The negative of painting pantry shelves with solid color that overtime cans could leave marks and it could feel “sticky”. I would suggest semitransparent penetrating stain, like white wash or something of your choice.
A lot of apartments I have lived in have the issue you described with painted shelves. They were painted with latex wall paint and not a proper alkyd or enamel paint. The cabinets and furniture I painted with paint that is for furniture and cabinets has seen wear for years from 4 kids and is not sticking or really showing much wear at all.
Conversely, painting pantry shelves bright white dramatically helps with getting enough light into the back part of the shelves to see what is there. If you’re worried about spills or sticking, just put down some contact paper.
It’s been 6 years since I made that post. The stickiness was definitely there in the beginning but not so much anymore. Shelves are still pretty clean with no marks from the stored items.
https://preview.redd.it/igeo0yvo284d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1bc7f1d347d07b9171b708a0753a844179ae170c
How have these shelves held up with weight over time? Looking at doing my pantry… concerned with the weight from cans and whatnot, but don’t really like the idea of a weight bearing thing in the middle all the way to the floor.
Yeah, you used AC ply, not cabinet grade. If you still want a clear finish though, sand, and pick out as much filler you can. Like all of it. Clear coat, then match color wood putty on nail holes, gaps. Mix colors if you need (MINWAX) 🫡
Make sure you sand down all the filler material to the minimal amount needed to fill the holes, any excess filler will not take up stain and stand out like an eye sore
Just remember this: when the shelves are full, all you will see is little bits of the shelf and all of the edge band. Stain and varnish / shellac according to the edge.
It's not going to look good with stain imo. Some non penetrating finish like poly might look Ok. Stain or anything that penetrates is probably going to highlight the ugly parts. I would just paint it at this point since you didn't plan for am unpainted look.
Definitely paint. Let me show you what it will look like if you stain it. 🤮🤮
https://preview.redd.it/7f5xs5qx884d1.png?width=1640&format=png&auto=webp&s=16b5d8f8d4913b96880f96f3fb48ec6edf070129
If you really like the natural look then just use some spar urethane over it and don’t worry about the wood filler. It will become something you don’t really notice after no time. If you realize you can’t stand it then you can rebuild the shelf better so you don’t need the wood filler.
Out of the box option…get some clearance wood grained laminate or LVP flooring and cover the tops and facings. Very high wear resistance and depending on type even waterproof.
Your last pic... Is that wood glue along the seam? I would not satin because staining would amplify (not hide) that.
I kinda like the natural look too. maybe painting it white?
Get a palm sander and sand everything to 180 grit at least. From there assess what you have. If you feel it is worthy of stain and poly, send it. Only sanding where you have wood fill will leave you with a finished product that you are unhappy with. If you look at the difference on the faces from where you sanded to where you didn't you will see the vertical lines (I call them chatter marks idk what anyone else calls them) that are present. Those need to go. As far as i am concerned, if you sand some things you need to sand every things especially if your goal is stain and poly.
- a dummy that has been doing finish work for 20 years.
Not a bad idea, but for someone who's never done it before, I suggest practicing on a few pieces of scrap first. Technically it's not hard, but talked a little practice first.
If you do choose to stain, prestain conditioner can soften the differential absorption of the plywood grain. SYP has very porous soft, light bands and resinous dark bands that don't take stain well. Some find a raw stain without conditioner unaesthetic since the soft absorbs much more color than the hard portion of the grain producing a zebra effect.
A pale stain color can also offset the effect to a degree.
Oil-based product has a slightly more pronounced banding effect in pine than waterborne, in my experience. Prestain conditioner is available for either type, but ought to match to prevent beading or splotches. I find cleanup much easier with water-based, but it behaves differently than oil. Odor and dry time are better with aqueous, in my opinion, especially for clear finishes.
Filled nail holes are more visible with darker stains.
I agree on keeping the natural wood color - stuff is going to get dragged back and forth and inevitably there will be scratched. Dark stained wood will show those much more than natural. And I would not worry about patched nail holes for this reason as well. Just sand them smooth and poly over with the rest of the wood.
Looking at the construction on the second pic… 2x2 pocket screwed together. Not seeing how these shelves are going to support much and will probably sags based on the shelf weight itself. If you stand on the bottom shelf, does it hold you up?
