what can i put on plywood to make it waterproof
Plywood is an cheap wood alternative – especially if you need pieces of a larger width. And if you're putting your plywood outdoors, it'due south also really piece of cake to waterproof!
Plywood can be waterproofed with paint, polyurethane, or epoxy finish. Lightly sand the plywood with 180 grit sandpaper, make clean off any sawdust, and use the finish with a brush or past pouring the finish on if using epoxy.
That's a full general overview, but lets look a little bit deeper into the specifics of each method.
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Method 1: Waterproofing Plywood With Paint
Painting plywood is a quick and easy way to waterproof it. If your plywood will be going outdoors, exterior latex paint is the better choice, while indoor projects are well-suited to interior latex paint.
Both paints will properly waterproof the plywood, then that shouldn't be a consideration.
I'll fully admit to grabbing some pigment and slopping information technology on in order to go something waterproofed quickly (my little viii ft trailer comes to mind. It's currently covered in snow, and skilful news, that paint is doing a smashing job.)
But if this plywood projection is your pride and joy, you might want to take a bit more care, which will prolong the life of both your project and the pigment job.
There are two actress steps to consider: priming the plywood, and adding a topcoat.
A strong bonding primer (Zinsser'due south Oil-Based Primer is my favorite) does a great chore of bonding the paint to the plywood and so that it doesn't end upwardly peeling off after.
And (drumroll please,) if yous use the bonding primer, yous don't have to sand before y'all pigment, because bonding primer is but that awesome. The whole purpose of sanding is to scratch the plywood upwardly and so that the paint has something to adhere to. The bonding primer makes that unnecessary.
A topcoat is another possibility if you're really concerned about your plywood. Outside paint alone really is enough to waterproof information technology, but if you lot want some actress protection in instance that paint fails, calculation a topcoat is the fashion to go.
The all-time topcoat for latex paint is water-based polyurethane, because it's clear and doesn't yellowish over time. I like Varathane'due south water-based poly.
Method two: Waterproofing Plywood With Polyurethane
If you'd prefer your plywood retain a wood look, waterproofing with polyurethane is the way to get.
Interior projects actually have a ton of choices – pretty much every modernistic wood finish on the market will do a decent task of waterproofing plywood for the occasional splash. Take a await at this mail service which is all about choosing a forest finish if that's the type of project you're working with.
Alternatively, if you're non into reading a 3000+ discussion assay, [thrive_2step id='7781′]this costless flowchart[/thrive_2step] walks you through the decision making process in under a minute.
Outside projects take a lot more abuse from weather, then if your plywood will be going outside, oil-based polyurethane is the way to get.
I'd look for polyurethane that is specifically recommended for outside use. This Spar Urethane from Varathane is oil-based, and rated for exterior projects.
I'd stay away from water-based polyurethanes, fifty-fifty if they annunciate that they're for outside use.
Water-based polyurethanes are notedly less durable and protective than oil-based polyurethanes, and while that's fine for almost indoor projects, it's not something I'd use as the sole protection on an outdoor project.
(Note that I do recommend water-based poly on top of exterior latex pigment, but in that case it'southward basically a bonus protection.)
Method three: Waterproofing Plywood With Epoxy
Epoxy resin is a actually thick, ultra-waterproof finish – it'southward even used on boats, so you know information technology'south solid.
It's also clear, so it'due south another choice if you're looking for a natural wood expect.
Simply considering epoxy is so thick, it needs to be poured on, making it a difficult stop to apply to non-flat surfaces. And it'southward a chip more complicated than a normal finish; most epoxy resins come in ii parts, and you take to mix together a specific ratio before applying the epoxy.
If y'all're considering an epoxy finish, I recommend using TotalBoat five:1 Epoxy. I likewise recommend trying out the production a few times before using it on your big projection. Epoxy takes a bit of practice, and you wouldn't want the first time you lot tried it to be on your final projection!
Method four: Waterproofing Plywood With Plastic Sheeting
Are you actually here to figure out how to waterproof plywood underlayment that will go downward on your floor? If that's the instance, none of the painting/finishing methods are a groovy idea – instead, you want to lay plastic sheeting to divide the plywood from any condensation that may form.
I did this last summer when laying flooring in the basement. I was laying on concrete, and so I required a 2 mil plastic bulwark. I bought this stuff, and it wasn't hard at all to lay down – I placed information technology on the floor, and so taped the seams together with duct tape.
While I waterproof plywood for woodworking projects on a regular basis, I've laid plastic sheeting downwards for floors all of in one case, so you should definitely read the instructions of your flooring to effigy out exactly what you demand to lay down equally the subfloor before you start.
Non-Recommended Waterproofing Methods
There are a couple of other plywood waterproofing methods that I wanted to chat almost for a few minutes, because I actually, seriously don't recommend them.
