Splitting Sideboard

[Knighton]

Evening

Last year we had a new kitchen fitted and all in all they did a good job

However, some of the bases of the sideboards are beginning to split, hopefully the photos show the issue.

The wood appears to be expanding in a v shape; I think its from capillary action when you mop the floor.

I need advice on what I can do to stop it getting any worse?

I thought about painting with pvc glue but appreciate that may not work or solve the problem.

ideally at the end I would like to paint them so you can’t see unless you look closely.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated

 

[Burnerman]

Alas, this is what happens when chipboard gets wet......which is why its best to put a fillet of silicone sealer between panels and floor.
You may get somewhere if you can scrape excess chipping out with a stanley knife, treat with pva glue and then trying to squeeze it back together with a G cramp.
Its maybe worth a try!
John

 

[Knighton]

If I leave it is it going to get worse and worse ??

 

[Burnerman]

It will, unless you can keep it completely dry......MDF panels are even worse.
John

 

[JohnD]

I don't know what you mean by sideboard. Is it plinth? (kickboard)?

Or is it decor panel, like you might use at the end of a run of cabinets, or to make a hutch for a washing machine? Stand back and take a wider pic. Put something in it to show scale.

Can you lift it up?

anyway, it wants cutting off or binning.

Plinth and decor panels (18mm or thereabouts laminated chipboard) can have a protective plastic edging slid on. But your swollen ones are irrepairable.

examples

 

[EddieM]

I don't know what you mean by sideboard. Is it plinth? (kickboard)?

Or is it decor panel, like you might use at the end of a run of cabinets, or to make a hutch for a washing machine? Stand back and take a wider pic. Put something in it to show scale.

Can you lift it up?

anyway, it wants cutting off or binning.

Plinth and decor panels (18mm or thereabouts laminated chipboard) can have a protective plastic edging slid on. But your swollen ones are irrepairable.

examples

It's an end panel I think.

 

[Burnerman]

I think you’re right......but we don’t know how much destruction would be involved to getting it out, or indeed the OP’s abilities or size of the piggy bank!
Looking at the middle pic there’s a fairly rough cut panel butting up to it.
John

 

[JohnD]

Needs to be spaced off the floor with feet or something impervious. Perhaps it could be styled to look like skirting or trim.

 

[JohnD]

pvc glue

If you mean PVA glue, it is water-soluble so completely useless if damp.

 

[Knighton]

Hi all

Thanks for all the help so far, apologies I’m very much a newbie so couldn’t find the right word but they are decor ends.

It’s a decor panel and it appears to be because it’s touching the floor?

We had the work done last January so I’m guessing it is out of any warranty; although to my mind does seem an obvious error.

It is happening on about 3 to 4 of the decor ends but not all

I will try and get a wider photo

If you paid someone to sort any ideas how much we’re looking if I bought the ends from Howdens

 

[Burnerman]

Give us a shot if you can, from further back so perhaps we can advise how the panel may be removed or modified.
John

 

[foxhole]

Looks like they were trimmed at the bottom rather that the top leaving unsealed base .You might be able to turn upside down so damage is out of sight under the worktop lip and install some of this .

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/2738040701...eJIJkW_mOmHaiWhZZF5pf-RbTYLgT9kgaAhOfEALw_wcB

or replace .

 

[mattylad]

Can it be wetted and then clamped with wood either side to form it back into shape?

 

[Knighton]

They’re appear to be three decor ends but to get to two of them the cooker is going to have to come out

the big issue is one is a large one the size of the fridge freezer so couldn’t rotate around even if I wanted as holes would be visible (it’s attached to bottom and top units and has a plug in it)

Some good ideas and I can see how they’ve used the silica bases for the kick boards just not these.

if I wetted and tried to remind wouldn’t it do the same thing again?

if I trim and pvc and clamp - again won’t it come back?

 

[JohnD]

Can it be wetted and then clamped with wood either side to form it back into shape?

no. It cannot be repaired. the damaged part could be cut off, or covered up with some kind of trim, like a skirting board. The first and most important action is to lift the panel off the floor and prevent it getting wet or damp again.