best material for boxing in pipes in downstairs loo?

It happens that snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk formulated :

Probably marine ply, as this does not suffer from moisture.

That would I think be the worst thing to use.

Mdf and oil based paint. Mdf and tiles better still if your aim's not too accurate

It shouldn't matter how waterproof it is. How will it ever get wet? And if its painted, the surface isn't MDF anymore, it's paint. If the paint is resistant to the steam & moisture in a bathroom thats all that matters.

The Medway Handyman brought next idea :

Where there are pipes, there will be moisture - even if it is only condensation on the pipes.

The paint might be resistant, but that does not mean it will be completely water proof.

|It happens that snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk formulated : |> Can anyone recommend the best sheet material for boxing in pipes in a |> downstairs loo? Plywood? Hardboard? Chipboard? MDF? | |Probably marine ply, as this does not suffer from moisture. | Agreed |>

|> I plan to paint the box to match the wall. I think MDF would paint up |> best, not sure how waterproof it is though. Maybe if I prime it |> including the edges it would work? | |That would I think be the worst thing to use.

Agreed

So does that mean you shouldn't use plaster on the walls in a WC?

MDF will be fine, and nice to work with.

Nigel Molesworth has brought this to us :

Plaster will not immiediatly suffer from a small amount of water and it can usually dry out without damage.

At least until it gets some damp in it, then it will just crumble :-)

Hi,

I posted about something similar a little while ago:

I'd expect moisture resistant MDF is only available in thinner sheets from a large timber merchant, so thin WBP ply may be more easily obtainable, especially in small sheets.

Whether using moisture resistant MDF or WBP ply, if you paint the edges and back as well as the front it will make it a lot more waterproof.

cheers, Pete.

The entire point is not to let any damp get to it. Seal it, paint it, tile it, whatever. Easy enough to do.

|Harry Bloomfield wrote: | |> At least until it gets some damp in it, then it will just crumble :-) | |The entire point is not to let any damp get to it. Seal it, paint it, tile |it, whatever. Easy enough to do.

Ever the optimist, aren't you.

In the downstairs loo? Depends whether the OP has any young sons, doesn't it!

(Reminds me of an Xmas party I was at... I was chatting to the hostess when another guest wandered over and asked her if she had a downstairs loo. "No, sorry - it's upstairs on the right" Catching my quizzical expression, as the bloke left, she muttered out of the corner of her mouth - "Well, the kids use the downstairs one")

David

Well I replaced the crap builder boxing in my house with 18mm MDF boxing 6 years ago in all toilets and bathrooms. Primed (all sides) and painted with kitchens and bathroom paint to match rest of room. Had no issues, joints opening, cracks etc due to kids missing the loo, wife flooding the boxing whilst wiping up yellow stains and even leaking loo overflow (crap in valve meant valve didn't close) causing water to drip and puddle on boxing and even flow underneath and appear in kids bedroom cupboard. Just make sure you seal all surfaces with primer/sealer so that if there is an excessive unexpected leak its not a problem.....

I must be odd - I like my exposed pipes - however, they are neat and only in our downstairs toilet.