Sealing kitchen MDF kickboard edge

[geojay]

As part of fitting a semi-integrated dishwasher I’ve had to reduce the height of the kickboard to allow the dishwasher door panel to clear it. This means that the MDF kickboard now has an exposed upper edge which any water falling from the counter will soak into. Can anyone suggest the best way of sealing the edge of this MDF panel against water? It’s not easily visible so I’m not worried about matching paint colours with the grey front.

 

[JobAndKnock]

Clear or white silicone should doyhe job

 

[geojay]

I'm not familiar with using silicone to seal a face, I'm used to using it on an internal edge between two faces. I was assuming I would paint on varnish or something similar...

 

[JobAndKnock]

When you are fitting kitchens you don't normally carry paints or lacquers in my experience. What you do carry is silicone sealant, especially white and clear, and they do adhere well to cut chipboard surfaces. I've always made a point of sealing worktop cut outs and exposed end cuts, back edges of sink cabinets, cut edges in sink cabinets, cut edges on plinth strips, etc which can't be seen, with silicone. Cheap as chips and very effective. Wear a disposable glove, squirt a few blobs on the edge and smooth out with your hand. You can use paint or lacquer, but they should be oil-based, not water based (which can promote swelling). Needs a couple of coats and you will need to mask (another reason to use silicone)

If the edge is visible I'd normally edge band it for neatness.

 

[foxhole]

Surprised you need a cut out , door should not foul on plinth.

 

[johnny2007]

Edge strip.

 

[JobAndKnock]

Surprised you need a cut out , door should not foul on plinth.

With bottom hinged doors on stuff like dish washers it's quite common. If it is going to be visible I route out the notch (so radiused ends) and edge band it with iron on edging (hot air gun and polished screwdriver blade to deal with the radiused bits). You can only use edge banding if the cut out is very neat

 

[Lower]

I'd be inclined to primer and paint it to match the rest of the kickboard with gloss or eggshell.

It might get the odd drip on, but its not like it going to get regularly wet like round the edge of a sink.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I'd make sure I had a bit of spare plinth stored somewhere.

 

[foxhole]

With bottom hinged doors on stuff like dish washers it's quite common. If it is going to be visible I route out the notch (so radiused ends) and edge band it with iron on edging (hot air gun and polished screwdriver blade to deal with the radiused bits). You can only use edge banding if the cut out is very neat

Not seen it since the 80’s.

 

[JobAndKnock]

They do still exist. Last time I installed a dish washer where the door needed a cut out was about 3 years back

 

[opps]

Where I am working in Barnes. The kitchen was fitted 18 months ago. The plinth has a cut out. I have never (knowingly) seen an integrated dishwasher that didn't have a cut out.

 

[geojay]

Surprised you need a cut out , door should not foul on plinth.

Likewise, it feels an unnecessary extra job but given that the cabinets are of a height which leave a gap slightly smaller than the plinth height below them, I'd have had to break the integrity of the plinth anyway by taking a few mm off the top. For context I'm fitting the dishwasher in an existing kitchen where original free-standing dishwasher was incorporated but with an extra panel bought for when the dishwasher finally needed replacing. It's a Bosch and the instructions do indicate that a cut-out is required...

 

[geojay]

When you are fitting kitchens you don't normally carry paints or lacquers in my experience. What you do carry is silicone sealant, especially white and clear, and they do adhere well to cut chipboard surfaces. I've always made a point of sealing worktop cut outs and exposed end cuts, back edges of sink cabinets, cut edges in sink cabinets, cut edges on plinth strips, etc which can't be seen, with silicone. Cheap as chips and very effective. Wear a disposable glove, squirt a few blobs on the edge and smooth out with your hand. You can use paint or lacquer, but they should be oil-based, not water based (which can promote swelling). Needs a couple of coats and you will need to mask (another reason to use silicone)

If the edge is visible I'd normally edge band it for neatness.

I'm the other way around and have no sealant but we do have some oil-based varnish so will use that. None of the exposed edges are visible so it'll be fine.

Thanks!

 

[geojay]

I'd make sure I had a bit of spare plinth stored somewhere.

Absolutely, there are a good few spare pieces on top of the cabinets gathering dust!