So much for solid wood cabinet doors. MDF on 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 site 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