UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink
cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the
laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking
pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live
in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning.
Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.

Marky P.
  #2   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,835
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

The unit will be wrecked - weakened beyond recovery. Has a container leaked?
does the u-bend leak when you empty the sink?
"Marky P" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink
cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the
laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking
pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live
in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning.
Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.

Marky P.



  #3   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:05:45 -0000, "John"
wrote:

The unit will be wrecked - weakened beyond recovery. Has a container leaked?
does the u-bend leak when you empty the sink?
"Marky P" wrote in message
.. .
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink
cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the
laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking
pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live
in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning.
Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.

Marky P.


There doesn't appear to be any water leaks on any visible pipes.
I'ved checked the sides of the unit and one side is bowing out
slightly and the wood feels damp under the laminate. All other
cupboards (even ones right next to it) are bone dry. Kitchen units
are quite old (imo) and the housing association are gradually going
round updating homes, so maybe this little problem will push me up the
list.

Marky P.
  #4   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
OG OG is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 563
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard


"Marky P" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink
cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the
laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking
pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live
in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning.
Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.


Is there a cut edge against a damp surface that is acting as a wick, drawing
moisture into the chipboard?



  #5   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,368
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

OG wrote:
"Marky P" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under
sink cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but
the laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any
leaking pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units
apart. I live in a housing association property so I'll contact
them in the morning. Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the
outside is dry.


Is there a cut edge against a damp surface that is acting as a wick,
drawing moisture into the chipboard?


Like the cold rising main on which water can condense?




  #6   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,319
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

Marky P wrote:
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink
cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the
laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking
pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live
in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning.
Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.


Very common to have a leak which soaks the chipboard core, but evaporates
from the melamine finish. Usually the damp chipboard smells. Could have
been a leak ages ago, the chipboard core takes yonks to dry out.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk


  #7   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 13
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

the chipboard core takes yonks to dry out.

How long is a yonk exactly?
  #8   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Rod Rod is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,892
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

Marky P wrote:
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink
cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the
laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking
pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live
in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning.
Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.

Marky P.


Is water making its way under the edge of the sink?

Once the core of the chip gets wets, it takes an awfully long time to
dry out.

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org
  #9   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 209
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On 11 Feb, 00:50, "SimonJ" wrote:
the chipboard core takes yonks to dry out.


How long is a yonk exactly?


Significantly longer than a mo.
  #10   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,560
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

Marky P wrote:
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink
cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the
laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking
pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live
in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning.
Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.

Marky P.


Another cause not yet mentioned is tiled worktops. Tiny grout cracks
can let in enough water to soak the chip.

Hopefully a good look round can tell you where its worst, thus where
its coming from. Drilling small holes in the chip underside (not right
through!) can help the core dry quicker, which hopefully would reduce
the damage as well. The latter should be avoided by the OP of course,
due to renting.


NT


  #11   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,668
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:20:44 -0800, 1501 wrote:

On 11 Feb, 00:50, "SimonJ" wrote:
the chipboard core takes yonks to dry out.


How long is a yonk exactly?


Significantly longer than a mo.


And twice as long as half a yonk.


  #12   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,668
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:05:45 +0000, John wrote:
does the u-bend leak when you empty the sink?


Could be. I had a prob here too where the pipework actually came loose
where it normally attaches to the underside of the sink drain.

Visually it looked fine, but once in a while it'd leak depending on how
the sink was being used (i.e. if filled with water and drained, it'd be
OK, but would sometimes leak if water was poured down the drain from a
pan, or if the spray tap was used)


  #14   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:57:44 -0600, Jules
wrote:

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:05:45 +0000, John wrote:
does the u-bend leak when you empty the sink?


Could be. I had a prob here too where the pipework actually came loose
where it normally attaches to the underside of the sink drain.

Visually it looked fine, but once in a while it'd leak depending on how
the sink was being used (i.e. if filled with water and drained, it'd be
OK, but would sometimes leak if water was poured down the drain from a
pan, or if the spray tap was used)

I have had that in the past, but it was very minor and I fixed it. I
did try pouring water down the sink and there are no leakages.

Marky P.
  #15   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:34:10 -0000, "OG"
wrote:


"Marky P" wrote in message
.. .
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink
cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the
laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking
pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live
in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning.
Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.


Is there a cut edge against a damp surface that is acting as a wick, drawing
moisture into the chipboard?


That could be possible. I think there's a possibility that the wall
is getting damp (maybe condensation) and the damp is getting drawn
into the chipboard through an unsealed edge. It appears to be slowly
drying out now, so maybe connected with the recent bad weather.
Anyway, a bloke will be round in the morning :-)

Marky P.


  #16   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:51:51 -0000, "Clot"
wrote:

OG wrote:
"Marky P" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under
sink cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but
the laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any
leaking pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units
apart. I live in a housing association property so I'll contact
them in the morning. Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the
outside is dry.


Is there a cut edge against a damp surface that is acting as a wick,
drawing moisture into the chipboard?


Like the cold rising main on which water can condense?

I hope so. That would be nice & easy to sort out.

Marky P.
  #18   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:14:14 +0000, Marky P
wrote:

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:43:40 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Marky P wrote:
Hi,

Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink
cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the
laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking
pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live
in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning.
Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.

Marky P.


Another cause not yet mentioned is tiled worktops. Tiny grout cracks
can let in enough water to soak the chip.

