# Seal plywood endgrain before painting?



## GarF (22 Sep 2014)

Hi,
I'm just about ready to paint a shelf unit I've built for the garage using marine ply. Very exciting as it's the first time I've cut dados with my router. It's sanded and I've got some Morrells WB primer and topcoat ready to go. Question is whether it's worth sealing the exposed end grain before priming? As it happens I just turned up a half bottle of shellac well past it's best before so I'm wondering if I'd get a better finish if I used that on the edges first as it's probably not fit for anything else. I wasn't sure whether the WB primer would bond ok to the the shellac, but have read a few posts on here before about a zinnser shellac blocking agent (bullseye?) which piqued my interest.

If I can get round to it I'll post some photos at some point.
Any advice gratefully received
Cheers
G


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## kostello (23 Sep 2014)

How about some iron on edging?


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## Harbo (23 Sep 2014)

Painting shelves in a garage - I wouldn't bother 

Zinnester sell priming paints for various tasks so they might have something?
If you really want to make a job of it, edge the end grain with some real wood strips?

Rod


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## GarF (23 Sep 2014)

Harbo":1ep5szsm said:


> Painting shelves in a garage - I wouldn't bother



Fair point. But. When I say shelves -I mean part shelves and part cabinet to house the stereo I saved up for a whole summer aged sixteen and which is now banished from the house on perfectly reasonable grounds of space, style and practicality with small children around!

In addition to which it's also a test to see if the gloss level is right for some bits that need doing for inside the house. 
G


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## geordie (23 Sep 2014)

i would opt for painting end grain with pva first costs nowt as everyone has a botttle somewhere


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## DeanN (23 Sep 2014)

Zinnser BIN is the shellac based blocking primer. I'm just doing a quick n dirty shelving job for an upstairs storage cupboard, and using chipboard as I acquired a few sheets free. I've used a 2 pack filler on the facing edge to fill the voids and give it a smooth finish, coated all surfaces with Zinnser Coverstain, then applied 2 coats of Crown acrylic eggshell. Decent finish, and more than acceptable for storing towels on.


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