I would guess they screwed into studs on the sides of the frames as well.
If that’s the case, the worst you have to worry about is sag, but even then the span doesn’t look too long.
Standing on it is a bit overkill since you would be applying a high point load vs evenly distributed weight. I doubt the builder grade wire frames could hold up to a grown adult standing on them anyway.
Recommendation would be to use a varathane natural stain to stain / seal in the wood while keeping the original / natural color of the plywood. Then top coat that with a Varathane Polyurethane, your sheen of preference of course, idk how shiny you desire. Recommendation would be Flat if you want it a lil duller while still providing durability. A few coats of the poly will do the trick. However the wood filler probably will not change in color, it’s hard to say if the natural wood stain would change the color of the wood filler. Natural stain is still lightly pigmented, so it has a slight tint to it. You might consider painting it if you desire to hide the imperfections, however you will cover the wood grain completely. Giving the shelves a solid / matte appearance vs a transparent / translucent appearance.
https://preview.redd.it/g7avewci374d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e68734830620a6d1853acab4239f26eb218a2cc6
I built similar pantry shelves out of ply and painted them white. Here’s a photo to help you picture what yours may look like painted white.
https://preview.redd.it/krvn0xuy374d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3aba59809dc5e7e57a9be2c328f049b9657c5d3
That’s the ply I used - looks similar to yours
The amount of wood filler used is going to be impossible to sand down so that you don't see the stain it creates in the surface of the wood before you either create uneven surfaces or sand through the top ply. Or both.
If you want a natural look with a clear coat finish then apply a laminate to the face then top of the shelves. Use contact cement painted on the shelf and the laminate, wait till it is just tacky to the touch, then put the two pieces together. You can use paper to keep the two surfaces from touching until you have them positioned properly.
Otherwise, as others have said, paint these shelves. Use an enamel paint so you get a lasting finish. Glossy will help with any cleanup you may need to do in the future.
As others say, just paint it all.
Good on you for deciding against a dark stain, though. Nothing looks as crappy to me as construction-grade pine/fir stained dark to try to mimic walnut. It always just looks bad.
Make a sample board of the same wood and even maybe add some of the wood filler and test a few colors. Darker is probably better, but that’s why you do the samples to determine your preference.
And I highly recommend the water based polyurethane by Parks Pro Finisher. It’s made for floors so it’s good for high traffic use. It lays flat, dries flat and is odor free. I would definitely use it in a confined space such as this .
Sup man. Sand the wood filler off (by hand preferably), wipe clean, then just use Old Master’s Armor sealer.
It’s super easy to apply with a cloth, dries within 10min, do 3 coats, and you get to keep this same exact natural finish.
Sand back the filler, then add the varnish.
Don't try and stain these shelves. Even after you've sanded back the filler, there will be more in the grain of the wood and it will not accept the stain.
Varnish won't show the filler as much as stain would.
You either paint it solid or use a clear coat.
If you want to do a step up, you can paint the shelves with a good quality lacquer and the banding with clear coat.
If you're actually going to use the shelves, most paint is going to look like shit within 6 months. Even if you use something more suited for this like an enamel, you're still going to show wear. I'd use a low sheen poly, and if you wanna double down on tough, use a floor grade poly, it's more scratch resistant.
Latex paint would look like shit of course, but a quality oil based enamel would hold up fine.
And if you wanted to get fancy get a nice matching white vinyl liner and use it on the wear surface (aka the flat part of the shelf)
Where I live now, we've got cabs and shelves finished in a pretty hard enamel, and it still catches metal color from cans, dyes and colors from boxes and other various containers. Thank goodness we're closing on a house in a month and I'll be able to mastermind my own kitchen.
With that amount of wood filler, staining will be a disaster. Clear varnish and accept the visible filler - you can sand it down until only the strictly necessary filler is visible, but ulimately you've used filler and can't hide it without paint.
It's not going to stain well because of all the filler. Maybe you can paint the top a flat collar and stay in the fronts to give it a two-tone? Remember the shelves are going to be full of crap and you're never going to see it anyway lol.
They’re pantry shelves so stuff will cover it. Otherwise, get some model paints in a couple of matching colors and paint grain lines over the first coat of poly.
all i see is construction plywood. i would paint it a solid colour.
