Urethaning cabinet made of particle board and MDF

"Juergen Hannappel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Harry Muscle" <fake@[email protected]> writes:
>
> > I'm planning on buying a fish tank stand cabinet that's made of particle
> > board and MDF coated with that fake wood looking veneer. However, I
don't
>
> If by "fake wood veneer" you mean plastic foil printed with a pattern
> reminiscent of wood it's already as waterproof as such junk is worth
> while, no paint on top of that plastic will do any good.
>
> --
> Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
> mailto:[email protected] Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
> Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, y
> CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23

I agree that it's not exactly top quality stuff, however, it's the best I
can find/afford at the moment. Why would urethening not help any in
resisting water damage?

Harry




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"Juergen Hannappel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Harry Muscle" <fake@[email protected]> writes:
>
> [...]
>
> >> > I'm planning on buying a fish tank stand cabinet that's made of
particle
> >> > board and MDF coated with that fake wood looking veneer. However, I
>
> [...]
>
> > I agree that it's not exactly top quality stuff, however, it's the best
I
> > can find/afford at the moment. Why would urethening not help any in
> > resisting water damage?
>
> Because if it already has a plastic foil surface it's already water
> resistant. The only point where you possibly could improve that would
> be at edges where the bare MDF/particle board is visible.
>
> Since this group is rec.woodworking why not build a wooden stand?
> --
> Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
> mailto:[email protected] Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
> Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, y
> CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23

Maybe we're not talking about exactly the same thing. I'm referring to the
stuff that most furniture that you get, say from Walmart, would be covered
in. I'm not sure if it's plastic or not, but it does have the printed wood
pattern on it.

However, I know from experience that if you leave a puddle of water on these
for longer than a few hours, the particle board starts to bubble. My
bubbling was right in the middle of the wood, not near any edges. That's
the kind of damage I would like to protect against. There's also the
particle board at the back edges that I want to protect and the
inside has some MDF that I want to protect also. So I'm just
looking for input on how to urethane all of these three types of surfaces
without them bubbling or doing anything funny on me.

Thanks,
Harry




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"Charles Spitzer" <charlie.spitzer@nospam. .com> wrote in message
news:brq6tj$iqc$1@transfer. .com...
>
> "Rico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Harry Muscle wrote:
> >
> > > Maybe we're not talking about exactly the same thing. I'm referring
to
> the
> > > stuff that most furniture that you get, say from Walmart, would be
> covered
> > > in. I'm not sure if it's plastic or not, but it does have the printed
> wood
> > > pattern on it.
> > >
> > > However, I know from experience that if you leave a puddle of water on
> these
> > > for longer than a few hours, the particle board starts to bubble. My
> > > bubbling was right in the middle of the wood, not near any edges.
> That's
> > > the kind of damage I would like to protect against. There's also the
> > > particle board at the back edges that I want to protect and
the
> > > inside has some MDF that I want to protect also. So I'm just
> > > looking for input on how to urethane all of these three types of
> surfaces
> > > without them bubbling or doing anything funny on me.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Harry
> >
> > Harry, the polyurethane shouldn't cause any problems, but
> > try a spot first just to be sure.
> >
> > It should help but obviously won't make a silk purse out of
> > a sows ear. But you already knew that :)
> >
> > If any water can get to the edges, pay particular attention
> > to them and use enough coats of polyurethane to be sure it's
> > sealed.
> >
> > I believe you will have better results in your application
> > with an oil based poly instead of a water based poly.
> >
> > Good Luck
> >
> > Rico
>
> spar varnish is usually used around fish tanks. the wood is going to move
a
> LOT due to the increased localized high humidity.
>
>

I'm just worried about the "wood" reacting to the finish like it reacts to
water, since it will take a little bit of time for the finish to dry.

Thanks,
Harry




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Harry Muscle wrote:

> Maybe we're not talking about exactly the same thing. I'm referring to the
> stuff that most furniture that you get, say from Walmart, would be covered
> in. I'm not sure if it's plastic or not, but it does have the printed wood
> pattern on it.
>
> However, I know from experience that if you leave a puddle of water on these
> for longer than a few hours, the particle board starts to bubble. My
> bubbling was right in the middle of the wood, not near any edges. That's
> the kind of damage I would like to protect against. There's also the
> particle board at the back edges that I want to protect and the
> inside has some MDF that I want to protect also. So I'm just
> looking for input on how to urethane all of these three types of surfaces
> without them bubbling or doing anything funny on me.
>
> Thanks,
> Harry

Harry, the polyurethane shouldn't cause any problems, but
try a spot first just to be sure.

It should help but obviously won't make a silk purse out of
a sows ear. But you already knew that :)

If any water can get to the edges, pay particular attention
to them and use enough coats of polyurethane to be sure it's
sealed.

I believe you will have better results in your application
with an oil based poly instead of a water based poly.

