

Whether we’re talking about solid wood, plywood, or fiberboard, you can protect wood-based materials from rot by sealing them.

Fungus can also make wood rot quicker.īut like with other biological materials, there are ways to slow or outright stop the natural decaying process. Wood’s decaying process can be expedited by excessive humidity and poor ventilation. This is because wood, like most other natural materials, decay over time. Doing so will turn standard-grade plywood into exterior plywood. If your plywood-based project is going to spend a lot of time outside, you should seal it. While submerging an untreated plywood sheet could make it warp, a sealed, marine grade plywood sheet could be used in the construction of boats, which are almost always submerged. Many of these sealants are particularly powerful, and when combined with the natural durability of plywood they can make plywood stronger than ever. However, plywood is more resistant to warping than other wood products because of its composite nature.īy sealing plywood, you can minimize, if not outright prevent, your plywood sheets from warping and being damaged.Ī strong waterproofing agent will add a protective layer, which causes water to simply roll off the plywood edges after making contact. Unfortunately, real wood is not the only kind of wood that warps under prolonged humidity plywood and other wood products, like fiberboard, also warp when it’s both humid and hot. If you’ve ever tried to open a natural wood door during a humid summer, it’s likely you’ll encounter some resistance, and expansion of the door (due to heat and humidity) is likely to be the reason why. Plywood does this, 2x4s do this, and wooden furniture does this as well! It is a simple fact of life that wood warps specifically, it expands because of temperature fluctuations and exposure to moisture. If you’re ready to waterproof your plywood, check out these best plywood primers! Why Should You Waterproof Plywood?īelow are a few reasons you should completely waterproof plywood. So in the end, plywood may be somewhat naturally water resistant, but it’s certainly not impenetrable by water.īut even though plywood is not naturally waterproof, there are many things you can do to strengthen plywood and make it more resistant to moisture! However, prolonged exposure to moisture can be quite harmful to plywood, causing it to warp and rot like any other piece of wood. Plywood can handle brief exposure to water, and more so than some other kinds of wood. However, you cannot leave plywood submerged in water for a prolonged period. Specifically, you could briefly spray a plywood sheet with a hose or dip it into some water and there won’t be any adverse effects. Plywood is not naturally waterproof, but it is somewhat water resistant. Still, it can get weakened over time, especially by moisture. Since plywood is made of durable layer after layer, it can hold a pretty sizable weight.
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Final Thoughts on How to Make Plywood Waterproof.
