Big Enclosure Build

[Jacknife]

Had a mate who's a cabinet maker over a while back admiring my 4'x2'x2's and asked if I was going to build more let him know as he'd get me cabinet maker's melamine - score!
Decided to hit him up on the offer yesterday, and for $40 he gave me two 1200mm x 2400mm sheets. Awesome.

So I've spent about an hour and a half this afternoon working on my oldest Bredli's(just over 2yrs old, 6ft+ and about 3-4kg) new enclosure.
It's a nice big 4'x4'x2'!

Now here's a new thing for me. I've always made mine of solid melamine, but with the size of this build I've used 9mm MDF for the back piece, a product I've never used before.
My question is, do I have to seal the MDF?

I'm planning on making a feature wall for the back, but my thinking is, if I have to seal it then I'll do the feature wall straight on the back piece, if not I can build the feature wall down the track. Fairly important when it comes to how long this project will take me to move in stage...

Anyway here's a few pics, sorry about the low quality - it's a fairly bad day in Melbs today and it's from my phone. Gives you a decent idea of just how large this thing is though!

 

[Virides]

MDF is very porous. You have to seal it from moisture because it will make it swell and disintegrate. Any paint will do, apply an undercoat however as it will soak up the first coat quite readily. If you plan on having it in prolonged contact with water, a few coats are required or a water sealant top coat.

 

[Jacknife]

MDF is very porous. You have to seal it from moisture because it will make it swell and disintegrate. Any paint will do, apply an undercoat however as it will soak up the first coat quite readily. If you plan on having it in prolonged contact with water, a few coats are required or a water sealant top coat.

Thanks for the info. It's for a Bredli so there will be very little water in there and a 99.9% of never coming in contact with water but looks like I'll be sealing it with a feature wall now anyway!

 

[Virides]

If you are doing a feature wall, you will still need to seal it, just a single coat of undercoat ensuring you have covered all sides and edges (soaking edges). It will prolong the life of what is effectively your enclosure's bracing structure.

Also, hit up our website for the finger grips on your enclosure when that time comes around Finger Grips | Virides

 

[Jacknife]

If you are doing a feature wall, you will still need to seal it, just a single coat of undercoat ensuring you have covered all sides and edges (soaking edges). It will prolong the life of what is effectively your enclosure's bracing structure.

Also, hit up our website for the finger grips on your enclosure when that time comes around Finger Grips | Virides

Yeah will be doing that.

Always trynna throw a selfie promo in there where ya can hey?

 

[Virides]

When you own a business, you have to be willing to put yourself out there

 

[mudgudgeon]

MDF is very porous. You have to seal it from moisture because it will make it swell and disintegrate. Any paint will do, apply an undercoat however as it will soak up the first coat quite readily. If you plan on having it in prolonged contact with water, a few coats are required or a water sealant top coat.

An acrylic undercoat will give a better result. Oil based paints tend to make the MDF fibres swell up.