Prevention of damp in cut surfaces.

[Bod]

I have to put an Ikea chest of drawers in a boat.

What should I put on the raw chipboard edges, to keep any damp at bay?

I have, varnish, paint undercoat, paint top coat, Danish Oil, could get PVA solution.  Colour doesn't matter, non of the edges are seen.

 

Bod

[cuthound]

I read somewhere, years ago that aluminium primer should be used to seal raw chipboard edges on chipboard fitted kitchens.

 

However, a boat is a much damper environment than a kitchen, particularly if the boat isn't lived on, and is left unheated during the winter months. If this is the case I fear whatever you use will not protect the chipboard from turning to mush.

[Kendorr]

From what you have, any of them is better than nothing. If you can get water resistant pva, water it down to 75% pva and 25% water and give the edges a couple of good soakings, leaving 24 hours for it to dry. It will prolong the life, but as cuthound says, it won't fully protect it.

[zenataomm]

I had to do something similar once years ago. And it was outside!

I used Araldite two part epoxy (other epoxy adhesives are available)

I lathered it on to provide a thick seal on the raw surface.

 

When I sold the boat 5 years later it was still sound.  I had sanded it smooth and painted it because it was visible, only I knew it was there.

Well worth a try.

[Bod]

I've been given the idea of using silicone sealant. Fairly thick bead, pushed in.

Idea being to fill all the surface voids, making a smooth surface.

Good idea or best avoided?

 

Bod

[Tony Brooks]

FWIW When I fitted the previous kitchen maybe 20 or so years ago the instructions for the worktop said to seal all cut edges with Black Bostik covering anmd pushed well into the cut edges and i did this. Lasted very well. I suppose silicon sealer is the modern equivalent.

[Bod]

This is exactly what I've been advised today!

It's what I'm going to do.

Thanks to all for the replies.

 

Bod

[MtB]

When I used to fit seriously expensive kitchens, we used to press silicone sealant into cut chipboard edges. Never ever had a call back. 

[Dr Bob]

On 27/09/2018 at 16:54, zenataomm said:

I had to do something similar once years ago. And it was outside!

I used Araldite two part epoxy (other epoxy adhesives are available)

I lathered it on to provide a thick seal on the raw surface.

 

When I sold the boat 5 years later it was still sound.  I had sanded it smooth and painted it because it was visible, only I knew it was there.

Well worth a try.

That's what I would do. Buy a two pack epoxy from a chandlers and paint it on. Araldite will be expensive. Is it West epoxy that you can get? Last for years.

[mark99]

Me and araldite have  had a long and fruitfull relationship. Not sure about the fast reaction stuff.

Edited September 28, 2018 by mark99

[blackrose]

Ok I'll have to break up the consensus. I've got chipboard kitchen carcasses in my boat that are now nearly 15 years old with completely untreated cut edges and they are fine and haven't turned to mush. What am I doing wrong? 

 

Seriously though, I've never understood this idea that boats are inherently damp environments. My boats have never been damp. Even when I'm away from the boat for weeks in winter it's still not damp when I get back. 

[rusty69]

8 hours ago, Dr Bob said:

That's what I would do. Buy a two pack epoxy from a chandlers and paint it on. Araldite will be expensive. Is it West epoxy that you can get? Last for years.

West is still available, cheaper than Araldite, but more  expensive than other ebay epoxies, and would probably benefit from a bit of thickening after the initial coat. 

 

Think i would go the cheap and cheerful silicone route. 

[blackrose]

Or not even bother. Personally I can't help thinking that if one's boat is so damp that chipboard is affected then you've got some bigger issue like poor insulation or a lack of ventilation. 

[Murflynn]

4 hours ago, blackrose said:

Ok I'll have to break up the consensus. I've got chipboard kitchen carcasses in my boat that are now nearly 15 years old with completely untreated cut edges and they are fine and haven't turned to mush. What am I doing wrong? 

 

Seriously though, I've never understood this idea that boats are inherently damp environments. My boats have never been damp. Even when I'm away from the boat for weeks in winter it's still not damp when I get back. 

you're bucking the trend.  It seems to be the macho thing to have a wet boat - makes life a little bit more uncomfortable and persuades the victim that life is hard on the cut - 'but we manage somehow against all the odds'.   

[WotEver]

I generally use this stuff. If I don’t have any to hand then I’ll use a couple of coats of varnish. Kitchen fitters don’t have time to wait for a sealant to dry so use silicone as it’s quick. 

https://goo.gl/images/Brf2gw

[cuthound]

5 hours ago, blackrose said:

Ok I'll have to break up the consensus. I've got chipboard kitchen carcasses in my boat that are now nearly 15 years old with completely untreated cut edges and they are fine and haven't turned to mush. What am I doing wrong? 

 

Seriously though, I've never understood this idea that boats are inherently damp environments. My boats have never been damp. Even when I'm away from the boat for weeks in winter it's still not damp when I get back. 

 

You live on your boat, thus it is heated in the winter and damp less likely be an issue for chipboard.

 

As I said in post #2, damp will damage chipboard in a boat left unheated in winter, more so if there is inadequate ventilation.

 

 

[dor]

I've got a bit of chipboard in my boat from when it was built ten years ago. It is still as solid as when it was new.  We don't live aboard but do go to the boat for three or four days most weeks.  Last winter was much less frequent due to health. 

I would be seriously concerned if there was a damp problem. These people with damp issues on their  boats- where is the water coming from?

[Clodi]

I know a kitchen fitter who swears by Thompson's water seal. He specialises in fitting out old farmhouses and cottages most of which do not have damp-courses and many slate floors with no DPM he uses well known trade carcasses of  questionable quality but says he has never had a problem in over 30 years.

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, cuthound said:

 

You live on your boat, thus it is heated in the winter and damp less likely be an issue for chipboard.

 

As I said in post #2, damp will damage chipboard in a boat left unheated in winter, more so if there is inadequate ventilation.

 

 

I think you must have missed the post where I mentioned I go away for several weeks each winter. Also I stored some ikea chipboard shelves with cut edges in my unheated, uninsulated, condensation prone engine hole for about 8 years and nothing happened to them. For chipboard to turn to mush it would have to be very wet indeed. So I repeat, if the inside of your boat is really that damp then you've got much bigger problems than sealing chipboard! 

Edited September 29, 2018 by blackrose

[blackrose]

23 minutes ago, dor said:

I've got a bit of chipboard in my boat from when it was built ten years ago. It is still as solid as when it was new.  We don't live aboard but do go to the boat for three or four days most weeks.  Last winter was much less frequent due to health. 

I would be seriously concerned if there was a damp problem. These people with damp issues on their  boats- where is the water coming from?

 

Yes, that's what I'd want to know too. 

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

I think you must have missed the post where I mentioned I go away for several weeks each winter. Also I stored some ikea chipboard shelves with cut edges in my unheated, uninsulated, condensation prone engine hole for about 8 years and nothing happened to them. For chipboard to turn to mush it would have to be very wet indeed. So I repeat, if the inside of your boat is really that damp then you've got much bigger problems than sealing chipboard! 

 

You must be lucky.

 

The loft of my last house had been boarded with ordinary chipboard, rather than the green moisture resistant type and I put my foot through it the firdt time I went up there.

 

Had to reboard it with the moisture resistant type.

 

Then there is the issue of what happens to chipboard when it gets wet, for example from a leaking pipe.