Question from Nicolette
Hi there. Does anyone know the general rule of MDF furniture & the gassing off period? I am contemplating buying this Pottery Barn coffee table & media cabinet, but some of the panels & shelves are MDF, they admit.
I am considering asking if I could buy their floor model, thinking the gassing off would have already occurred. But my biggest question is: Does MDF gass off FOREVER? Or does it go away over time, say a few days or months or whatever.
I’ve searched the internet & can’t really find a definitive answer. I’d be willing to purchase this furniture & let it gas off outside my home even for a while if I know that’s all I needed to do.
Thank you to Debra & anyone else who can help me decide on whether to buy this beautiful “looking” furniture, or not.
Debra’s Answer
MDF is Medium Density Fiberboard. Like particleboard, the wood bits are held together with a formaldehyde-based resin that will outgas formaldehyde.
It’s impossible to predict how long it will take to outgas, as the time is dependent on how much formaldehyde is in the MDF (there are low-emission MDFs, but we don’t know which was used to make the furniture), the temperature, and humidity.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy it.
