MDF alternatives?

[mrcarkeys42]

Hey everyone! I am constructing a sci-fi set/space station room interior for a film and am looking for advice on possible materials to use.

For the past year or so I have been learning how to make things out of MDF on my school's cnc machine, I've been really happy with the results and I wanted to apply the same techniques on a larger scale with this project but there are a few concerns, mainly with weight and price. we get a very limited number of days in my school's studio to set it up and break it down so weight is a concern because we will need to be moving fast and I don't want anybody getting hurt. Price is also a major factor since 3/4" MDF is $60 per sheet.

The only real alternative I can think of is insulation foam which is much cheaper and lightweight, but I am concerned I wont be able to achieve the same kind of finish quality I can with the MDF. I have used it to create cobblestone and wood, but those are both very rough and organic surfaces. The look we are going for is fairly clean and sleek, think the hallway from 2001. Foamular often comes with the surface already roughed up and it is very easy to dent and mar.

Does anyone have ideas/suggestions for a good material to use? I'm all ears!

 

[MattMunson]

you seek Lauan Plywood. It's the go to for set construction and flats.

It's relatively cheap, VERY light, and a surface that can be smoothed with a little bit of work and a couple coats of house paint. Also won't kill you the way tooled MDF will.

 

[mrcarkeys42]

you seek Lauan Plywood. It's the go to for set construction and flats.

It's relatively cheap, VERY light, and a surface that can be smoothed with a little bit of work and a couple coats of house paint. Also won't kill you the way tooled MDF will.

Lauan would work just fine for flat sections of wall, but what about for any raised details/wall panels?

sort of like this:

 

[MattMunson]

yeah for sure. in fact, I'll bet you anyting those pieces in that pic ARE made from Lauan. It looks about the right thickness. If you had a CNC router, or even just a pattern and a plunge router, you could bang all those out in an afternoon.

 

[swgeek]

Here's a pretty good tutorial on how to make TV flats.

There's also lightweight MDF. It's much lighter than standard MDF.

 

[robstyle]

There is also a cheap, thin, easy to cut, smooth surfaced material called "Hardboard Tempered Panel" sometimes referred to as lucite in the film industry. Many times it's used for background makeshift wall panels where flats are either not needed as a whole or a base for plant on panels such as those above where a routed out surface is placed over the top adhered with glue then scuffed and painted. The main difference is they offer little if any load bearing surface. Old skool break away walls and tables used non tempered hardboard if that's any idea of its characteristics. But it's great for what it is. I've made countless Sci fi control panels and walls with it quick and cheap.