7 Useful Tips For Waterproofing Your Cabinets

Waterproofing Your Cabinets

Preventing water damage and protecting your cabinets is easier said than done. However, if you can get the right tips and tricks for waterproofing your cabinets, you can do a lot.

In this article, we have put together everything you need to know this topic. From how and where to look for the damages to how you can prevent the water damage, you will leave knowing every relevant information.

So, yes, we can assure you that you are not going to waste a second, nothing will beat the effectiveness of the ideas we shared here. Let’s dive in then!

Areas That Are the Most Important to Waterproof

There are a lot of unwanted water activities in your kitchen, right? For example, pipe leaks, steam vapors, spills, overflowing sinks, and so on. Here you will get some ideas which areas you will want to waterproof the most.

Under and Around the Sink

Look carefully surrounding the pipes if there are water stains or excessive moisture. If you find any holes, it’s easy to fill them with chalk. Also, look at the floor under the plumbing, do you see any soft spot or stain? If you do, you need to give immediate attention here.

In case you see the pipe crack under your sink, the cabinets under your sink are the first things that will get damaged.

Also, it’s important to look for the seals around your sink if there are cracks or any looseness, you may need to replace them. Basically, if there is any gap in the seals, chances are water will seep into the cabinets.

Pipes and

Check these areas carefully. If it’s needed to replace the plumbing beneath your sink, well, it’s even a pocket-friendly preventative step you can take for fending off water damage.

Wood Surfaces

If you need to refinish wood-surface areas, you don’t need to spend a fortune. You can easily detect and fix it. You may need to mark the place where the wood is holding the primer paint and then sand the surface.

Moreover, you will need to add a primer as well as a good paint coat, and then, seal it using a clear coat of varnish.

In case, you need to waterproof a wood cabinet, using Tung oil or linseed is a good idea. And, you can use varnish, polyurethane, or lacquer to seal it.

Backsplash

Thanks to backsplashes for protecting the wall between your kitchen’s upper cabinets and the kitchen counter-top from the splashes of water while you use a. Walls that are behind the backsplash may get mildew and mold in case, there is any crack in the caulking.

So, you should look carefully at the caulking under your sink as well as around your backsplash. If you find any crack there, it may need only a tube of caulk that costs only $5. You can simply fix the problem with it and seal the chances of experiencing any water damage that may cost more to repair.

Walls Along with Other Vulnerable Areas

If you use polyurethane products in this case that can provide a complete solution for the waterproofing case. Inspect the walls and other vertical surfaces then.

However, these were some common areas you should never miss when it’s waterproofing your cabinets. Well, that’s not all, there’s more to know and discuss. Let’s move!

How can You Determine if You Have a Leak?

Yes, there are some ways you can follow to determine if there is any leak that causes water damage.

In case you find any leak in your kitchen, it will cost you an excessive of 10% on your water bills. So, you should inspect and fix the leaks as soon as possible.

Areas You Should Look for Leaks

In case, you are susceptible to a leak, the EPA says to go through a 10-minute search in your kitchen. They recommend searching in these 4 places below:

7 Useful Tips for Waterproofing Your Cabinets

Now, let’s get to know 7 useful tips for waterproofing your cabinets. You will love the ideas.

1. Use Under Sink Mats

You may have heard the under-sink mat, people love to use it for a lot of reasons. Under-sink mats are pretty easy to install, require minimal effort but provide you the possible converge. If you can make sure that you’ve purchased a quality under-sink mat, it can hold more than one gallon of liquid.

If you compare different models, you can find a lot of special features in under-sink mats. For example, in case if you are within earshot, several mats come with a water sensor as well as an alarm, you will get an alert before any mold growth or other damages set in.

To sum up, here’s a shortlist of the features you will want to look for prior to purchasing under-sink mats:

2. Take Advantage of Vinyl Tiles

If you can take proper advantage of peel-and-stick vinyl tiles, you are going to waterproof your cabinets in a great way. Well, it may not be an official method, however, a lot of homeowners out there love this solid alternative.

When it comes to protect your cabinet from water splashes, vinyl can help greatly as it is an amazing waterproof material. In case, there are already any unused vinyl tiles around you, it’s okay to purpose them here.

