Hey everyone! I recently bought some cabinets made from MDF, and they have a really strong smell due to the formaldehyde. I'm looking for advice on the best way to seal or paint them to help reduce the odor. The cabinets don't need to look great since they'll be stored away, but I really want to eliminate that awful smell. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
I've come across a similar problem before. Here are a couple of things that worked for me:
1. Just let the MDF air out in a well-ventilated space for a few weeks; it usually off-gasses over time.
2. Applying shellac can work wonders to seal in that smell. I’ve used it myself, and it definitely helped. There are also some water-based polyurethane options that trap odors pretty well. One that I've had good luck with is Alcro, but I think it’s mainly available in Scandinavia.
Thanks for the tips! Did you end up doing both methods? I’m debating whether to store my MDF plates in a really ventilated shed or if that would just prolong things. I heard it could take a long time for the gasses to fully escape. Also, is just putting on shellac enough, or should I paint over it too?