Sealing MDF with Acrylic Varnish?

[Historiker]

Hello folks,

today I received my first order of MDF stuff ever.

While I do like that the pieces are very precisely cut (hence the manufacturer name: Sarissa Precision), I really can't stand the burnt MDF smell (which can't be that promoting to one's health) and the slightly glue-y feeling of the MDF material itself.

I also found the smell easily "rubs off" on your fingers / furniture.

Now to my question:

Would it be possible to effectively seal the MDF with the bottled Vallejo Satin / Matte Acrylic Varnish?

I would really try to "encase" the MDF so that it does not stink up the place anymore and so that I might feel okay when giving these pieces friends and family to handle.

Would really appreciate some replies from you fine folks!

Many thanks for your advice!

Historiker

[Historiker]

Tried out the Vallejo Brush On Acrylic Varnish. Doesn't work great here.

Any ideas?

[Svennn]

I have never done this with wargames pieces as I would always paint them, the base coat achieving your goal.

At work I have had to varnish mdf furniture but this was to achieve a gloss finish to match manufactured stuff. Lets just say 8-10 coats and many days drying time in between.

With the absorbency I think I would try diluted PVA

[emosbur]

Tips for building mdf kits here:




Milo.

[AndrewBeasley]

Having a fair bit of MDF around the house (bases, buildings and scenery) I would:

• Use a damp cloth and run around the edges of each part - NOT WET then wash the cloth separate from other things
• Let them dry and air for a day or two. I actually put them in Harry's room (i.e. under the stairs)
• Use a fine sandpaper to remove any burrs and burn marks on the edges
• Undercoat using car spray.  The best I've found is the Halfords grey primer and I just lightly coat the surface to smooth the wood and give a normal surface for painting.

I've not yet had any warping but I'm light on paint during the first spray and use normal model or craft acrylics on top of this.  I've even splattered wood filler on top with no flaking of the wood or paint.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

I can echo Andrew Beasley. I assemble most of the buildings before using Halfords (Halfords Group plc is a British retailer of car parts, car enhancement, tools, camping and touring equipment and bicycles - Wikipedia for non UK readers) spray grey primer for smooth stuff or Plastikote Rust effect for textured exteriors (followed by Halfords grey, white, black or red primer).

For simple buildings I mask the windows on the inside(and the roof(

Note, no frame detail yet. And spray with Plastikote Rust effect for texture (other texture spray us available).
I then glue the frame detail (grey board) and prime with grey inside and out (remember the base).

For buildings with doors - TWD:AOW for example, I assemble everything but the doors and details.

Mask the doors and windows plus the door mount tabs and follow the above steps.
Assemble the doors and add the details (note spray the moving doors before assembly).
Mask up again and prime.
Buildings with interiors  tend to have a white primer.
I do tend to use Citadel Corax White as a final primer when I am going to paint the walls.

[Historiker]

Many thanks for your many replies and the very helpful advice all around!

I have now had - not great but satisfactory - results with acrylic varnish and basecoating.

I guess MDF will be one of those materials, just like resin, with which I won't hobby.

This puts me very firmly in the metal, hard plastic and real wood and sand section of our hobby