DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

I'm thinking of making a shelving unit for my bathroom. I was going to make it from mdf and paint it white, either using white gloss, or kitchen/bathroom paint, or maybe some sort of waterproof varnish. But is mdf really the idea material to use? And what can I paint it with, to make it resistant to the odd splash of water and also humidity?
Thanks

You need to use a special primer for MDF but after that, any gloss will do and I don't think it's going to be humid enough to affect the paint, more like the wood itself will be affected.
Screws are also an important consideration as it is only particle board so regular screws won't do.
Being man-made, it is available in all sizes whereas natural wood has only a limited width so there again that may determine your choice.
Softwood is fine as an alternative (limited sizes though) and you can paint, varnish (I always use yacht varnish), stain, bees wax or classic wax to give a polished finish.

i've made mdf units for my bathroom - vanity unit for the basin and a towel rack. painted with satinwood after two good primers and a decent quality solvent undercoat. no problems.

use a piece of fine sandpaper to knock off the corners of the cill to soften them a bit. paint won't stick to a sharp edge.