MDF edges

[Kittyhawk]

Looking for some some product to seal the MDF edges of kitchen cabinet doors against water absorption. My go-to product has always been thinned epoxy resin but don't have any just now and don't want to buy 4 litres for just a small job.

 

[GrahamRounce]

Superglue, maybe? But you'd have to be quick brushing it! (And you can polish it) Do a practice piece first of course.

 

[kinverkid]

Two coats of thinned UF glue. I use it when it's past it's best.

 

[meccarroll]

All of the kitchen doors I have made are from MR MDF, I use a high build primer then topcoat which is more than enough to protect the edges against moisture. If your cabinets have square edges you could consider paintable melamine edging but it's not necessary if you sand the edges before painting.

 

[Kittyhawk]

All of the kitchen doors I have made are from MR MDF, I use a high build primer then topcoat which is more than enough to protect the edges against moisture. If your cabinets have square edges you could consider paintable melamine edging but it's not necessary if you sand the edges before painting.

These are all new doors and have a small radius on the front edge. I intend to blow on two coats of a water based lacquer sealer/primer, cut with 400 grit and then spray on two coats of a laquer top coat. The paint system is designed for the automotive industry and also recommended for MDF cabinetry where a hard wearing coating is required. There was some water ingress into the old doors under the sink - paint system unknown. I guess I should trust this car laquer to perform as stated in the tech sheets and not bother about any additional MDF edge protection?

 

[meccarroll]

These are all new doors and have a small radius on the front edge. I intend to blow on two coats of a water based lacquer sealer/primer, cut with 400 grit and then spray on two coats of a laquer top coat. The paint system is designed for the automotive industry and also recommended for MDF cabinetry where a hard wearing coating is required. There was some water ingress into the old doors under the sink - paint system unknown. I guess I should trust this car laquer to perform as stated in the tech sheets and not bother about any additional MDF edge protection?

For paint try Syphony Coatings: https://www.symphonycoatings.co.uk/#:~:text=We%20are%20the%20UK's%20premier%20supplier%20of

They supply the trade. I have used them several times for paint for kitchen, bedroom cupboards and furniture. The paint they supply is used in the industry standard.

I have used acid catalyzed paint before for kitchen fronts etc, it's very hard wearing once it has fully cured. They have a water based paint which I am going to use for the kitchen I am currently making.

I use a high build primer and topcoat. Spray the hight build primer on the edges of the MDF and sand back with say 240 grit then spray the panel including the edge again sand back again then apply the top coat should work ok, does for me. Topcoat might be better with two or three coats for best results. The paint is touch dry pretty quickly but bear in mind it takes 30 days to fully cure once sprayed.

 

[Kittyhawk]

For paint try Syphony Coatings: https://www.symphonycoatings.co.uk/#:~:text=We%20are%20the%20UK's%20premier%20supplier%20of

They supply the trade. I have used them several times for paint for kitchen, bedroom cupboards and furniture. The paint they supply is used in the industry standard.

I have used acid catalyzed paint before for kitchen fronts etc, it's very hard wearing once it has fully cured. They have a water based paint which I am going to use for the kitchen I am currently making.

I use a high build primer and topcoat. Spray the hight build primer on the edges of the MDF and sand back with say 240 grit then spray the panel including the edge again sand back again then apply the top coat should work ok, does for me. Topcoat might be better with two or three coats for best results. The paint is touch dry pretty quickly but bear in mind it takes 30 days to fully cure once sprayed.

Thanks for your advice.
The spray regimen you describe is the one I will follow but unfortunately we do not have Symphony Coatings here in NZ. The water based laquer system I will use is called AquaLac and is from our local Resene Paints which I think is a subsidiary of Altex Devoe. All the AquaLac tech sheets are available online. People that use it professionally really like it for the finish quality and ease of use. Hopefully it will do what I want from it - especially sealing the MDF edges and I expect it will given the eye-watering amount of money they want for the stuff.

 

[Fergie 307]

Only thing I would say is to avoid any really sharp edges. Even just running a bit of 400 grit over them will ensure the paint flows around the corner as it were, otherwise you can find it will be thin on the very edge.

 

[JimSmith1969]

Looking for some some product to seal the MDF edges of kitchen cabinet doors against water absorption. My go-to product has always been thinned epoxy resin but don't have any just now and don't want to buy 4 litres for just a small job.

To seal the MDF edges of your kitchen cabinet doors without buying a large quantity of epoxy resin, you have a few effective alternatives:

• Thinned PVA Glue: Mix wood glue with water at a 1:1 ratio and apply it to the MDF edges. This solution penetrates well and provides a good seal against moisture.
• Shellac-Based Primer: Available in small cans, shellac primer seals MDF edges effectively and dries quickly, providing a smooth surface for painting.
• Oil-Based Primer: An oil-based primer can seal the edges and is typically sold in smaller quantities, making it suitable for small projects.

These options are generally available at most hardware stores.