So much for solid wood cabinet doors. MDF on my 2023 Newmar New Aire cabinet doors.

[MarkMaxPayne]

I have a 2023 Newmar New Aire that was built in October of 2022. I was working on a project to add ventilation louvers to the cabinet door over the driver's seat where all the electronics are stored since Newmar seems to think that New Aire's don't require this (unlike many of their other models). I took the door off it's hinges and noticed it was MDF with wood veneer vs. being a solid door made up of multiple glued up planks. Sure enough when I cut the rectangle into the door to make room for the louvers I was adding it was indeed solid MDF with an extremely thin veneer applied. I verified this on my pantry door as well as the cabinet doors over the theatre seats: veneered MDF . In the first 3 photos you can see the exposed MDF and the next 2 photos you can see the impossible grains. So much for the web and all the sales people claiming "The cabinetry on a 2023 Newmar New Aire—including the Dover Rift Oak finish—features solid wood styles, faces, and doors, rather than a cheap paper wrap or veneer over MDF."

To add some mystery to this, while at the International Rally, I ordered a replacement cabinet door from Newmar as my original plan was to modify the new door, stashing the original away if I ever wanted to return it back to factory. However the new door just didn't match the other cabinets despite my providing all the details to the Newmar employee while ordering. It arrived with a glossy vs. flat varnish and the grains just didn't match and had deep grooves vs. being smooth. Why? I suspect the replacement door was indeed solid wood upon inspection of the grains and end grains where multiple boards appeared to be glued up to make a solid panel (last 3 photos).

I don't know how I feel about this. Disappointed? Yes. I also know the wife and I will now have to be extra careful with any water that may come off of the kitchen or bathroom counter now as the last thing I want is for some to get to the MDF underneath the veneer and swell it up.

Ugh...

Best,
-Mark

 

[Holdmybeer]

When I worked at the plants we termed it (M)anufactured (D)ys(F)unctional

 

[Underboss]

For those doors, solid wood would not be stable enough to not warp with the heat and humidity. MDF is stable and will not warp. So its not a question of cutting corners. Those doors cost as much or more to manufacture the the standard raised panel doors.
The building I did had condos ranging from 2.5 mil to 65 mil and they used the same type of wrapped doors. MDF is incredible stable.

 

[d23haynes57]

For those doors, solid wood would not be stable enough to not warp with the heat and humidity. MDF is stable and will not warp. So its not a question of cutting corners. Those doors cost as much or more to manufacture the the standard raised panel doors.
The building I did had condos ranging from 2.5 mil to 65 mil and they used the same type of wrapped doors. MDF is incredible stable.

The solid wood cabinets in my 2008 seem to be holding up just fine. Some rattles and squeaks and occasionally need to tighten and adjust some hinges and latches. Now, as for the finish, especially the kitchen and bath age is showing.

 

[Boat Bum]

None the less, MDF will swell when wet, which it is doing where my cabinet meets the floor under the kitchen sink where water inevitably will find its way while washing dishes sometimes. Give me solid wood any day.

 

[Underboss]

The solid wood cabinets in my 2008 seem to be holding up just fine. Some rattles and squeaks and occasionally need to tighten and adjust some hinges and latches. Now, as for the finish, especially the kitchen and bath age is showing.

Do you have slab doors? As I am discussing here?


"None the less, MDF will swell when wet, which it is doing where my cabinet meets the floor under the kitchen sink where water inevitably will find its way while washing dishes sometimes. Give me solid wood any day"



Water will have an effect on all types of doors, not just MDF. If people are sloppy at the sink, its going to do damage. These doors are bonded in a maple skin, less chance of water penetration/damage then a raised panel door with gaps and areas where water can penetrate.

 

[MarkMaxPayne]

Do you have slab doors? As I am discussing here?

I wonder why the spare replacement door I ordered from Newmar parts appears to be solid slab. Yes, it appears to be made up of multiple panels glued together (as is normal practice), but it appears to be solid nonetheless. Suggests at some point they went from MDF to solid cabinet doors again, no?

I also wonder what production years of the New Aire have MDF vs. solid cabinet doors.

Lastly, and more important, I wonder how many Newmar New Aire customers were mislead (if even by ignorant dealers).

 

[Holdmybeer]

The solid wood cabinets in my 2008 seem to be holding up just fine. Some rattles and squeaks and occasionally need to tighten and adjust some hinges and latches. Now, as for the finish, especially the kitchen and bath age is showing.

Go into any hundred year old house and the cabinet doors won't have been made with MDF or Particle Board and they're still there. The notion that real wood cabinets are as prone to water intrusion as MDF is just wrong. MDF is nothing more than paper glued and pressed under extreme force. The minute water intrusion becomes a factor it does what wet paper does.

 

[Underboss]

Go into any hundred year old house and the cabinet doors won't have been made with MDF or Particle Board and they're still there. The notion that real wood cabinets are as prone to water intrusion as MDF is just wrong. MDF is nothing more than paper glued and pressed under extreme force. The minute water intrusion becomes a factor it does what wet paper does.

Of course that would be unfinished, raw wood or MDF. Properly finished MDF will hold up for years.

 

[Underboss]

I wonder why the spare replacement door I ordered from Newmar parts appears to be solid slab. Yes, it appears to be made up of multiple panels glued together (as is normal practice), but it appears to be solid nonetheless. Suggests at some point they went from MDF to solid cabinet doors again, no?

I also wonder what production years of the New Aire have MDF vs. solid cabinet doors.

Lastly, and more important, I wonder how many Newmar New Aire customers were mislead (if even by ignorant dealers).

I think, and have to check, but the brochures may say solid wood cabinets. Does it mention the doors? The face frames and boxes of the cabinets are solid wood. A door made of multiple panels does not always look good finished.
I owned a cabinet shop so I have some experience with this. When we did paint grade cabinets, the perimeter of the doors were solid wood, the center panel was often MDF as it was stable and finished really well.