ᐅ KALLAX swelled due to water splashes while watering – any advice?
Created on: 21 Jul 2017 18:34
M
Maxgi
Hello everyone,
I recently noticed that one corner of my IKEA KALLAX shelf is swelling. Apparently, some splashed water from watering my plants got onto it, which I hadn’t noticed before. The surface and especially the edges have become noticeably thicker and slightly wavy, indicating moisture penetration.
Since I want to keep using the shelf for a while, I’m wondering if there are any tips or proven methods to restore or at least stabilize the swollen wood or particleboard in the KALLAX. What home remedies or products might help dry the material and reduce the swelling?
I look forward to your experiences and advice, as I’d like to avoid having to throw away the entire shelf.
Thanks in advance!
I recently noticed that one corner of my IKEA KALLAX shelf is swelling. Apparently, some splashed water from watering my plants got onto it, which I hadn’t noticed before. The surface and especially the edges have become noticeably thicker and slightly wavy, indicating moisture penetration.
Since I want to keep using the shelf for a while, I’m wondering if there are any tips or proven methods to restore or at least stabilize the swollen wood or particleboard in the KALLAX. What home remedies or products might help dry the material and reduce the swelling?
I look forward to your experiences and advice, as I’d like to avoid having to throw away the entire shelf.
Thanks in advance!
Hello Maxgi,
I think you’ve described the problem very clearly, which makes it easy to help without many questions. 🙂
I’ve had a similar case before – here’s what I did: let the surface dry thoroughly, then gently rubbed in a small amount of wood glue with a sponge to fix small splinters. After it dried, I applied a wood varnish on top, which gradually improved the appearance of the furniture and stopped the swelling.
Maybe this helps as a supplement to the other tips!
Good luck!
I think you’ve described the problem very clearly, which makes it easy to help without many questions. 🙂
I’ve had a similar case before – here’s what I did: let the surface dry thoroughly, then gently rubbed in a small amount of wood glue with a sponge to fix small splinters. After it dried, I applied a wood varnish on top, which gradually improved the appearance of the furniture and stopped the swelling.
Maybe this helps as a supplement to the other tips!
Good luck!
J
Johnathon23 Jul 2017 09:26FABIAN_DEO schrieb:
If possible, I would also suggest using a very fine blade or a sharp knife to carefully remove any loose or swollen surface parts before sanding.That’s a good tip! Additionally, I want to emphasize being very cautious to avoid removing too much of the melamine coating, as it can be quite delicate on these types of furniture.
Another important point is to avoid direct sunlight during the drying process to prevent cracking.
In general, the sooner the shelf is treated after moisture exposure, the better the chances of saving it.
I’ll keep you updated if there are any new developments from the original poster.
Johnathon schrieb:
In general, the sooner you treat the shelf after moisture exposure, the better the chances of saving it.Thanks to everyone for the many helpful tips!
I have now placed the shelf in a warm spot with airflow and am starting to gently work with fine sandpaper. I will also get back to the advice from pinpa about using wood glue – that sounds like a smart idea to hold the material together.
I’ll update once I see progress or if any questions come up.
Thanks again for the support here!
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