MDO edge weatherproofing

[Jerry Ingraham]

I have built snowman family yard ornaments for all the ladies in our family and after six years I need to repaint the set I made for my mother. The edges are the only areas of real concern as they have shed nearly all the paint and primer. I had primed them with exterior primer but that doesn't seem to be adequate. Is there something else that I can seal the edges of the MDO with that will last longer? TIA.
Jerry

[Frank Hagan]

You could use a thin, "penetrating" epoxy for the MDO edges, especially if you are using waterbased primer and paint (oil based paint sometimes is incompatible with some epoxies). Thin epoxy is sometimes sold in small amounts as a product to stop rot in wood (it doesn't really stop it, but it covers it up well!) East System epoxies are thin, RAKA and System Three epoxies are medium viscosity, but would work as well. The thicker ones like West System might be harder to brush on an even coat, but may work as well.

[Per Swenson]

Epoxy thins with alchohol.
Mix it.
Thin it.
Paint it on.
The model aircraft and boat people
have been doing this for years.
Per

[Jerry Ingraham]

Thinned epoxy sounds like a good solution, I'll give it a try. Thanks guys.

[Frank Hagan]

Epoxy thins with alchohol.
Mix it.
Thin it.
Paint it on.
The model aircraft and boat people
have been doing this for years.
Per

Alcohol or acetone?

[Steve Jenkins]

I checked with West systems some time back and they said you culd use lacquer thinner if you don't go past about 10%

[Per Swenson]

Alcohol.
Denatured
This works and works well.
Per

[Michael Perata]

MinWax has a product that works well for sealing the edges of wood. I have used it on MDF to seal the edges and it works for me.

http://www.minwax.com/products/woodmaint/hardener.cfm