Swollen Particleboard in Furniture
flac...@my-dejanews.com
Unfortunately, some of it's built like Sauder/Bush... There is one part of a
nice desk that is made of a veneer over particleboard. Wouldn't you guess,
it's become damp at some point and swollen more than I'd like to have to look
at. I'd like to fix that, and my thought is to clamp the area on both sides
with wood blocks that have been faced with, say, washcloths, and then moisten
the area again so that it becomes pliable, then wait say a week and remove
the clamps. Anyone have any successful experience with this sort of thing?
There's another drawer front that's warped away from the front of the drawer.
It looks natural and normal from the front, but I'm thinking of trying the
same sort of thing to true it up, probably with glue in the groove where the
bottom fits so that it will stay put.
--
Mark Hankins
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J Pagona
Particle board swells with moisture much more than solid wood does. There
isn't any easy fix that I know of if I understand your problem.
Good luck.
J. Pagona
Henry &/or Yvonne Douglas
Unfortunately, there is nothing that will shrink your particleboard back
to the original size. Damping and clamping will make it worse. I have
seen 5/8" particle board swell to over an inch because of moisture.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
Henry
flac...@my-dejanews.com
particleboard's slight spread back into place (using clamps and
a yardstick I broke into pieces to spread the force) without moisture.
Now I have particleboard that's the right size. This is actually the case.
However, the laminate, which is a really shiny plastic I guess
(kind of like the phony wood in a luxury car's dash and doors--or
a wood trim kit for a lower-end car) is pulled away from the particleboard
just a little bit. My next question is, what can I use in the way of a
reasonably penetrating adhesive that will get that laminate stuck down
again without clouding, hazing, or dissolving it, perhaps seal and secure
what I've done with the particleboard, and not swell it back up? Right now
I'm 90% there, and tempted to try for the other 10% even though there
is also an angel on my other shoulder saying quit while I'm ahead.
I've seen also on the newsgroups a suggestion that urethane or shellac be
used to stabilize exposed particleboard surfaces. Does anyone here have
experience doing that or suggestions which of the two to use? (obviously
not water-based versions of urethane).
In a related matter, I have acquired from a thrift store some really nice
Henredon from--I would suppose--the late '50s or early '60s. Believe it or
not, it has the same ovoid pulls as the Hurtado, and is complementary in
design. I'm using some Bix stripper to get its original yellowish-white paint
off. Not knowing my woods, I think this Hurtado is a reddish-walnut look, and
I have no idea what the Henredon is made of. My questions would be:
1. What are the probable types of wood used (no particleboard here, no
siree) and how to make a definitive determination to the extent such is
helpful in the refinishing process?
2. Methodology for choosing the correct stain to achieve harmony with the
furniture I already have (the mistake I *always* see and hear about is
getting it darker than intended).
3. What to use on top of the stain. I'll be wanting a high-gloss finish to
complement what I already have.
I bought Black & Decker's refinishing book, so I'm not too far behind the
curve, but would I be right to use any old walnut stain and a lacquer finish?
I've also got a small Wagner Power Painter I've never used, given to me by
someone who said it's vibration was tough on his wrists. Will that thing do
me much good here?
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