Tempered or Untempered Masonite

I'm new to this forum, but glad that I found something right away that I can comment on! I am an aviation artist, new to portraiture, but all of my acrylic works have been on 1/4" Tempered Masonite which I bought at Home Depot.

Like Leopoldo, I sand the surface [I use 220 grit, by hand], then lightly wash the surface with water [not too much or the board WILL warp]. I typically put on 2-3 coats of Acrylic Gesso, sanding between coats. Let the acrylic gesso dry at least 24 hours between sandings.

My pieces, while relatively heavy, are sturdy and show no signs of adverse affects to the paint. I'll let others comment about Tempered Masonite vis-a-vis oil paints.

Glad to be here!
Wade