Got a client with a particleboard kitchen countertop. Swelling has occurred underneath where the moist, warm air vents from the dishwasher during the drying cycle. I plan to trim the profile of the countertop underside back to its original thickness with a Fein MM, but I would also like to coat the surface underneath to prevent further swelling in the area of the vent.
My question is this—with what can I coat the particleboard to seal this area? What makes the most sense? Paint? Polyurethane? Shellac? Lacquer? Epoxy?
Or am I going about this all wrong?
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance to all who chime in.
PK
Replies
I'm assuming replacing the countertop is out of the question, so-
shellac for that use isn't a good idea; it doesn't have much water resistance, especially in the form of steam
personally, I'd use either an exterior oil base paint, or an epoxy. Both should hold up to the steam, at least for a while.
The main problem I see is that even once you've got the core cut back and smooth, it's still going to be fairly porous, so it may take quite a few coats to really seal it.
Exterior varnish would be my first choice. You want something that will soak in well and "consolidate" the particleboard, and regular epoxies don't do that very well. However, you might have success with an epoxy designed for consolidating rotted wood.
Shelac soaks in pretty well but doesn't do a good job of sealing.
I'd think the dishwasher could be the problem. Never heard of one that vents its air under the cabinet. That would be like venting a bathroom into the attic. Are we sure that's it? If so, go to the source, not try to mitigate it. IF the diswasher is the problem, and the client won't resolve that part of it, I'd walk. Life is too short.
Edited 2/6/2009 9:42 pm ET by BARMIL
They all vent that way, more or less.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith
They all vent that way, more or less
Huh?
Here, they vent thru a vacuum break with an outside connection or a sink top vent.
That's how the drain vents. But the DW itself vents through the door.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith
Mine vents right thereHave seen several others do too.
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After you get it back to the correct thickness.
Add a piece of p-lam to the underside.
You're going to have the dw out anyway. A 6-12 strip of p-lam will stop reoccurance.
Did the same thing in a beauty salon 15 years ago. Over spray from washing hair caused the swelling. The additional layer of p-lam will fixed it permnantly.
When I build a counter top with laminate, I just use the same contact cement to put a coat on that area underneath to seal it against moisture.
I've always used solvent based, so I don't know if the water based low VOC works as well.
So for this I favour that approach or epoxy.
A urethene floor paint would do well too.
Sinc e it's such a small space, it depends what I have around leftover form other work. I do a lot of repairs so I always have some epoxy in the trailer.....
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another thought here...
once you start trimming, it is possible that you could find this substrate falling apart on you. Be preparred with a can of minwax wood filler - the two part mix to rebuild
Don't get it in your beard tho
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Had a similar problem, but the steam was leaking out around the door seal. Turned out to be the "Wax motor". In the door, the vent opens as the liquid expands during the heat/drying cycle. It wasn't opening wide enough. One a new vent motor was installed, the steam came out the vent and away from the cabinet top's overhang....
I like the idea of using the liquid for rotted wood. It's completely weatherproof and made to be absorbed before it hardens.
Bill
Git-Rot and similar resin products have too low of a viscosity for overhead work like this. Would be like trying to get rain to run uphill on your roof.
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The kitchen outfit I deal with coats this area with contact cement. My counter is 12 years old now and the dishwasher has not been a concern at all.
Have a good day
Cliffy
I've dealt with this type of problem throughout houses due to various causes. I always address it with a Varithane type product (cheap is fine) by thinning it about twenty-five to thirty percent with thinner. As long as you feel like applying where it has soaked in, it's fair game. Then do your final coat unthinned. The advantage of this is that even if the surface coat goes south, the penetration coats will continue to protect. I do this on bath, kitchen and laundry room floors, as well as around sinks and have never had a failure yet [and I've been doing this for over a week now (just kidding). Your results will vary dependent on your effort.
Recently, I used some of the new mastic you brush and roll on to give an area under a sink and dish washer a little more edge.
I had the same problem. Dealt with the manufacturer who sent a kit with an metal tape product. I applied the tape but the edge where the laminate contacts the particle board cannot be sealed with out the tape showing which was unacceptable. Out solution is to place a piece of aluminum foil(doubled up)between the top of the DW door and countertop to direct the steam away each time we use it. Sounds like a hassle but really isn't and it does stop the deterioration.