MDF and humidity (1 Viewer)

[PaulDF]

Not sure where to post this so I'll try it here...

I'm just wondering what would happen to bare MDF cabinets if exposed to higher than average humidity?

Is it possible for bare MDF to swell in higher humidities?? If so, what about vented cabinets that are bare on the inside?

 

[ThomasW]

Yeap it absorbs moisture like a sponge.

There is little actual inside to outside the box air exchange through a port.

If this is an anticipated problem, seal the inside with a coat of poly, lacquer, etc

 

[Darren_T]

Want to try a fun experiment? Place a small chunk of MDF in a puddle of water and watch it turn into a wet pile of dust

Same thing happens with particle board...you know, the stuff they build kitchen cabints out of these days for most non custom homes. One leak under the sink and you have to replace or repair the cabinets.

 

[PaulDF]

Ok so the lesson here is to avoid leaving naked MDF cabs anywhere there might be higher than normal humidity... I'd never really given it much thought, or seen a post about it here before. And I know there are people out there with naked cabinets!

 

[Bryan Michael]

i have a set of speakers at my work with is a pool and the cabs are just fine the screws are rusting but the speakers are just fine.

 

[PaulDF]

Bryan, let me clarify this... You work at a pool and have bare MDF speakers there? Or are you referring to the inside of the cab?

Are they DIY speakers or the commercial chipboard type?

 

[Bryan Michael]

i work at a pool and it is in door with high humidy and it is a set of polk audio r10

 

[Darren_T]

Yeah, the humidity probably won't do much to the MDF unless it's extreme but I bet it has absorbed some of it at the pool. You might not see it and the joints might be sound currenlty but they will fail eventually. More important are humidity CHANGES... so variations from summer to winter. This will cause the joints to fail more so than a constant higher humidity which may never cause any significant problem. They may be fine but I wouldn't bet on it. I'd seal them.