First off: penetrating oils. Pure oils are thrown around a bunch every bit a "non-toxic" finishing method. Which sounds prissy, merely pure oils don't add much protection in comparing to the modern day polyurethanes that are now on the market place.
I recommend pure oils pretty much only if you're making a cutting board.
You'll likewise come across things on the market place similar "Walnut Oil Finish" and "Tung Oil Finish." These aren't actually oils; they're thin varnishes (polyurethanes) with a little scrap of oil added.
While they can really exist bully for indoor projects, I don't recommend them for outdoor projects, mostly because they're too thin. In order to go enough coats of protection, you'd need 5+ coats, which is just annoying when thicker polyurethane is available too.
How to Waterproof Plywood
Step i: Make full Any Holes
The least expensive plywoods often have knot holes that should be filled prior to waterproofing. Otherwise, the change in height is an opportunity for water to get into the plywood.
To make full the knot holes, printing wood filler into the pigsty, slightly overfilling the hole, because wood filler tends to shrink as it dries.
Once the wood filler is dry (at least 20 minutes, but maybe an 60 minutes if information technology's a large hole,) sand the woods filler downwardly to match the surrounding plywood.
Pace 2: Sand the Plywood
Sand the plywood with 180 dust sandpaper. Be extra conscientious around the edges; it'south really easy to sand through the tiptop veneer layer, which doesn't look great.
If you have a variable speed orbital sander, this is the time to utilize it on a lower speed to help avoid sanding through the top layer. If your orbital sander isn't variable speed, that's okay, just printing lightly and go along moving. I don't have a variable speed orbital sander, and I've never had an issue.
If y'all don't have an orbital sander at all, hand sanding works too. But if your project is large, maybe consider getting a sander? My orbital sander is my shop VIP, and I don't know what I would practice without information technology.
Cheapo sanders first around $15 at Harbor Freight if you lot don't actually think you'll sand that often.
And if you think you'll use a sander a lot, I recommend this Dewalt sander, which is the cordless version of the ane I own (and while I adore my sander, boy, exercise I wish it was cordless.) You tin can read all about my reasoning in this post.
One time you've sanded the plywood, wipe it down with a clammy cloth to remove any excess sawdust. Yous don't want sawdust to become stuck in your stop!
Finally, remember that if you're painting your plywood, y'all tin skip the sanding stride altogether if you're using a bonding primer.
Stride iii: Prime or Stain the Plywood
If you're planning to stain or prime the plywood before waterproofing, now is the time to do it.
I accept a whole post on staining plywood, but the general gist is dip a rag into some stain, and spread the stain onto the plywood in the direction of the grain. I similar this method better than the foam castor method, since I feel I have more command over how much stain actually gets on the plywood.
Whatever method you lot choose, make sure to wipe off any excess stain within a few minutes of applying it to the piece. Woods stain doesn't dry, and just becomes a gummy mess if not wiped abroad.
Just to exist extra clear: priming is a step you tin can exercise if yous're painting the piece. Information technology's not something you'd do under any other finish. Staining is a step you'd do nether a clear stop to change the colour of the wood, merely is unnecessary under painting.
Step 4: Apply the Waterproofing Stop
Use the waterproofing finish of your choice: paint, polyurethane, or epoxy.
Paint and polyurethane tin can both exist applied with a paintbrush or a roller. Epoxy resin is typically poured onto the plywood.
Polyurethane will have brush strokes or roller marks, but because it is then thick. To eliminate these, I sand these away after the concluding glaze, so thin the polyurethane with mineral spirits so that I can wipe on on final, sparse coat.
This glaze won't have brushstrokes considering it's wiped on with a rag, and it'll dry out speedily so dust and dirt won't take fourth dimension to get stuck in the finish.
Step 5: Let Dry out and Recoat
Dry out times vary between products. Paint commonly can exist recoated in about two hours, while oil-based polyurethane requires a full 24 hours betwixt coats.
You'll need at least two coats of both paint and polyurethane.
Epoxy resin dry out times vary based on the hardener used. Regardless, you'll probably merely need one coat of finish.
Waterproofing Plywood Edges
I wanted to accept a moment to clear up any questions yous might have about waterproofing the edges of plywood, since they're the most vulnerable role of the plywood.
Plywood edges waterproof the verbal same way every bit the residue of the slice. As long every bit you've applied the paint, polyurethane, or epoxy to the edges, they should be waterproofed as well.
If you don't want to see the pattern of the edges, whether the texture through paint, or through a clear finish, consider applying border banding to the plywood.
Border banding is a thin veneer that's practical to the plywood with an iron. It might not exist worth the time in a quick lawn project, but it's something you might want to do on fancier indoor projects.
Source: https://abutterflyhouse.com/waterproof-plywood/
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