Good Luck

Rico


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http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

"Juergen Hannappel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Harry Muscle" <fake@[email protected]> writes:
>
> > I'm planning on buying a fish tank stand cabinet that's made of particle
> > board and MDF coated with that fake wood looking veneer. However, I
don't
>
> If by "fake wood veneer" you mean plastic foil printed with a pattern
> reminiscent of wood it's already as waterproof as such junk is worth
> while, no paint on top of that plastic will do any good.
>
> --
> Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
> mailto:[email protected] Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
> Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
> CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23

the fake wood veneer is paper for the most part.

"Rico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Harry Muscle wrote:
>
> > Maybe we're not talking about exactly the same thing. I'm referring to
the
> > stuff that most furniture that you get, say from Walmart, would be
covered
> > in. I'm not sure if it's plastic or not, but it does have the printed
wood
> > pattern on it.
> >
> > However, I know from experience that if you leave a puddle of water on
these
> > for longer than a few hours, the particle board starts to bubble. My
> > bubbling was right in the middle of the wood, not near any edges.
That's
> > the kind of damage I would like to protect against. There's also the
> > particle board at the back edges that I want to protect and the
> > inside has some MDF that I want to protect also. So I'm just
> > looking for input on how to urethane all of these three types of
surfaces
> > without them bubbling or doing anything funny on me.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Harry
>
> Harry, the polyurethane shouldn't cause any problems, but
> try a spot first just to be sure.
>
> It should help but obviously won't make a silk purse out of
> a sows ear. But you already knew that :)
>
> If any water can get to the edges, pay particular attention
> to them and use enough coats of polyurethane to be sure it's
> sealed.
>
> I believe you will have better results in your application
> with an oil based poly instead of a water based poly.
>
> Good Luck
>
> Rico

spar varnish is usually used around fish tanks. the wood is going to move a
LOT due to the increased localized high humidity.

"Harry Muscle" <fake@[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Charles Spitzer" <charlie.spitzer@nospam. .com> wrote in message
> news:brq6tj$iqc$1@transfer. .com...
> >
> > "Rico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Harry Muscle wrote:
> > >
> > > > Maybe we're not talking about exactly the same thing. I'm referring
> to
> > the
> > > > stuff that most furniture that you get, say from Walmart, would be
> > covered
> > > > in. I'm not sure if it's plastic or not, but it does have the
printed
> > wood
> > > > pattern on it.
> > > >
> > > > However, I know from experience that if you leave a puddle of water
on
> > these
> > > > for longer than a few hours, the particle board starts to bubble.
My
> > > > bubbling was right in the middle of the wood, not near any edges.
> > That's
> > > > the kind of damage I would like to protect against. There's also
the
> > > > particle board at the back edges that I want to protect and
> the
> > > > inside has some MDF that I want to protect also. So I'm
just
> > > > looking for input on how to urethane all of these three types of
> > surfaces
> > > > without them bubbling or doing anything funny on me.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Harry
> > >
> > > Harry, the polyurethane shouldn't cause any problems, but
> > > try a spot first just to be sure.
> > >
> > > It should help but obviously won't make a silk purse out of
> > > a sows ear. But you already knew that :)
> > >
> > > If any water can get to the edges, pay particular attention
> > > to them and use enough coats of polyurethane to be sure it's
> > > sealed.
> > >
> > > I believe you will have better results in your application
> > > with an oil based poly instead of a water based poly.
> > >
> > > Good Luck
> > >
> > > Rico
> >
> > spar varnish is usually used around fish tanks. the wood is going to
move
> a
> > LOT due to the increased localized high humidity.
> >
> >
>
> I'm just worried about the "wood" reacting to the finish like it reacts to
> water, since it will take a little bit of time for the finish to dry.
>
> Thanks,
> Harry

that's why you should use a non-water based product, like spar varnish.

"Harry Muscle" <fake@[email protected]> writes:

[...]

>> > I'm planning on buying a fish tank stand cabinet that's made of particle
>> > board and MDF coated with that fake wood looking veneer. However, I

[...]

> I agree that it's not exactly top quality stuff, however, it's the best I
> can find/afford at the moment. Why would urethening not help any in
> resisting water damage?

Because if it already has a plastic foil surface it's already water
resistant. The only point where you possibly could improve that would
be at edges where the bare MDF/particle board is visible.

Since this group is rec.woodworking why not build a wooden stand?
--
Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
mailto:[email protected] Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23

"Harry Muscle" <fake@[email protected]> writes:

> I'm planning on buying a fish tank stand cabinet that's made of particle
> board and MDF coated with that fake wood looking veneer. However, I don't

If by "fake wood veneer" you mean plastic foil printed with a pattern
reminiscent of wood it's already as waterproof as such junk is worth
while, no paint on top of that plastic will do any good.

--
Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
mailto:[email protected] Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23