Hardbord

Learn techniques from professional artists, follow tutorials, videos, and more.

Commonly, artists ask us if unprimed wood panels need to be sealed. Except for encaustics, the answer is Yes.

Many artists ask about the differences between HDF (High-density fiberboard) and MDF (Medium-density fiberboard). We have compiled some information below that helps to explain these differences.

Artwork by Kylee Kryklund

The word "Masonite" is a brand name for hardboard. Ampersand uses a tempered hardboard as the base for its Museum Series panels. After extensive research and testing, we chose a hardboard that is made through the Wet/Dry method.

Hardbord is the most stable substrate on the market and is used for all Ampersand Museum Series panels. Watch this video to learn more.

Contemporary acrylic artist, Nancy Reyner, works with gold leaf and acrylics on Ampersand Hardbord. This video is a complete instructional tutorial on gold leaf, its properties, and how to apply it to use as a painting surface. Nancy's exceptional instruction make this video a pleasure to watch and intriguing for even a beginning artist.

Mounting flexible supports like canvas, linen, or paper to an Ampersand wood panel preserves the painting qualities of the canvas or paper while gaining the archival benefits of a panel.