Where MDF wins
MDF is the right answer for flat substrates, jigs, exhibition plinths, internal structure and anything that will be skinned and painted matt. The cost is a tenth of tooling board and the machining is fast.
Where tooling board wins
If the surface is the artwork, tooling board wins almost every time. It carves cleanly with no fibre tear-out, it does not swell with moisture, it accepts primer without raising grain, and a 0.7 g/cc board sands and polishes like a hard resin.
- Sculptural maquettes that will be cast or moulded
- Mirror-finish painted forms where MDF grain would print through
- Exterior pieces where humidity would warp wood-based panel
- Multi-part assemblies where edges meet at sharp arrises
How we mix them
Most large pieces use both: an MDF or ply core for stiffness and economy, with a 30–60 mm skin of tooling board on the visible surfaces. The CNC cuts both in the same program. Cost stays controlled, finish stays gallery-grade.