Asked on Apr 06, 2018
How do we seal the base of our kitchen cabinets?
by
Wen33110911
+3
We bought a new construction home last year and the cabinets in the kitchen have wood doors but the sides are compressed wood product. We had an issue with the base cabinets needing to be shimmed and they said to not let any thing wet near the base (funny thing is we have waterproof wood floor) they even suggested not mopping near them. WTH?
I noticed that the base on the corners does have "expansion" of the "wood" : Is there any way we can seal the base against fluids? In my old apartment my father made the cabinets but he used plywood for the sides etc so this was never an issue.
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Pull out your purchase papers. Homebuilder is still on the hook for this. File a claim with the homebuilder. Then, find yourself a good construction defect attorney and have them and have them handle it for you.
Unfortunately, it sounds like the builder used the cheapest cabinet he could find. When I buy cabinets, I always specify all plywood construction. But it sounds like the builder knew of the problem when he put them in. If what Naomie suggested doesn't work, here's what I think I would do. I would take up the waterproof wood floor near that area. Then I would paint the problem part with flex seal and paint to onto the sub floor so that there is no chance of water getting to the particle board. Then I would put the floor back in and put up beadboard that matches the cabinets on the part that was just sealed. Good luck with your new home, I hope everything works out.
https://www.flexsealproducts.com/shop/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=paid&utm_term=all_flex_seal_exact&msclkid=bdc55668a5011c2900ac0caf5bad968f
Did the home come with those cabinets or did you choose them? A lot of builder grade and many lower cost cabinets have solid wood doors and face frames. The cases are either particle board or MDF. This is something that you should have dealt with before taking possession of the home. Builders have a punch list that the buyer go over to correct any faults or problems. Particle board and MDF will swell when it gets wet. The builder has to provide some kind of warranty. Get in touch with the builder about your concern. He should rectify this. If he doesn't do anything then do what Naomie suggests.
YOy May have to get the builder to rebuild your cabinets with a good grade of wood, such as plywood. If so, make sure the plywood is the right thickness (number of plies) they come in all qualities too.
You can seal by using a primer and then latex paint over that, but it's going to be difficult to get the edges of the boards. That area is critical.
The cabinet boxes are MDF and will hold up to normal floor cleaning, but not being in sitting water. There is no way to prevent the expansion of the boxes if water gets under the cabinets during floor cleaning. Caulk around the bottom of the cabinets with a silicone caulk and be mindful of liquid spills. Good luck.