Need suggestions on how to safely waterproof HD particle board

J

Jennifer G.

AC Members
Nov 20, 2017
76
29
21
48
Hi everyone!

I recently purchased and assembled a heavy duty shelving system to stack aquariums 3 high. I have no doubts these shelves will perform as they hold 3,000 lbs per shelf as is, but for good measure I purchased a bunch of extra support braces for each shelf. The problem is I have no idea how to 100% waterproof the medium density particle board shelves. They are raw, not laminated.

Originally I was going to prime and paint them. Everything on the net was telling me not to as ANY moisture on/in particle board will cause irreversible swelling. Then I thought of using vinyl wallpaper or waterproof contact paper to wrap each shelf like a present (need to waterproof the underneath too so evaporation from below tanks don't affect the above shelf). My shelves are 48" x 24" and I can't seem to find wallpaper or contact paper in sizes that come even close to what I need. Then I thought about wrapping the shelves "present style" with waterproof marine grade fabric. The problem is when the shelving unit got here and was assembled, the particle board fits too snug and perfect for ANY fabric to fit between the edges and I'd never get the shelves in their resting location.

Any suggestions as to what I can do would be greatly appreciated. The other thing I can do is get a 48" x 24" self leveling aquarium mat. Would fit the dimensions perfectly but it doesn't take care of the sides or underneath. I'm at a loss as to what to do.

Thanks in advance for your time!
 
I don't think anything you could cover/coat the MDF with will make them waterproof. Water resistant maybe.

I know it's a bit of extra resources, but I'd get a piece of treated or marine grade plywood and cut 48"x24" sections out of it to replace the MDF with.

Even standard plywood once painted stands up to getting wet quite well.
 
I used MDF on many tank stands. Without bubbling/separation issues. And if it is exterior grade MDF, you shouldn't have any issues with treating it. If interior I'd use contact rubber cement spread thin and layout some vinyl covering.
 
Rbishop said:
I used MDF on many tank stands. Without bubbling/separation issues...
Click to expand...

Just curious if you built these yourself?

My experience with MDF store bought stands is the opposite. Water on them for any longer period of time swells them up permanently. Latest issue recently happened to a ~5yr/old Top Fin brand 20L/29/37g stand I have. Over the course of the night the canister filter leaked a few gallons of water out, soaked the carpeting and ruined the skirting of the stand. It's still structurally sound best I can tell, but it looks terrible. It's laminated with some type of veneer, but the bottom edges are raw and where the water soaked up and swelled everything.

I would assume the MDF sections that come with the shelving unit described above would be at or worse than a store bought stand in terms of being able to withstand being wet.
 
No, they were store bought, but had exterior grade sheets on them. I, being OCD, coated them with light coats of exterior sealant on all surfaces. How you do your maintenance and clean up afterwards is also going to come into play.
 
^ OCD does make for a longer lasting stand. :)

True on the cleanup thing too. I know with the 2 MDF stands I have in service, as long as I wipe up water when I'm done with maintenance, I haven't had a problem
 
I appreciate both of your suggestions. Thank you so much!

After watching a gazillion videos on different methods, I think I have come up with a plan of attack. Since both large surface areas are smooth I will prime with thin layers to give a good seal and then paint. The edges were my biggest concern since they are so porous. My plan is to use wood filler to seal. I will then sand, prime and paint.

Any water that gets on the paint should be fine as long as I'm on top of wiping the area. Wish me luck! I will update if this doesn't work!

Here is the unit I purchased. I ordered an extra shelf and extra shelf supports. https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...Bulk-Storage-Rack-Particle-Board-49-x-24-x-96
 
Whoa! Tanks and/or storage clear up to the ceiling! It does look sturdy indeed.

Sounds like you've got a solid solution to the particle board + water dilemma. Like said, the main thing is to wipe up spills as quickly as possible. Great job!
 
looking good

(not you Freshy, the stand)

:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom