Waterproof sealer for MDF??

[Towny]

Howdy all!

Sorry if this has been asked before but i am looking for a sealer that i can get from Bunnings to do a lot of wood as i have just finished with my Cage
and realised i dont like the sealer i have chosen. I have heard you can get a aresol one which would be fantastic as like i said there is a massive amount to do, however if not could people please tell me
the exact name of what they recommend as i want to be able to go in and know for sure im buying the right thing.

Thankyou in advanced

 

[kitten_pheonix]

Not sure what would be good, the lady I spoke to at bunnings gave us a sealer in a tin to paint on. The advise given to myself is not to use water base as the humidity from enclosures can cause the sealer to bead and release fumes and cause issues. Not sure what others have to say on this one

 

[Ramsayi]

I used Cabots clear floor and it has been good for the last 10 years or so and still going strong.Think they rebranded it though it it is now called CFP floor it's a clear water based sealer however needs to be brushed on.

 

[Lawra]

Not sure what would be good, the lady I spoke to at bunnings gave us a sealer in a tin to paint on. The advise given to myself is not to use water base as the humidity from enclosures can cause the sealer to bead and release fumes and cause issues. Not sure what others have to say on this one

I thought it was the opposite way around, that water based was safe and solvent based was not.

 

[Thyla]

Whatever you get, make sure it's non-toxic and you're good as gold

 

[OldestMagician]

Paint on pond liner is great. Comes in a few colours including clear. Anything that is safe for fish seems pretty safe to me.

 

[Tesla]

I used Cabots clear floor and it has been good for the last 10 years or so and still going strong.Think they rebranded it though it it is now called CFP floor it's a clear water based sealer however needs to be brushed on.

Do you find any difference in strength of material over time compared to melamine?
I was actually contemplating making some MDF enclosures due to being able to paint them any color I wanted without the use of special paints like you need with melamine but scraped the idea due to not knowing if sealers would work for extended periods.

Cheers

 

[Shane73]

Check out some of the enclosure building threads in the DIY section, your bound to find something.

 

[Virides]

I thought it was the opposite way around, that water based was safe and solvent based was not.

Sourced from wiki.answers.com:

The technical difference is that oil-based paint has a non-water-soluble "base" to it, and water-based (latex) paints have a water-soluble "base" to them. (Latex cleans with water, Oil does not.)

The practical differences are pretty severe.

Latex paints clean up with water (the most important feature for some), dry faster, don't show brush strokes as clearly, and don't smell remotely as bad as oil paints. Latex paints should always be used for interior surfaces.

Oil paints, on the other hand, are reputed to last longer. They are generally used on exterior surfaces. They require a thinner (paint thinner) to clean up.

Remember, though, you should generally go over the last coat of paint with the same type of new paint. It just makes life easier.

 

[Lawra]

Do you find any difference in strength of material over time compared to melamine?
I was actually contemplating making some MDF enclosures due to being able to paint them any color I wanted without the use of special paints like you need with melamine but scraped the idea due to not knowing if sealers would work for extended periods.

Cheers

You need to make friends with a cabinetmaker who will give you cheap coloured board

 

[Towny]

First of all thanks for the responses

Next the reason i used mdf is it is a massive enclosure and using Melamine would have been ridiculous in weight! LOL

now im liking the idea of the pond sealer but not sure if its just going to destroy the wood or it will be fine?

also would like the inside to be a black or something dark in colour

 

[Lawra]

First of all thanks for the responses

Next the reason i used mdf is it is a massive enclosure and using Melamine would have been ridiculous in weight! LOL

now im liking the idea of the pond sealer but not sure if its just going to destroy the wood or it will be fine?

also would like the inside to be a black or something dark in colour

If you haven't bought it yet...

If the only reason you're using mdf instead of melamine... You can buy veneered mdf

Or get some contact adhesive and some laminate that will fix your waterproofing issue!

 

[Towny]

ow god dont tell me that lawra ahaha all pieces are assembled at the moment lol
and nah i havent bought the sealer yet but planned on it today