How do I get rid of new shelves MDF Stink?

[JD2012]

I got some cheap Rhino Shelves to put books on in my bedroom.

The MDF shelves on them stink! lol

How can I get rid of the smell? Someone told me something about vinegar.

Thanks

 

[Wayners]

They just need airing. Vinegar won't penitrate IMO.
You could prime the MDF to seal in..

Could try cutting onion up and leaving in room. I used to tell customers to do that with paint smell

 

[blup]

Return them, cheap mdf emits higher levels of formaldehyde for longer a period.

Blup

 

[blup]

Or paint them

Blup

 

[Mottie]

Move.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Seal them. Whilst European-manufactured MDF does not contsin formaldehyde, it is bonded together using resins which have a distinctive odour, and they can smell for months if not sealed-in with lacquer, paint, etc

 

[JD2012]

Could I prime it with this and then paint it to get rid of the smell?
I have a question though it says its Water Based I thought you couldn't use Water Based on MDF?

Thanks

https://www.screwfix.com/p/leyland-trade-mdf-primer-750ml/222fg#product_additional_details_container

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Unless you like sanding I'd avoid water-based primers. I've used pre-catylised MDF undercoat, but that can be hard to find in small quantities, however Zinsser make a sealant called "B-I-N Multi Surface Primer" which our decos used on a job in Manchester with good results. Don't know if it is water based, however. Hopefully @opps will chime in with some advice as this is his field

 

[opps]

Unless you like sanding I'd avoid water-based primers. I've used pre-catylised MDF undercoat, but that can be hard to find in small quantities, however Zinsser make a sealant called "B-I-N Multi Surface Primer" which our decos used on a job in Manchester with good results. Don't know if it is water based, however. Hopefully @opps will chime in with some advice as this is his field

BIN is shellac based. It is the product that I too would probably recommend- if OP isn't overly fussy about the quality of finish, more on that later...

The solvent is alcohol. It smells when you apply it but the smell of alcohol flashes off after 30/60 minutes.

You are correct that it has the ability to block smells. When we had three dogs, they would occasionally have accidents that would suck up in to the MDF plinths on the kitchen units that I stoopidly made from scratch. The BIN blocked the smells immediately.

I suspect that my finished standards are higher than the OP's though. I do use waterbased primer on MDF that is in situ, but ,as you said, it requires a lot of sanding to get it flat. y

EDIT- having looked at Rhino Shelves the shelves are in a racking system. Shellac based (read BIN) should be fine. Lift the shelves out and coat each side, wait 30 mins drop it back in.

Clean brushes or mini rollers with household ammonia- about £2 for 500ml. The brush or roller will be perfectly clean after use. Ammonia is alkaline based.

Never use foam rollers to apply it. The alcohol will break down the foam and within minutes you will witness the foam roller extend in length by up to one hundred percent

 

[JD2012]

BIN is shellac based. It is the product that I too would probably recommend- if OP isn't overly fussy about the quality of finish, more on that later...

The solvent is alcohol. It smells when you apply it but the smell of alcohol flashes off after 30/60 minutes.

You are correct that it has the ability to block smells. When we had three dogs, they would occasionally have accidents that would suck up in to the MDF plinths on the kitchen units that I stoopidly made from scratch. The BIN blocked the smells immediately.

I suspect that my finished standards are higher than the OP's though. I do use waterbased primer on MDF that is in situ, but ,as you said, it requires a lot of sanding to get it flat. y

EDIT- having looked at Rhino Shelves the shelves are in a racking system. Shellac based (read BIN) should be fine. Lift the shelves out and coat each side, wait 30 mins drop it back in.

Clean brushes or mini rollers with household ammonia- about £2 for 500ml. The brush or roller will be perfectly clean after use. Ammonia is alkaline based.

Never use foam rollers to apply it. The alcohol will break down the foam and within minutes you will witness the foam roller extend in length by up to one hundred percent

Thanks for this. Where can I get it and is it expensive? I only need a small tin.

 

[opps]

The smallest tin is 500ml

Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer - Glenwood Decorating Supplies

Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer is the ultimate shellac-based primer, sealer and stain killer. Perfect for interior ceilings, walls, doors & more

glenwooddecoratingsupplies.co.uk

The prices seem to have jumped a lot since I purchased a can last year.

Much better value is a different (but identical) pigmented shellac paint- Blockade

Blockade - Pure Shellac For Ultimate Performance — Smith & Rodger - Paints & Shellacs since 1877

Blockade White Shellac Sealer Primer provides excellent adhesion to almost all interior surfaces such as previously coated and new wood, plaster, drywall, porous wallcoverings, metal and tile and requires minimal preparation before use.

www.smithandrodger.co.uk

Rather than paying £17 for 0.5L of BIN, you can get a 1L tin of Blockade for the same price.

As an aside, BIN is available in spray cans but I have always found that it clogs very quickly and can start to splatter.

 

[JD2012]

The smallest tin is 500ml

Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer - Glenwood Decorating Supplies

Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer is the ultimate shellac-based primer, sealer and stain killer. Perfect for interior ceilings, walls, doors & more

glenwooddecoratingsupplies.co.uk

The prices seem to have jumped a lot since I purchased a can last year.

Much better value is a different (but identical) pigmented shellac paint- Blockade

Blockade - Pure Shellac For Ultimate Performance — Smith & Rodger - Paints & Shellacs since 1877

Blockade White Shellac Sealer Primer provides excellent adhesion to almost all interior surfaces such as previously coated and new wood, plaster, drywall, porous wallcoverings, metal and tile and requires minimal preparation before use.

www.smithandrodger.co.uk

Rather than paying £17 for 0.5L of BIN, you can get a 1L tin of Blockade for the same price.

As an aside, BIN is available in spray cans but I have always found that it clogs very quickly and can start to splatter.

I think I might go for that one. The shelves themselves are quite smooth. I am not going to bother sanding them.
I take it after they are primed I can just use a gloss paint on them then? The reason I got the Rhino ones was because I need ones I could adjust the height. I have various reference books that are quite tall. Thanks

 

[opps]

I think I might go for that one. The shelves themselves are quite smooth. I am not going to bother sanding them.
I take it after they are primed I can just use a gloss paint on them then? The reason I got the Rhino ones was because I need ones I could adjust the height. I have various reference books that are quite tall. Thanks

To lock in the smells, you will need to paint all faces of the MDF though. Two coats will be sufficient as a finish coat if you are happy with an ivory/off white finish.

From memory- shellac paints completely cure in about 5 days, waterbased paints take about 10 days, oil based, you are looking at up to 6 weeks

If you buy your shellac based paint from a proper decorators' merchant, they will, at extra cost, tint it to a colour that you like.... but I guess that colour isn't that important.

If the colour isn't a big deal, then use a regular tin of Blockade. Two coats, nothing else needed. The finish coat is more durable than any water based finish than I can think of.

 

[JD2012]

The Blockade seems to have done the trick! Cheers!

 

[JD2012]

Got some splots of Blockade on the slabs under the dust sheet. Best way to remove them?