enhancing the long term durabiility of greyboard.

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Not your average framer
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enhancing the long term durabiility of greyboard.

Post by Not your average framer »

I am looking into enhancing the long term durability of greyboard, or perhaps pulpbooard. I am aware that years ago, there were various easily obtainable substances which were normally available to do this, but time marches on and what was once available has disappeared in the mists of time and looking for modern day replacements is not particularly as easy as you might think.

Any ideas?

My thanks in anticipation,
Mark
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
JFeig
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Re: enhancing the long term durabiility of greyboard.

Post by JFeig »

Hi Mark,
Those 2 products were never made and will never be made for longevity in mind. They are formulated for industrial packaging use, IE the minimal standards for lifespan.
I have seen some "conservation grade" fluted corrugated boards at like 5x or more the price of commercial board. I think you are looking at a "lost cause" from a monetary standpoint.

cheers
Jerry
Jerome Feig CPF®
http://www.minoxy.com
Not your average framer
Posts: 11013
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
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Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: enhancing the long term durabiility of greyboard.

Post by Not your average framer »

I am wondering if I will have to concoct some thing my self. If probably needs to be oil based be diluted enough to soak well into the greyboard, or pulp board, by also to provide good adhesion after setting for finishing with water based acrylic finishes. I am still looking at making spandrels for gluing into rectangular frames.

Greyboard, or pulpboard are easily obtainable in the right grades, with an adequate quality of surface finish, but I want to ensure that the board is not going to be vunerable to dampness, if sold to someone living in a damp building. Unfortunately a lot of my customers live in very old buildings which were built before damp proof membranes ever existed. This was fine when people had roaring fire all year round, but not so helpful when old building have been fitted with modern heating systems.

My local area is fully of very old hosing stock, so I have to take the damp walls issue seriously.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
JFeig
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Re: enhancing the long term durabiility of greyboard.

Post by JFeig »

Shellac
Jerome Feig CPF®
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Not your average framer
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Re: enhancing the long term durabiility of greyboard.

Post by Not your average framer »

Shellac alone is not fully water proof, when shellac sets It is full of mcroporous holes that allow water to penetrate into the sellac, that's why french polished furniture needs to be kept wax polished. I add a very small amount of danish oil to my shellac sanding sealer to save me the time taken to wax polish work that I have finished with sellac.

However, I would also be looking for something that will penetrate all the way into the board, so that it is waterproofed right through the whole thickness of the board. But at this stage I'm not really sure what that would need to be. I suppose it might be a mixure of wax and white spirit, but I'm not really convinced about that either.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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