Tried to give my living room a facelift without dropping a ton of cash, so I slapped on some MDF trim around the windows. Honestly, it looks way better than the old, plain drywall edges, but I’m worried about how it’ll hold up over time (humidity’s a pain here). Anyone else gone the budget route for window trim? Did it last or end up looking rough after a while?
MDF’s a solid choice for a quick upgrade, especially if you’re trying to keep costs down. The trick is sealing every edge—primer and a good paint make a world of difference. I’ve seen MDF swell and get rough in spots where caulk or paint was missed, especially near leaky windows or in damp climates. If you’ve sealed it up tight, you’ll probably get a few good years out of it. If not, you might see some swelling or paint bubbling after a couple of humid seasons. It’s not a forever fix, but for the price, it’s hard to beat for a facelift.
I get the appeal of MDF for quick fixes, but I’m always a little nervous about using it near windows, especially in older homes where drafts and leaks are more common.
That’s exactly what happened in my last place—looked great at first, but after the first winter, the bottom edge started to puff up. Has anyone tried using pre-primed pine instead? It costs a bit more, but I wonder if it holds up better over time with less fuss about sealing every inch.“I’ve seen MDF swell and get rough in spots where caulk or paint was missed, especially near leaky windows or in damp climates.”
Pre-primed pine is definitely a step up from MDF, especially anywhere moisture might sneak in. I’ve swapped out a bunch of window trim in old houses, and honestly, pine holds up way better if you’re not 100% on top of sealing every little seam. Sure, it costs a bit more, but you won’t be cursing swollen corners after the first rainy season. Just watch for knots bleeding through—sometimes they sneak past the primer and show up months later. A quick hit with shellac on the knots before painting usually does the trick.
Just watch for knots bleeding through—sometimes they sneak past the primer and show up months later.
Yeah, I’ve heard about the pine vs. MDF debate—makes sense, especially with humidity. I went with MDF mostly because it was cheap and easy to cut, but now I’m noticing a couple corners starting to swell where I didn’t get the caulk perfect. Not terrible, but it’s only been a year. Might try pine next time if I get motivated to redo it. The shellac tip for knots is handy, though. Didn’t even know that was a thing.