Minwax Wood Hardner

[johnsonic]

Saw a post on the "Any contractors on here thread" where Kaiserjeeps mentioned using minwax wood hardner to stiffen / waterproof the carboard door panels.

Have a question for anyone who's used it - do I need to worry about it bleeding all the way through the board to the vinyl? Wouldn't want to use it and find out a few years down the line it's reacting to the vinyl in some way, and don't want to test on my actual door panels. Anyway - if anyone has any insight, awesome!

[Kaiserjeeps]

I wanted to add what I know about using it. It is water thin. It cleans up with acetone so you can assume it will not be good to get on vinyl. I don't think you will have any issues using it. I apply it with a brush and the backer board drinks it up pretty fast. I typically put on several coats on both sides. For a door panel I would be happy with one quick pass on the back with a brush. Just that application would allow it to soak in and harden. I highly doubt it would penetrate all the way through the panel board. Unless you saturated it with multiple passes. It dries really fast and it stinks. The liquid will penetrate the board and be dry in less than 15 minutes. It dries so fast I bet it would never go all the way through with a one coat application. I would use a 2 inch brush and keep the container over your work while you spread it. Make sure to not flood it on which could allow it to get on the vinyl by running underneath. There should never be any bad reaction later on just by the nature of this product. It dries fast and clear like most any sealer.
And I want to add that I have not applied it to a existing door panel. I have only used it on new construction firewall pads. I am confident that the panel board I use is very similar to the panel board on door panels.
When I tackle making new door panels from scratch. I will be sealing with wood hardener first. But that would be before vinyl is glued on. Just be careful and I think you will be happy with the results.
Please post up what you think and if anyone else has used wood hardener please chime in.

[johnsonic]

Thanks Kaiser!

Will brush it super light.

[SOLSAKS]

i recently put my door panels back on my 1988 grand wagoneer.
they only had minimal water stains.

it had been garaged most of its life.

i re painted the wagoneer and put on new rubber window seals
( squeegees ),....window wipes, you know,.....

and i keep it garaged.

but in case i get into a rain storm
or for when i am washing it,....

i painted the cardboard backer of the panels
with automotive clear coat.

looks like it bonded well, and it has got to be better than nothing.

just letting you know what i did, just in case it helps.

dave in NC

[tgreese]

Good article on penetrating epoxies here - http://epoxyproducts.com/rot.html

I have used their Low V epoxy thinned with xylene to repair rotted wood. I expect any of these "wood hardener" products will be an epoxy thinned with a solvent. The more solvent you add, the longer the epoxy takes to set up, but the better it penetrates. I recall if you thin their epoxy about 30% with solvent, it hardens to a stiff rubber consistency.