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How to seal chipboard shelves?

Hi, I have cupboard shelves in my bedrooms that are old, unsealed chipboard from the 80s. It's not too rough, but small wood flakes come off so I need to do something with them before I can store linen and clothing on them.

I'm wondering if it's possible to just seal them, but not then paint over them? I don't mind the look of them and I just want to take the easiest path so that they don't flake wood. If there's a product that can just be brushed on to seal the board without having to sand anything first, that would be perfect!

TIA 🙂

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EricL

Hello @kayara

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about covering your shelves.

The easiest way to cover the shelves is to use Boyle's Self Adhesive Film. It's waterproof and can be used for shelf or drawer lining. My best tip is to make sure that the surface of your shelf is very clean before applying the film.

I also suggest using Self Stick Vinyl Floor Tile. They are easy to install, simply remove the paper backing and stick directly on the shelf surface. However, I suggest that you measure the area you'll be covering so that you can trim the vinyl and get a perfect fit.

Unfortunately, any sealer that needs to be painted on will require the surface to be sanded. I'm sorry, but there is no way around that particular step. Failing to prepare the surface means that the paint will not have a good surface to latch on to.

If you have any, other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

kayara

Thanks Eric!

In that case I have a follow-up question - do you have any advice about sanding shelves that are indoors? The reason I wanted to avoid sanding is that the shelves are all indoors and on carpet, so I wanted to avoid creating lots of mess. If there's a low-mess approach to sanding I could take, then I might go that route (as I already tried Boyle's self-adhesive and unfortunately it was much too thin and tricky to work with).

Cheers.

EricL

Hello @kayara

One way to reduce the impact of sanding dust in the area is to cover the floor with Drop Sheets and using masking tape to fix them to the wall. I also recommend using drop sheets to isolate the pantry area and create a temporary barrier while you are sanding inside. This will prevent the dust from travelling into the other rooms.

I highly recommend wearing a disposable coverall, gloves, Craftright Safety Goggles and Bear Disposable P2 Respirator Dust Mask With Valve when sanding in an enclosed space.

Once you've sanded the shelves, I recommend using a vacuum cleaner to clean out all the dust in the room. Carefully remove the drop sheets without spilling the sanding dust. Wipe the entire area from floor to ceiling with a damp clean rag to remove any residual dust.

Once the shelves are dry, I propose using Dulux 1L PRECISION Sealer Binder White on the surface and around the shelves. For your topcoat, I suggest having a look at Dulux 4L Interior Paint Wash&Wear +PLUS Kitchen & Bathroom Low Sheen Vivid White.

However, if you are after a clear sealer, I suggest looking at Cabot's 1L Satin Clear Benchtop Timber Finish. I recommend a minimum of three coats so that it will have a tough surface.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

kayara

Hi Eric

Great instructions and product knowledge, thank you! I'm going to go with this method.

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