[dad911]

I used to think that way. If you don't get mdf wet, it doesn't move (less callbacks for us)

Real wood never stops, and requires touchup every few years. So for painted trim, even my own house, I'd use mdf, but primed pine for bathrooms and window sills. Don't use oil based putty with MDF, it soaks in and can puff up a little.

Veneer can be fun. I veneered a set of carpet grade treads in my own house with oak. Nobody can tell.