But you will want to cut vinyl tiles to size for making sure that they fit perfectly. In contrast, water may get into exposed areas which you will never want.

Advantages and disadvantages of vinyl tiles are:

3. Spray-On Rubber Coating

You will find this wonderful product in any local store around you. You will love this versatile product because it can go anywhere, literally anywhere. You don’t need to go through any measurement, it’s pretty easy to apply them, as well as your cabinets will wear a new, smooth, and uniform look.

All you need to do is, press a button and spray the rubber coating onto your surfaces. You can easily cover the areas with this spray you may not think of spraying a plastic’s taped piece. If you can properly give it some good coats, you are just ready for moving on!

Features you should want while purchasing one are:

4. Caulk Everything

You can also use caulk or sealants to protect your cabinets from water splashes. Water or any liquid will enter into any space it gets regardless of how small the space is. For this, caulking will fill the holes as well as make sure that there’s no risk of damage.

Caulking can easily get into every tiny space as well as build a barrier for anything. Moreover, caulking is an amazing option to get into your cabinets’ joints.

And, when it’s selecting caulks, well, there you will find a variety of options to select from. Caulks are almost similar to the sealants, chaulks are thicker as well as more rigid.

You should go for these features below:

5. Replace the Leaked Pipes

Replacing the old pipes is an amazing preventative measure you can take while it’s waterproofing your cabinets. The most common reason why there are catastrophic spills around you is the presence of old pipes.

Although it depends on the material of your pipe types, rust may occur at the metal as well as build a space so that water can escape. And, if this is your situation, think the damage to your cabinets.

Going for PEX or copper pipes is a great idea if you want something that lasts long as well as offers great protection, although you need to spend a bit more in this case. However, the durability and long-life shelf are worth the pricing.

6. Use Waterproof Shelf Liners

Here’s another easy and useful way to waterproof your cabinets. Waterproof shelf liners work great when it comes to covering the bottoms of your cabinets or drawers. You can easily cut a waterproof shelf liner for having the desired size because they are perfectly made from some flexible materials.

If you own a cabinet that doesn’t require any heavy-duty mat, yet still show some water action, waterproof shelf liners are an especially good choice for you. Also, they are pretty easy to clean since they work great for keeping dust off. But hey, you need to be very careful while purchasing one. Because some of the shelf liners are not waterproof. So, it’s important to make sure that you buy the waterproof liners.

In case, you are willing to stick it to the cabinet, well, there are options. And, in case, you are planning to take it out as well as clean it occasionally, you should go for a non-adhesive one. Also, there are multiple options in front of you when it comes to choosing style and color. You can simply spruce up your look by changing it out.

Before you install this type of liner, you should carefully measure the depth and width of your cabinet. After that, you need to get a liner that is big enough for covering the surface properly. Use a ruler and scissors for cutting it to shape.

And, if you choose an adhesive one, you should carefully stick it to the bottom of the cabinet. On the other hand, if your one is a non-adhesive version, you need to do nothing but place it down, yes, you are done!

Look for the features below before you buy one:

7. Use Water Resistant Plywood

Last but not least, using water-resistant plywoods is a useful way for waterproofing your cabinets. It can greatly resist moisture as well as protect against several types of elements which make it a more durable option.

Water-resistant plywood is a material that perfectly works as both an indoor and outdoor material. So, if you are looking for a waterproof solution for your outdoor cabinets, here you go!

You will find different sized plywood and you can easily purchase it from any kind of -improvement store. You will also find a lot of varieties based on your needs. For the tighter spaces around you, choose fixable plywoods.

Purchasing plywoods that are readily water-resistant is obviously an option, however, there are ways for making it waterproof as well. You only need to spray on or paint on varnishes of polyurethane or latex that work amazing when it comes to preventing any water damage. And, when you are done applying several coats, you can cut the material to your desired size for your cabinet.

And, these things should get your attention:

Conclusion

Have you got the ultimate guide for waterproofing your cabinets? Hopefully, your answer is a big yes since we have come up with some effective ways to get the job done.

For making sure there is no fungal growth, it’s important to waterproof your cabinets. And, since you now know how to do this job perfectly, just go for it without a second thought.

Good Luck!