Finish for MDF Drawers ?!?!

[Matt Sollars]

I built some MDF drawers to be used for pots and pans storage.

Everything is cut and assembled, but I'm just wanting to check on
what adhesive to use (in addition to brads) and what finish to keep them more
durable for the long haul. (think, pots and pans banging and the occasional damp pot put in the drawer too early)

I know that MDF isn't ideal for moisture concerns, but there has to be a way to ''seal'' it and make it usable.

Any input is appreciated as this is completely new to me.

Thanks gang.

Matt

[keith ouellette]

Poly urethane!

its not a big favorite around here and probably isn't the best as far as looks but for almost water proof durability Its TOPS. I'm not a great finisher but have used poly on everything from out door benches (spar urethane) to water ski's. When I was a kid I refinished my hand me down slalom ski that was used every summer for years and stored in a freezing basement every winter (I mean no heat lattice openings).

The finish never failed.

Poly will protect the mdf better than anything except for 2 part finishes like epoxy. Use the real stuff not the water base which has much less water resistance than the good old oil.

[Scott Holmes]

Seal it with de-waxed shellac; or use a water borne clear finish.

Most durable would be a quality paint.

[glenn bradley]

The words Keith mentioned were the first to my mind as well; poly-your-insane . . . I mean polyurethane; very tough stuff. Here's my workbench MDF drawer unit with dewaxed shellac (boxes are 1/2" BB ply with false fronts).

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=72305&d=1190341148

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=72306&d=1190341175

I've been using them daily in an uninsulated garage since mid-2007 without an issue.

[keith ouellette]

The words Keith mentioned were the first to my mind as well; poly-your-insane . . . I mean polyurethane. Here's my workbench MDF drawer unit with dewaxed shellac (boxes are 1/2" BB ply with false fronts).

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=72305&d=1190341148

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=72306&d=1190341175

I've been using them daily in an uninsulated garage mid 2007 without an issue.

He did mention moisture, which you could get from an errant wet pan. If your concerned about moisture then poly ur insane is even better than paint and much better than shellac.

[Jim Becker]

Keith, shellac is one of the best moisture barriers you can get in a finish. That's "moisture", not "standing water", however. Polyurethane varnish and other varnishes will work fine for this application from a film perspective, but as always, an oil based finish in a drawer is going to off-gas and smell virtually indefinitely. I personally only use shellac or water borne finishes on drawers for that reason. My kitchen drawers have been in service since 2003, and with the exception of the mobile island, are finished with Target Coatings waterborne. The island drawers are finished with shellac. Both have suffered no noticeable damage in all that time. For folks who have the ability to safely apply solvent based lacquer, it's also a good finish for interior parts like drawers and has no off-gassing problem.

[keith ouellette]

Keith, shellac is one of the best moisture barriers you can get in a finish. That's "moisture", not "standing water", however. Polyurethane varnish and other varnishes will work fine for this application from a film perspective, but as always, an oil based finish in a drawer is going to off-gas and smell virtually indefinitely. I personally only use shellac or water borne finishes on drawers for that reason. My kitchen drawers have been in service since 2003, and with the exception of the mobile island, are finished with Target Coatings waterborne. The island drawers are finished with shellac. Both have suffered no noticeable damage in all that time. For folks who have the ability to safely apply solvent based lacquer, it's also a good finish for interior parts like drawers and has no off-gassing problem.

I guess that is the distinction between water vapor in the air and standing water in the form of drips and puddles. I was only addressing what I understood the OP wanted for the drawers. I know when I empty the dishwasher some of the pots and pans still have standing water on them. Thats what I addressed. I wasn't really thinking about a humid condition but rather small puddles of water.

Like if you leave a glass sweating on a piece of furniture covered in shellac you get a ring (You can get one on poly but I know from clumsy experience that it disappears). If that shellac covered furniture is made of particle board or mdf it swells up. Thats been my experience between the two.

As far as the oder. The entire inside of both our pantries are 3 coats of semi poly and we have no oder at all as well as all the inside of our laundry room cabinets and drawers.

Like I first said though. I know no one around here likes poly for anything. If its gonna get wet poly works best. If you want it to look good I bet poly comes in last. I've used a lot of poly on a lot of different things. its very durable and water resistant.

I don't pretend I can make things look nice with it though. I'm no finisher.

[Shawn Christ]

I think you see that you have a few choices here. Each one has advantages and disadvantages.

