How to waterproof MDF

[sk]

Hi folks

I am starting on my wood work adventures. Sofar a baby cot, a voice over booth to my credit- not very good but functional. They are over their useful period anyway.

Now I want to reuse the MDF voiceover booth, which is a 2mtr x 1.2mtr x 1mtr box as a garden storage box.

I understand that MDF sponges water and swells like there is no tomorrow.

I don\\\'t mind covering it in some roofing material or some sort of thing.

Can someone give me some guidance on how to make this MDF box weather and rain proof to be left in the garden!

If that is possible.

One idea is to put glue on the surfaces and glue a transparent polythene sheet. May look pretty ugly.

Please help.

Ta
sree

 

[big-all]

afraid its pretty much a non started

you wont have any luck in the unlikly event you do get it completly water tight the smallest break in the surface it will quickly swell and the structural strength is then gone

 

[Diyisfun]

yup...Big all...has said it all...

 

[Thermo]

youd be better off keeping it inside and reusing it for a storage box for the babys toys rather than putting it outside!

 

[sk]

Thanks guys. I suppose I will make/buy a box to store stuff from the garden.

By the way, not too far in the future, I am planning to make a garden house. I am thinking of using 50mm/50mm timber to make a skeleton and use some sheet material to skin it.

Interior of this garden house I suppose could be either plaster board or MDF. But what can I use for the skin outside! Plaster board again !

Ta
sree

 

[WoodYouLike]

Interior of this garden house I suppose could be either plaster board or MDF. But what can I use for the skin outside! Plaster board again !

Weatherboards to make it the feature of your garden

 

[Scrit]

Interior of this garden house I suppose could be either plaster board or MDF. But what can I use for the skin outside! Plaster board again !

In an unheated building plasterboard, MDF and softboard will all eventually soak-up moisture from the air and bow unless you seal them. A better solution might be thin plywood, or at least moisture-resistant MDF (the green stuff). Exterior cladding? Waney lap, tapered laps, fancy T & G or even plywood (again). Make sure that any plywood you use is "WBP" (water & boil proof = exterior grade)

Scrit