We're looking to add ornate crown molding to our kitchen, but it's difficult to find real wood or MDF molding in very wide, ornate styles. We're going for an "over the top" look similar to this:

http://www.architecturaldepot.com/MLD08X09X12RO-p-urethane-crown-moulding.html

Is this available in MDF anywhere? Do people even really use anything but this polyurethane for such large, detailed pieces?

Thanks in advance.

Something that big has to be built up in layers, like this: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/CMS/uploadedImages/Images/Homebuilding/Articles/021182066_sprd.jpg

MDF tends to not hold a crisp edge: http://www.archmolding.net/FAQ.html

Plastic doesn't either, but without that desirable old layers-of-paint look. It just looks like plastic.

MSantori,

I have only worked with the Urethane moulding several times but I did find it was easy to work with and once painted looks very nice.

It would probably need to be built in layers. Have you checked "Dykes"?

re-think putting synthetic materials in your home, especially the kitchen.

The Wall Street Journal just did a story about a couple where the wife was recovering from cancer, and they built a home from the ground up trying to avoid as many synythetic materials as possible.

The Journal noted that it was often difficult and expensive to find natural substitutes, but the woman has remained cancer free the whole time she has lived in the house.

On a separate note, I have a dear friend, a 45-year-old, who was recently diagnosed with rather serious thyroid disease. Her doctor said they are seeing more of it and they believe it is being triggered by "environmental exposures," but exactly what, or how much, they do not know.

He advised her to get rid of the polyurethane mattress pad that she had on her bed. Which she did.

Most of these chemicals have never been tested for harmful effects to humans. Many mindful foodies are discontinuing the use of plastics in food preparation since the discovery that BpH in plastic water bottles was causing human disease.

No one has ever tested Saran Wrap or plastic produce bags from the market or plastic Tupperware for leaking toxins into human systems. But you know once those tests start to get done, they are going to find bad things.

I would stay away from installing a big hunk of polyurethane in my kitchen, even on the ceiling.

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection estimates that air pollution in the city contributes to 6% of deaths every year. Wouldn't it make more sense to recommend people live in hermetically sealed bubbles than think twice about hanging crown molding in their kitchen?