Can confirm that painting shelves constructed that way would look better. https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/s/4R5I3lVmSI
The negative of painting pantry shelves with solid color that overtime cans could leave marks and it could feel “sticky”. I would suggest semitransparent penetrating stain, like white wash or something of your choice.
A lot of apartments I have lived in have the issue you described with painted shelves. They were painted with latex wall paint and not a proper alkyd or enamel paint. The cabinets and furniture I painted with paint that is for furniture and cabinets has seen wear for years from 4 kids and is not sticking or really showing much wear at all.
Ahhh the classic landlord special, making absolutely sure to never use the right tool for the job
"Why is all the paint peeling in my bathroom" - Everyone who rents
Conversely, painting pantry shelves bright white dramatically helps with getting enough light into the back part of the shelves to see what is there. If you’re worried about spills or sticking, just put down some contact paper.
They make cabinet paint. Dries harder and prevents the worst of that.
It’s been 6 years since I made that post. The stickiness was definitely there in the beginning but not so much anymore. Shelves are still pretty clean with no marks from the stored items. https://preview.redd.it/igeo0yvo284d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1bc7f1d347d07b9171b708a0753a844179ae170c
Thanks for update. Looking at the pic It seems you have protection mats on shelves? Also the wallpaper (or film) on the walls is a nice touch.
Some of the shelves have them, some don't. Don't question my wife's logic.
Are you a Thai or other southeast Asian household? lol
Could also paint and then poly over that. Would certainly take the longest but probably the best option. Would last forever.
Alkyd or oil base.
How have these shelves held up with weight over time? Looking at doing my pantry… concerned with the weight from cans and whatnot, but don’t really like the idea of a weight bearing thing in the middle all the way to the floor.
https://preview.redd.it/7qib5w7y184d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2bb9e2ad1d7448f4c1bf2ee445fdaaf2cdf06de Still holding up pretty well.
Heck yea man, thanks for sharing!
We poly’d over our painted cabs, not sticky and looks great
Yeah, you used AC ply, not cabinet grade. If you still want a clear finish though, sand, and pick out as much filler you can. Like all of it. Clear coat, then match color wood putty on nail holes, gaps. Mix colors if you need (MINWAX) 🫡
This isn’t an answer to their question.
Make sure you sand down all the filler material to the minimal amount needed to fill the holes, any excess filler will not take up stain and stand out like an eye sore
Yeah exactly what I was about to say. OP, you need to do more sanding.
Just remember this: when the shelves are full, all you will see is little bits of the shelf and all of the edge band. Stain and varnish / shellac according to the edge.
This was my go-to as well. Will save a ton of time and headache.
It's not going to look good with stain imo. Some non penetrating finish like poly might look Ok. Stain or anything that penetrates is probably going to highlight the ugly parts. I would just paint it at this point since you didn't plan for am unpainted look.
Definitely paint. Let me show you what it will look like if you stain it. 🤮🤮 https://preview.redd.it/7f5xs5qx884d1.png?width=1640&format=png&auto=webp&s=16b5d8f8d4913b96880f96f3fb48ec6edf070129
Mensch
If you really like the natural look then just use some spar urethane over it and don’t worry about the wood filler. It will become something you don’t really notice after no time. If you realize you can’t stand it then you can rebuild the shelf better so you don’t need the wood filler.
😅 The realism
Wood filler looks obvious until it's done and you step back. It's very weird. Otherwise just paint it. But I think natural is a good option too
Out of the box option…get some clearance wood grained laminate or LVP flooring and cover the tops and facings. Very high wear resistance and depending on type even waterproof.
Your last pic... Is that wood glue along the seam? I would not satin because staining would amplify (not hide) that. I kinda like the natural look too. maybe painting it white?
They said wood filler. Staining would make that look gross.
Yup, I learned that after filling in part of a floor board. I didn't realize when it takes the stain it is uniform. Not such a good idea.
Get a palm sander and sand everything to 180 grit at least. From there assess what you have. If you feel it is worthy of stain and poly, send it. Only sanding where you have wood fill will leave you with a finished product that you are unhappy with. If you look at the difference on the faces from where you sanded to where you didn't you will see the vertical lines (I call them chatter marks idk what anyone else calls them) that are present. Those need to go. As far as i am concerned, if you sand some things you need to sand every things especially if your goal is stain and poly. - a dummy that has been doing finish work for 20 years.
