I recently installed a nice bathroom sink vanity that is constructed with particle board. To protect the board and guard against under-the-sink damage from leaks, mold, bathroom humidity, etc, I am thinking of using (oil based) polyurethane on the interior, which is not painted. Is this a good idea? Are there reasons why this should not be done?
Thanks!
You used 'nice' and 'particle board' in the same sentence. There no such thing. :^/
But since you have it, and it is installed- painting the interior is pretty pointless. Under certain circumstances, it could make things worse, by trapping water in there from the edges (mainly against floor) that you can't paint, and that soak up water like a sponge. BTW, I have never seen even a particle board vanity with NOTHING on the inside surfaces- they usually at least put that glorified contact paper stuff in there.
The way to get the most life out of this will be, to NEVER let water sit on the floor, and to buy a shallow plastic tray/washtub of some sort in the housewares aisle, and keep that under the sink trap/faucet connections in case of leaks. Good idea anyway, for holding cleaning supplies or whatver, since if those leak, they will eat right through the floor of the cabinet. Exposed particle board can suck moisture right out of the air, so always use the exhaust fan when showering and such.
-- aem sends...
It should definitely be protected, and would have been best done before you installed it. Particle board will crumble if it becomes wet, including at seams in coverings like formica. If you have a hard floor, then caulking around the base is also a good idea - there will invariably be spills on a bathroom floor, at some point, and p.b. will bulge first when wet and then start crumbling because the binder dissolves. If there are joints at the bottom inside of the cabinet, caulking there, also, would be a good idea. I would prime and paint it, but at least two coats of something should be applied.
"Jennifer" wrote
Much better would be to buy a piece of vinyl flooring ... they sell it in small rolls for just this purpose ... and line the bottom. I have my kitchen sink lined with that, and I have a basin under the pipes. Taking no chances. I've never bothered because I have stuff on top of the flooring material, but you might want to staple down the corners to keep it flat.
nancy
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