I had some MDF pieces left over from making a counter top and I gave it a coat of shellac to seal the surface & protect it from Alabama humidity. A few weeks later, there are big patches of mold on the surface. Should I be worried? I sprayed the interior of all my cabinets with shellac. I know it’s easy enough to remove, but do I need to put poly on the interior of the cabs?
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Replies
1. A single coat of shellac, or even a couple of layers, on a surface as porous as MDF wouldn't give a lot of protection against moisture penetrating into the fibers.
2. Even if the inside of the cabinets need to be given another type of finish, the shellac doesn't need to be removed, in fact it is a good primer under other finishes.
3. If you don't actually see a problem with mold on the inside of the finished cabinets, you don't need to do anything except keep an eye on them.
Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998 to 2007
Thanks John, I'll just keep an eye on them.
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