dislikes

wants

needs

desire

food

clothes

luxuries

necessities

toiletries

These are just a few Ideas, because to every thing that you buy needs to be done weekly, there are some things that may only be needed monthly or annually.

So when buying things keep that in mind and also check expiration dates when buying products like food and drink. Also remember that some things this may not apply to and other items like shampoo will usually last you 6-12 months when stored correctly.

When shopping now that you have your list, look at where you could buy these items from and save money buy buying “home brands”, looking at who much things cost weight fro weight, is it really a special offer, coupons and special events.

BUT before you do any of this is IF you can claim Healthy Start Vouchers. This will save you about £360.00 per year on milk and Vegetables.

Please follow the link below for more information.

https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/