I'll be interested to find out if this is possible. I have always believed that once that crap got wet it was history. And yet it seems to be most widely used in the cabinetry for the wettest rooms in the house. Go figure.
Could you be a little more specific as to what you're trying to do.
I can't work out whether you're trying to fix a piece of joinery (such as a bench top) or merely repair a water-damaged piece of mdf.
Ed
I liked Occam's Razor so much, I bought the company.
kai;386076 wrote: it is something I bought, it had been sitting in water longer than i thought until removed. it is the base of the item.
This is a little like pulling teeth, Kai.
If it's the base, is it visible? Presumably you've now dried it out. Can it not just be left like that?
Expanded mdf is a little like Humpty Dumpty - it's never going to look like new again. But, if it's not all that 'visible', it might not matter. No?
Ed
I liked Occam's Razor so much, I bought the company.
I have heard of some types of wood hardeners/epoxy being used to soak into water expanded MDF (well dried first)(a very liquid type of glue needs to be used to get much penetration) which is then clamped (have a layer of plastic either side of a type that will not adhere to the glue) to compress it as much as possible. You will then need to sand the MDF back to recreate a smoot flat surface, (do not use coarse sandpaper), and repaint.
This will not work with laminated MDF, e.g. melamine coated, as you will not get it back to the previous small volume, and it will not be nearly as strong as before, so do not attempt it anywhere structural, eg where hinges are attached.
It is a lot of work for what may be a not very good result.
WillEyre;386078 wrote: This is a little like pulling teeth, Kai.
If it's the base, is it visible? Presumably you've now dried it out. Can it not just be left like that?
Expanded mdf is a little like Humpty Dumpty - it's never going to look like new again. But, if it's not all that 'visible', it might not matter. No?
Ed
it has now dried out, however I feel the need to strengthen the piece. It probably will not be visible evetually. There is no break in the piece it is swollen from water.
sod;386176 wrote: willyeyre you must have funny teeth, back off a bit, no need to make comments like that is there.
For someone who's supposedly 'majored in english' (post 30 Aug) you show a surprisingly poor understanding of it's nuances and meaning.
I note that Kai hasn't made any complaint at this stage and I would imagine that he, unlike you, understands that, unlike you, I was trying to help. Follow all that?
Ed
I liked Occam's Razor so much, I bought the company.
WillEyre;386184 wrote: For someone who's supposedly 'majored in english' (post 30 Aug) you show a surprisingly poor understanding of it's nuances and meaning.
I note that Kai hasn't made any complaint at this stage and I would imagine that he, unlike you, understands that, unlike you, I was trying to help. Follow all that?
Ed
Harm Less Solutions.co.nz
NZ & AU distributor of Eco Wood Treatment stains and Bambu Dru bamboo fabrics and clothing
I have a desk made of MDF that suffered water damage to the base (stored in a garage that developed a leak). Unfortunately I have never been able to repair it properly. For the amount of work and expense required, it would be better for me to either have that panel replaced completely, or simply get rid of the desk and buy a new one.
The best thing I have found is just to dry the damaged part thoroughly, and try to keep it dry. Now the surface finish is compromised it seems to absorb moisture in humid weather.
Despite this desk having originally had a really good professional finish (2-pot epoxy resin) the surface where it is damaged has crackled and still looks kind of bulgy and uneven.
If your item is fairly cheap, I would suggest either learning to live with the damage or replacing the whole item. If it's more expensive, get it professionally repaired (which will probably mean replacing the panel).
It's really annoying when this happens and it makes me grumpy every time I look at the damage. I have a book case that was damaged at the same time and it has now been relegated to garage/workshop shelving.
Can I just say, I did not take offence to Will's question. He only wanted more information to give better advice. Sometimes what you post seems obvious to you at the time, it is only when someone else reads it that you realise what was missing.
Igor the stuff is not crap, if you haven't got anything constructive to add, please don't bother posting. As Kate says - behave!