Hopefully a good look round can tell you where its worst, thus where
its coming from. Drilling small holes in the chip underside (not right
through!) can help the core dry quicker, which hopefully would reduce
the damage as well. The latter should be avoided by the OP of course,
due to renting.


NT


I don't really want to tamper with it too much, just in case they
blame me for the problem. If it's not my fault it will be fixed for
free. Well, I say free, that's really what I pay my rent for. Or at
least part of it.

Marky P.


Got some pics here :-)

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...kyP1/010-5.jpg

This is a close up of the centre shelf

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...kyP1/009-2.jpg

This one shows the lifting melamine caused by the damp

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...kyP1/007-3.jpg

And this last one is the side of the unit (to the right) showing
slight bowing.


Marky P.
  #19   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,668
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:06:44 +0000, Marky P wrote:

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:57:44 -0600, Jules
wrote:

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:05:45 +0000, John wrote:
does the u-bend leak when you empty the sink?


Could be. I had a prob here too where the pipework actually came loose
where it normally attaches to the underside of the sink drain.

Visually it looked fine, but once in a while it'd leak depending on how
the sink was being used (i.e. if filled with water and drained, it'd be
OK, but would sometimes leak if water was poured down the drain from a
pan, or if the spray tap was used)

I have had that in the past, but it was very minor and I fixed it. I
did try pouring water down the sink and there are no leakages.


That was the problem I had, though - it was like it'd leak only when my
back was turned ;-) In the end giving the pipework a good shove was what
showed the joint to be bad; no amount of observational testing by pouring
water down the drain had revealed the problem - I think water had to be
going down there at just the right angle for it to seep out.

  #20   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 348
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

Jules writes:

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:20:44 -0800, 1501 wrote:

On 11 Feb, 00:50, "SimonJ" wrote:
the chipboard core takes yonks to dry out.

How long is a yonk exactly?


Significantly longer than a mo.


And twice as long as half a yonk.


Lets be precise about this:

1 mo = 2 ticks
1 while = 1000 ticks
1 yonk = 1000 whiles

so a yonk is a megatick

--
Jón Fairbairn
http://www.chaos.org.uk/~jf/Stuff-I-dont-want.html (updated 2009-01-31)


  #21   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:21:51 -0600, Jules
wrote:

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:06:44 +0000, Marky P wrote:

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:57:44 -0600, Jules
wrote:

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:05:45 +0000, John wrote:
does the u-bend leak when you empty the sink?

Could be. I had a prob here too where the pipework actually came loose
where it normally attaches to the underside of the sink drain.

Visually it looked fine, but once in a while it'd leak depending on how
the sink was being used (i.e. if filled with water and drained, it'd be
OK, but would sometimes leak if water was poured down the drain from a
pan, or if the spray tap was used)

I have had that in the past, but it was very minor and I fixed it. I
did try pouring water down the sink and there are no leakages.


That was the problem I had, though - it was like it'd leak only when my
back was turned ;-) In the end giving the pipework a good shove was what
showed the joint to be bad; no amount of observational testing by pouring
water down the drain had revealed the problem - I think water had to be
going down there at just the right angle for it to seep out.


Well, bloke came round this morning and confirmed that there are no
leaks, even with a bit of violent shoving. So it looks like a severe
condensation problem. He decided the unit was pretty wrecked and has
put my name forward for a replacement. Probably be a few months, but
at least it's kind of free :-) Got my dehumidifier in there now to
help dry out the chipboard.

Marky P.
  #22   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 348
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

Huge writes:

On 2009-02-12, Jon Fairbairn wrote:
Jules writes:

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:20:44 -0800, 1501 wrote:

On 11 Feb, 00:50, "SimonJ" wrote:
the chipboard core takes yonks to dry out.

How long is a yonk exactly?

Significantly longer than a mo.

And twice as long as half a yonk.


Lets be precise about this:

1 mo = 2 ticks
1 while = 1000 ticks
1 yonk = 1000 whiles

so a yonk is a megatick


So where does a "jiffy" fit in?


Are we talking about latex here?

--
Jón Fairbairn
http://www.chaos.org.uk/~jf/Stuff-I-dont-want.html (updated 2009-01-31)
  #23   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,668
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

On Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:51:31 +0000, Jon Fairbairn wrote:
Lets be precise about this:

1 mo = 2 ticks
1 while = 1000 ticks
1 yonk = 1000 whiles


Urgh, that's way too metricified

I suspect you could also express time using the whistling noise a builder
makes when looking at a job and sucking air between their teeth, but I'm
not quite sure how you'd write that one down...




  #25   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,092
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Jon Fairbairn
saying something like:

So where does a "jiffy" fit in?


Are we talking about latex here?


Don't be iffy - cum in a Jiffy.

****Jiffy Condoms****


  #26   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,092
Default drenched chipboard shelves in under sink cupboard

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Owain
saying something like:

How long is a yonk exactly?


3 months 13 days
http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...k&defid=366597


Utter nonsense. Everbody knows a yonk is undefinable.
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
woodworm in chipboard Steve McGuire UK diy 7 March 3rd 20 12:13 PM
How can I best fit adjustable shelves in solid wall cupboard ? [email protected] UK diy 11 March 13th 06 11:22 PM
Chipboard flooring Pipesliced UK diy 11 February 19th 06 05:56 PM
Chipboard floor antgel UK diy 8 May 9th 05 08:09 PM
suspended shelves: what to use for wide shelves? Julian Bradfield UK diy 12 January 11th 05 04:33 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:50 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"