Opinions on masonite and other grounds for oils

[Richard Monro]

There is an abundance of information on grounds in the archives. Type "masonite" in the search dropdown and you will find most of them.

The following thread will be very helpful:
MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) for large art panels started by
Sharon Knettell

I have used masonite, mdf, abs and birch plywood panels in the past. I now have standardized on Dibond panels as these are the archival panels used by many museums.

[Lesley Grindlay]

Hello Richard, do u adhere canvas to the dibond panel? Ive never used dibond before. do u brace the panel when painting large pieces and what do u brace it with?

[Richard Monro]

Leslie,

I apply a coat of Sherwin Williams DTM Bonding Primer directly to the surface of the Dibond panel after a good sanding with a green scrubbie to scuff the surface. I then apply 3 coats of acrylic primer (sanding in between coats) and then paint on top of that surface.

[Lesley Grindlay]

ah I see you paint with acrylic, Richard, i guess that a whole other story. So priming with acrylic primer is out of the question for me. I think i would be more inclined to go for a more rigid surface like wood panels. I wonder if anyone has painted on dibond in oils?

[Richard Monro]

Leslie,

Many fine oil artists use oil paints over an acrylic underpainting. Also, many oil canvases are acrylic gesso primed. You should have no trouble painting oils on the panels as described above.

In my post i should have used the words acrylic gesso instead of acrylic prime. My word choice certainly was misleading.

[Lesley Grindlay]

There are so many in discrepancies when it comes to oil painting over acrylic gesso or acrylic primer, an alkyd primer would be a better choice. This of course was based on an article I read at the art renewel site written by Virgil Elliot

[Richard Bingham]

In the grand scheme of things, the jury is still out on panels made from wood fiber particles or "flour". 500+ years of oil painting (and woodworking) has abundantly demonstrated the performance of "real" gesso (RSG, gypsum & whiting) over solid wood, both for the outstanding permanence of such panels when properly constructed, and for the likliest failure modes when not.

Since panels made from particulate matter have no inherent structural integrity (as the annular rings provide in solid wood) "masonite" panels have shown warp or deformation in the relatively short time they have been commercially available (around 70 years at most). Another difficulty is that while it's pretty easy to determine the exact composition of a gessoed poplar panel, the specifics of resins, fibers, and methods of production are all over the map when one identifies a panel as "masonite". "Masonite" as we currently know it comprises a wide range of panel stocks of different composition, density, weight and absorbency. Since easel paintings aren't usually subjected to very severe conditions, most will probably perform very well over reasonable periods of time.

Dibond or Alumalite panels promise to be far better structurally over the long-haul, since they are extremely stable and rigid, and owing to the laminations of light guage aluminum certainly will not warp or sag of their own weight, or due to ambient change. The only thing that would sink them would be the eventual deterioration/decomposition of the polyethylene core material.