Re: is masonite really the best choice for panels??

In Reply to: is masonite really the best choice for panels?? posted by dan on 09/03/00 at 9:23 AM:

: is masonite really the best choice for panels??I prepare ubtempered masonite with taditional gesso after a light sanding. My problems are 1. sometime I get a small chip off the surface and 2. the corners are so easily damaged.am I doing it wrong or is that just the way it goes?thanks for reading.

Masonite may still be the best of the cheap and readily available choices for panels in so much as it is not subject to warpage or delamination as is plywood, but, as you say, it is quite soft anymore and seems to be so easily damaged on the edges. My recollection is that the masonite available in the hardware stores was stronger years ago. You might try to find a stronger variety and also experiment with putting gesso on a tempered variety; with some considerable sanding it might be possible to insure good adhesion of the gesso to the tempered masonite surface. Also, simply gluing wood strips to the back of the edges of the panel would go a long way toward protecting them. Using furniture or marine quality five-ply plywood would be worth considering, but of course it is heavy and expensive. There are many kind of composite materials available consisting of synthetic resins and fibers, but I have not seen them reported on as supports for artists and so I am reluctant to recommend them. Aluminum panels with a honeycomb core would be a great choice, but these are quite expensive and would probably not take a traditional gesso ground. Does anyone out there have any experience with modern alternatives to lumber store materials as supports for panel painting?
 
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