I'm curious if you have a color preference. Oil-based poly will darken (amber) that MDF considerably, and will likely have an orange-ish tint in certain light. Is that what you want? I used oil-based poly on my MDF workbench tops a few years ago and they have held up beautifully. You already know it will be durable. But they're right, it takes a LONG time for the odor to become unnoticeable, maybe a year, and do you really want that odor about your cooking pans?

In my experience brushed-on poly tends to build up quickly on inside corners and I am always fighting runs. I now prefer to make a wipe-on blend made from half poly and half mineral spirits (thanks to folks here). I store it in glass spaghetti sauce jars. Takes a few more coats but each dries quicker so you don't lose time.

I used water based poly on poplar vanity cabinet drawers recently. Completely clear finish. Absolutely no odor once cured, and still a very durable product. Not sure about the water resistance.

I used Zinsser premixed amber shellac last night for the first time and am VERY pleased with how well it applies by brush as compared to poly. I thinned it to a 2-lb cut (it thins with denatured alcohol, which is much more pleasant to smell indoors). Shellac levels extremely well. It also takes only 30 minutes to 'dry'. Nice product.

The drawers look nice and should be very useful. Good luck!

[Rick Lucrezi]

I painted some MDF shelving with "Expressions" latex enamel and it has held up very well. No primer, just gave them a mist coat then came back a gave them 2 heavy coats with the gun. I have been very happy. No scrathes yet, and they are used every day. I recently rolled some mdf with the same paint and it left it looking exactly like mellamine. The paint takes a good 72 hours to cure up to full hardness so it not something you would be able to use right away. If you want color, this stuff works very well.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

A friend built a boat recently and water proofed the finish with a diluted coat of Titebond III. He topped that with shellac. The finish is impressive and the boat has spent quite a bit of time in the water. He takes it out after each use. It still looks like the day he finished it. I've never seen it done with MDF which is normally ruined if it gets wet. However, if you are game to try, it will not hurt the finish and you can let the rest of us know the results.
fmr

[Jim Becker]

IIf its gonna get wet poly works best. If you want it to look good I bet poly comes in last.

You'll get the same performance from a non-poly varnish...polyurethane resin only adds a little abrasion resistance. It doesn't affect the varnish's ability to repel water. An alkyd or phenolic resin varnish will perform the same in that respect. That said, if you want an oil based varnish finish, poly is the easiest to obtain since that's what's on the shelves at the home centers. Trust me, I'm not taking issue with you using it for the purposes stated. It's an effective, available and easy to use finish.

[Matt Sollars]

Thank you all for your replies.

I not only got the answer I was looking for, but learned a lot in the process!

I think I am going to go with the half poly half mineral spirits mix that Shawn is talking about.

I think this is going to provide exactly what I am looking for.

Look for photos of the finished product shortly!

Thanks a ton guys!
Matt

[Shawn Christ]

Matt, I should add that you can make the same wiping blend with varnish and mineral spirits if you prefer to not use poly.

[keith ouellette]

You'll get the same performance from a non-poly varnish...polyurethane resin only adds a little abrasion resistance. It doesn't affect the varnish's ability to repel water. An alkyd or phenolic resin varnish will perform the same in that respect. That said, if you want an oil based varnish finish, poly is the easiest to obtain since that's what's on the shelves at the home centers. Trust me, I'm not taking issue with you using it for the purposes stated. It's an effective, available and easy to use finish.

I'm glad you posted that Jim. I actually didn't know there were three types of varnish (Thats not surprising though). I looked up alkyd and phenolic resins to see exactly what they were. In doing so I found out that most poly's are really alkyd's with some poly mixed together.

But all 3 are a type of plastic, which I also didn't know. that would explain the water resistance. And all three are very hard to dissolve when dry so you can spill pretty much anything on them and it won't ruin the finish.

Thats why I like talking on this forum. The conversation grows knowledge.

Thanks for the info:)

[Phil Phelps]

I built some MDF drawers to be used for pots and pans storage.
Everything is cut and assembled, but I'm just wanting to check on
what adhesive to use (in addition to brads) and what finish to keep them more
durable for the long haul. (think, pots and pans banging and the occasional damp pot put in the drawer too early)
I know that MDF isn't ideal for moisture concerns, but there has to be a way to ''seal'' it and make it usable.
Any input is appreciated as this is completely new to me.
Thanks gang.
Matt
Matt, you also ask about adhesive to use on the drawers with your brads. Any wood glue works well with MDF. However, you pictures show you to making butt joints. I would recommend you use the traditional dado in the box frame for the bottom of the drawer, especially using MDF.