Is MDF or birch stronger?

Baltic Birch is considered stronger then MDF because of its composition, though this can vary based on the thickness of the material used. Some Baltic Birch letters come with a burned edge from being cut on a laser. This example comes from a stand alone sign that stands upright on a wood base.

woodlandmanufacturing.com - Baltic Birch and MDF Wood Signs: What's The Difference?

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When you knock on wood for luck, do you know what kind of wood you are knocking on? Two of our most popular wood letter materials, Baltic Birch and MDF (or Medium Density Fiberboard) may not be any different in preventing bad juju, but they are different in other ways. Watch the video below to take look at what makes them special for your next wood sign(and maybe catch a Bob Ross reference), then read further to get the details on these popular wall letter materials. Baltic Birch MDF Natural Wood Grain Yes No Easy To Paint Yes Yes Routed Edges No Yes Small and Large Sizes Yes Yes Smooth Face No Yes

Baltic Birch Wood Letters: Keep It Natural

The Material

Visible plys

Natural wood grain face

Strong, furniture grade

Renewable: trees grow faster than harvested

Finishing

Stain and clear coats enhance natural grain

Easy to paint

Plys show through paint finish

Best For: Natural wood signs

Baltic Birch is a plywood, so it is made up of many high quality plys. When you look at Baltic Birch wood letters from the side, you can see the ply stacked on top of one other. The face has a natural wood grain. The wood grain can be emphasized with a coat of stain or a clear coat, as you can see on our stained wood letters. Additionally, Baltic Birch can be painted. Though it should be noted that some of the grain and wood pores will still be visible after painting. Baltic Birch is considered stronger then MDF because of its composition, though this can vary based on the thickness of the material used. Some Baltic Birch letters come with a burned edge from being cut on a laser. This example comes from a stand alone sign that stands upright on a wood base. Baltic Birch letters can also be connected to make a wood sign in one piece. Walnut is a dark stain that enhances the grain on the face of baltic birch. This stained shape had a lot of grain to show off. If you look closely you can still see the tell tale grain underneath the paint in this painted wood sign.

MDF Wood Letters: Versatile and Sleek

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The Material

Composite fibers pressed together

Smooth face and fibrous sides

Routed edge options

Eco-friendly: composed of mill scraps means less waste

No visible wood grain

Finishing

Easy to paint

Best for: Painted wood signs

MDF is an engineered composite material. There is no visible grain on MDF, and the sides and face are fibrous and fuzzy. Consequently, the smooth surface means MDF is a popular choice to be painted. Another benefit to being a composite material is that we can offer MDF letters with a standard, rounded, or beveled edge as seen below. A close look reveals the smooth surface, and the fuzzy sides of unpainted MDF. MDF letters come with options for the edge. Shown is the beveled edge, but a rounded edge is also available. This bedroom wall is filled with painted MDF letters. The paint nearly hides the fact that these are wood letters at all. Here you can see the rounded edge on a painted MDF sign. Notice how the edges catch the light differently from above. This brewery logo was also done with painted MDF. The lighting above is close enough to show the sleek painted surface.

In The End, You Know Best

At the end of the day, the best person to decide what your sign needs are is you. Baltic Birch and MDF are both high quality materials that have a lot to offer. So, are you looking for something more natural? Do you want it painted? Do you want the edges to be straight, or rounded? If you still need some help deciding, you can get in touch with our customer service team by sending an email, or you can give us a call. We can help you weigh the options and get a custom sign made just for you.

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Have an idea, but need some help getting it made? Connect with one of our friendly specialists to bring your idea to life.

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woodlandmanufacturing.com - Baltic Birch and MDF Wood Signs: What's The Difference?

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