# mdf trim help



## yacob (Dec 16, 2007)

hi guys i have started a job that can result on a lot of work for me,but i'm having a lot of problems with a mdf trim,as you can see on the pictures the carpenter has shot a lot of nails on the molding and the result is that the thin top layer of the mdf is "peeling off" i have used sw shrink free spackling paste twice already and i did light sanding too after the two coats but it still showing the missing layer, so my question is what product i should use or what else i can do to fix the moldings in this called high end property? thanks a lot in advance
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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Tell the carpenter to put the gun down, put his hands in the air, and step away from the window.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

First off, the "carpenter" is a wood butcher! 

As far as fixing it, I would use Crawfords or M&H to fill. Given the size of those holes it will take a couple of passes.....

Hope you can bill for the extra labor due to bad "carpentry".


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

vermontpainter said:


> Tell the carpenter to put the gun down, put his hands in the air, and step away from the window.


I also think he was getting paid by the nail......


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## Rob (Aug 9, 2009)

I hate coming across that! Try Glazing Bondo from the auto store.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Proper replacement may be the most cost effective option!


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

Sand the mushrooms, fill with elmers, sand again, prime and fill again, sand and prime.


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## yacob (Dec 16, 2007)

here in nnj believe is hard to find crawford's i spoke to them the other day and they gave me three stores that carry their products but the never heard about crawford's(also what could be your choice:crawford's spackling paste or wood putty?)and keep in mind that if i use mh ready path is a oil based product and it might "bleed trought" the mdf wich is a bad stuff ..any other ideas please?


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

Brutal is right! 

You've said you've hit it twice and you still aren't smooth? Really? 

VP - is not far off by saying "replace". A few 18P bradnails would have been sufficient, but what's done is done. 

I don't want to be rude here, but you should be there in two passes of filler. No silver bullet here....should be:

First filler pass - get it in, don't be pretty, be quick.

Second - knock down the edges with your knife, fill again.

Third - knock down edges with knife and sand smooth....done.

Once you paint, it will disappear. No need for anything drastic, just move along and it will get it done. 

Bill the customer properly. :thumbsup:


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## VanDamme (Feb 13, 2010)

Cool! Earthquake proof trim 

I wonder why he didn't just go ahead and finish the butcher job by using 16 penny nails in a framing nailer.


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## yacob (Dec 16, 2007)

so do you guys really think that elmer's wood filler wil take care of everything, even the chips on the moulding ?...the problem is only on the moulding around the windows, the base and the crown moulding are not a 100% acceptable but the client is willing to pay for the extra mile..any other idea?.thanks guys


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## ROOMINADAY (Mar 20, 2009)

Paint and Hammer said:


> Brutal is right!
> 
> You've said you've hit it twice and you still aren't smooth? Really?
> 
> ...



I feel for you on this one! This will work as stated...I find water based fillers will swell the MDF around those gaping WOUNDS, so as others has stated prime 1st, and keep building up layers of filler, sand till flush, prime again, and collect your cheque (that's Check for my US friends)!


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

yacob said:


> so do you guys really think that elmer's wood filler wil take care of everything, even the chips on the moulding ?...the problem is only on the moulding around the windows, the base and the crown moulding are not a 100% acceptable but the client is willing to pay for the extra mile..any other idea?.thanks guys


That and a s-load of 150 grit.


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

ROOMINADAY said:


> I feel for you on this one! This will work as stated...I find water based fillers will swell the MDF around those gaping WOUNDS, so as others has stated prime 1st, and keep building up layers of filler, sand till flush, prime again, and collect your cheque (that's Check for my US friends)!


BINGO, your right,..neglected that Jeff...thanks. Careful with moisture...mdf is simply pressed wood fibres, get them wet and they swell. 

Tiz the joys of the job. What's important is showing the 
HO how "bad" the carpenter is and how "good" you are. :thumbsup:

Unless of course, 'you' are the carpenter.....then go sit in the corner.


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## yacob (Dec 16, 2007)

if i were the carpenter ,do you think that i will post my mistakes.. i'm really here looking for help since this job is going to lead for more in the future(i believe)..thanks guys


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

As been said prime 1st, I like to use Coverstain to prime any mdf bits like that.

Use a rock hard filler, sucks to sand, but holes like that are easy to knock too much back out.

Only use a softer filler for the final touches :thumbsup:


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

You need to find him in the yard, take some duct tape and tape his gun to his leg.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Take a sanding sponge and sand over the holes and fill with putty of your choice, i use Crawfords. 

We call guys like that wood butchers around here too.


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## yacob (Dec 16, 2007)

well guys i think the point of this thread is to find many ideas from the seniors painter,so i can resolve this low quality job and come up with at least a decent job, i think everybody agree that the carpenter is a piece of.........and now the problem is in my field ...any more ideas?


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## yacob (Dec 16, 2007)

hey Sean how good is the crawford's painter's putty?is easy to sand? like i said... seems that nobody knows about it here in nnj ..maybe sw painters putty can do the job?thanks


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

How many more 'ideas' do you need? 

You got expert advice from experts.....

Filling holes is a daily thing.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

Paint and Hammer said:


> How many more 'ideas' do you need?
> 
> You got expert advice from experts.....
> 
> Filling holes is a daily thing.


Yeah, whats your problem? Just get started and learn something, the only place you going to have a problem is where they took away some of the profile, but other than that it's just the same old same old.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

yacob said:


> hey Sean how good is the crawford's painter's putty?is easy to sand? like i said... seems that nobody knows about it here in nnj ..maybe sw painters putty can do the job?thanks


I like it. It is what I was taught with so it is still a constant for me.


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## BBWC (Sep 13, 2009)

How about filling with durabond 5 or 20 leaving it high and using a rigid sanding sponge that will contour the trim and sand it flush.


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## propainterJ (Jan 31, 2011)

We would often take some Synchaloids(sp?) spackle and mix it a little light to Crawfords green label spackle and use this a couple times,in our high end jobs.

You would probably want ot sand the mushrooms out first,then overfill once,sand and prime,overfill again sand and prime,if you can flood the primer on nice and heavy,it helpd fill what gets sanded out.


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