Waterproofing a pine base for a cupboard

[Dengue]

After many complaints from family about timber lying around inside and outside the house, I am finally making a cupboard to carry these timbers out of 70x35 structural pine, with a rectangular base of the same timber sitting on edge.

This cupboard will sit on the end of a tiled patio, which gets hosed down regularly, and the morning sun shines directly on it

Can anyone please suggest a suitable finish for the base, and for the cupboard? I don't want the base to rot over time.

Any suggestions on a better type of base would also be welcome.

[rwbuild]

Are you going to keep the natural timber look or paint it?

[ian]

alternate materials ...
12mm fibre cement sheeting would be nearly indestructible in the environment you describe.
Laminate 3 pieces together to make 36mm wide runners for the base to sit on.

I hope the cupboard will allow plenty of air circulation for the timber inside it.

[Dengue]

Hi ian, why do you need air circulation in the cupboard? I am new to this timber storage game. If I buy some timber from down south and it arrives wrapped in black plastic, I usually leave it wrapped and when I need a piece will take one board out of the pack and leave the rest in the original plastic wrapping. Wrong thing to do?

[Dengue]

hi rwbuild, I intend painting it with a solvent based paint, as that seems to last longer up here in the tropics, compared to water based paints

[rwbuild]

Get some fibre glass resin, coat the bottom 2 coats,light rub with coarse wet and dry to provide a key for the paint, paint then get some of those rubber door stops approx 30mm to 40mm dia x 30mm high for feet

[Arron]

Why wouldn't you just use treated pine for the base? What am I missing?

Arron

[Dengue]

Thanks Arron, is treated pine waterproof?

[Dengue]

Get some fibre glass resin, coat the bottom 2 coats,light rub with coarse wet and dry to provide a key for the paint, paint then get some of those rubber door stops approx 30mm to 40mm dia x 30mm high for feet

Thanks for this helpful suggestion, Ray. The cupboard, 2100 x 1800 x 400 will be too heavy for rubber feet, I think. Also would prefer a flat base between the floor and the cupboard base- don't want snakes or rats hiding under it - we are in the tropics now

[rwbuild]

Use 20 x 20aluminium tube as a load bearing base full length and width of box and intermediate ones as well. Treated pine is ok up to a point, depends what the treatment is.i know that it is mandatory in the tropics for anything on ground, etc.Personally, I dislike the stuff with but it does has its place in building

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I'd at least lift it off the floor with something waterproof, just so that you don't have the cabinet sitting in water for any period of time.

Even the best water-proofing isn't 100% effective 100% of the time.

Similarly, I would place vents for air-flow, just for the off-chance that some of the timber you store in it may actually be wetter than you think it is.

To me it's better to design things to eliminate possible problems than build in failure potential for some time in the future.

[soundman]

If you want a serious long term waterproof finihs on timber..... there is only one thing to consider .... marine epoxy ..... west system or boatcoat.

Standard fiberglass resin simply is not impervious or waterproof and it adheres to timber poorly.

If you build the base out of pine making all the joints with marine epoxy the coat the whole thing with epoxy two coats ... sand it then paint with some decent opaque paint .... it will last long term ...... that is how ya seal up boats.
the opaque paint is required because bare epoxy is not real flash with UV.

cheers

[Arron]

Thanks Arron, is treated pine waterproof?

Yep

H1 - Inside use - Protection from some insects, not termites.

H2 - Inside use - Protection from insect attack including termites.

H3 - Exterior above-ground use - Protection from moderate decay (periodic wetting) and termites.

H4 - Exterior in-ground use - Protection from severe decay and termites for landscaping applications.

H5 - Exterior in-ground use - Protection from very severe decay and termites for structural applications.

H6 - Marine use - Protection from prolonged immersion in seawater and most marine borers.

So yeah, the right grade will last forever in that application.

[ian]

Hi ian, why do you need air circulation in the cupboard? I am new to this timber storage game. If I buy some timber from down south and it arrives wrapped in black plastic, I usually leave it wrapped and when I need a piece will take one board out of the pack and leave the rest in the original plastic wrapping. Wrong thing to do?

A closed cupboard will likely become a micro-climate different to your shed. I've always tried to store my timber so that air can circulate around each board -- seems to have worked so far.

[Dengue]

Talking with a local builder on the weekend, he suggested either raising it up on blocks ( not feasible in this case, have run out of headroom) or putting some sacrificial timber under it. Spotted some Ekodeck at Bunnings this morning by chance, never heard of it before, looks the go. Total should be only $20. It is a composite material of bamboo, plastic and timber