Sealing edges... what to use?

Discussion in 'Kitchen Fitters' Talk' started by candoabitofmoststuff, Jun 22, 2018.

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  1. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    Folks,
    This may be a silly question, but...

    I've got some exposed edges, some chipboard and some mdf, that I want/need to seal in a new kitchen installation...

    I was planning to use varnish, because I have plenty...
    In the interests of speed, can I use several coats of a quick dry varnish, (i.e. water based), or is that just a stoopid idea, as I'm trying to keep water out? Would the boars just absorb the water in the varnish?

    If I shouldn't use that, I've ordinary slow drying varnish. Anything better than that recommended?

    Thanks,

    Cando
     
  2. Mr Rusty

    Mr Rusty Screwfix Select

    Are these visible? For chipboard raw edges, like round a sink cutout, I wipe in a good coating of ordinary silicon. Works for me, dont know what others do.
     
    teabreak and kitfit1 like this.
  3. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    Yep, same here. Always use silicon on raw edges, especially anywhere around a sink including behind the sink. Always use silicon around the cutout of a gas hob as well......................use metal tape on electric hob cutouts.
     
    teabreak likes this.
  4. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    Thanks for the input...

    It's the bottom edges of some decor panels, which will be on the floor, and a chipboard panel being used as a blanking plate. It won't be directly in contact with wet... just the moisture of a kitchen environment for that.

    The fundamental question remains... is quick drying varnish a BAD idea?
    What about waterproof PVA, which I have a lot of?

    (I'm not disregarding silicon... just looking at options!)

    Cando
     
  5. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    Silicon is the answer.
    It dosn't soak into anything, so it dosn't add anything to anything. What it does do though is completely seal what you want to be sealed....................and that is the purpose of what you are doing.
     
  6. fillyboy

    fillyboy Screwfix Select

    I've always used water based varnish or woodstain because it does soak in and I've thought that silicone might peel. Maybe I'll give the silicone a try, it's good to have a kitchen fitters opinion.
     
  7. Nis999

    Nis999 Member

    Agree with Kitfit use silicone, but where the boards touch the floor be thorough and careful, miss a bit and within a year the bottom of the board will be swelling. Let the silicone go off completely before fitting if the boards may need to be removed in future...
     
  8. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    So silicon is actually BETTER than waterproof PVA?

    Cando?
     
  9. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    I think you can use a range of materials really to seal raw MDF:Chip edges, it’s really what uv got to hand

    If you think about it, once a material has dried, is it impervious to water ?

    So surely you could use the above items, or trim paint, water based or oil based, masonary paint, or a stainbloc like Zinnser BIN, 123, caulk, etc

    Can’t see the water content in some of the above causing the MDF edges to ‘blow’ from a single application (or even 2 coats)

    Last time I made a sink cutout, fairly sure I used Z BIN, as had to hand, dried quick, shellac based, it’s gonna do the job for sure

    If uv got 97 gallons of varnish to hand then use that. It may be water based but once dry, it won’t wash off with a wet cloth will it

    Same as masonary paint and all the exterior water based paints, once dry, doesn’t wash of every time it rains :eek:

    Splash it on ur raw edges, allow to dry, 2nd coat if ur feeling flush, allow to dry and relax :)
     
  10. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    Yep, have no problem with what your saying Dave. But when you fit for a living, you havn't got time to scribe a panel, seal it with paint/varnish and then wait for it to go off. A swipe of silicone and then fit it it what you do :D
     
    Astramax and fillyboy like this.
  11. fillyboy

    fillyboy Screwfix Select

    It's not "waiting for it to go off", it's called a tea break.;)
     
    kitfit1 likes this.
  12. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    My flask aint big enough for that amount of tea breaks :D
     
  13. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    Fully understand what ur saying kitfit - after all, time is money

    My post was more directed at the OP though, as it reads he’s fitting his own kitchen as a diy’er and was thinking of using his excess 97 gallons of varnish

    Not sure how many raw edges he has to seal but he may use around 50ml of varnish in total, so goes someway to putting his stockpile to good use :)

    The Zinnser BIN dries in less than an hour (indoors warm conditions) so no real delay, there’s always something else to be getting on with, forward planning, etc !

    Have a good day guys, at least the sun is shining :)
     
  14. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    Hi folks... I did it today... A couple of coats of waterproof PVA IS what I used. I feel comfortable with it. Thanks for your input... It helped my thought process a lot!

    Regards,
    Cando
     

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