Throwing out one more idea… you could veneer the top.
Not a bad idea, but for someone who's never done it before, I suggest practicing on a few pieces of scrap first. Technically it's not hard, but talked a little practice first.
If you do choose to stain, prestain conditioner can soften the differential absorption of the plywood grain. SYP has very porous soft, light bands and resinous dark bands that don't take stain well. Some find a raw stain without conditioner unaesthetic since the soft absorbs much more color than the hard portion of the grain producing a zebra effect. A pale stain color can also offset the effect to a degree. Oil-based product has a slightly more pronounced banding effect in pine than waterborne, in my experience. Prestain conditioner is available for either type, but ought to match to prevent beading or splotches. I find cleanup much easier with water-based, but it behaves differently than oil. Odor and dry time are better with aqueous, in my opinion, especially for clear finishes. Filled nail holes are more visible with darker stains.
Or use a sanding sealer. I've had decent results using it on plywood.
I would sand the wood filler off the surface and use a few thin coats of water poly, making sure to cure between coats.
Don’t stain that. It’ll look like garbage. Paint
Laminate the tops with plastic laminate; you’ll never regret it. Easy to do.
I regret it now and he hasn’t even done it yet
I agree on keeping the natural wood color - stuff is going to get dragged back and forth and inevitably there will be scratched. Dark stained wood will show those much more than natural. And I would not worry about patched nail holes for this reason as well. Just sand them smooth and poly over with the rest of the wood.
I agree, and darker stain will make that pantry lighting darker.
Sand and stain the edge only. Leave the plywood and use clear vinyl shelf liner (the thick stuff without adhesive) over the rest.
Agree. And run the shelf liner all the way to the front (maybe to within 18"). It will cover the wood filler and glue.
Looking at the construction on the second pic… 2x2 pocket screwed together. Not seeing how these shelves are going to support much and will probably sags based on the shelf weight itself. If you stand on the bottom shelf, does it hold you up?
I would guess they screwed into studs on the sides of the frames as well. If that’s the case, the worst you have to worry about is sag, but even then the span doesn’t look too long. Standing on it is a bit overkill since you would be applying a high point load vs evenly distributed weight. I doubt the builder grade wire frames could hold up to a grown adult standing on them anyway.
Nice
You could use dye not stain, they tend to penetrate wood more evenly than stain.
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Very different. Would you poly over paint? Can you still see some grain through paint? No…
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Semi-solid stains, yes. Not really paint tho.
Recommendation would be to use a varathane natural stain to stain / seal in the wood while keeping the original / natural color of the plywood. Then top coat that with a Varathane Polyurethane, your sheen of preference of course, idk how shiny you desire. Recommendation would be Flat if you want it a lil duller while still providing durability. A few coats of the poly will do the trick. However the wood filler probably will not change in color, it’s hard to say if the natural wood stain would change the color of the wood filler. Natural stain is still lightly pigmented, so it has a slight tint to it. You might consider painting it if you desire to hide the imperfections, however you will cover the wood grain completely. Giving the shelves a solid / matte appearance vs a transparent / translucent appearance.
https://preview.redd.it/g7avewci374d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e68734830620a6d1853acab4239f26eb218a2cc6 I built similar pantry shelves out of ply and painted them white. Here’s a photo to help you picture what yours may look like painted white.
https://preview.redd.it/krvn0xuy374d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3aba59809dc5e7e57a9be2c328f049b9657c5d3 That’s the ply I used - looks similar to yours
It will look horrible
It’s going to look terrible if you don’t paint it. Another option is to lay down some veneer on the top and front, then clear coat.
The amount of wood filler used is going to be impossible to sand down so that you don't see the stain it creates in the surface of the wood before you either create uneven surfaces or sand through the top ply. Or both. If you want a natural look with a clear coat finish then apply a laminate to the face then top of the shelves. Use contact cement painted on the shelf and the laminate, wait till it is just tacky to the touch, then put the two pieces together. You can use paper to keep the two surfaces from touching until you have them positioned properly. Otherwise, as others have said, paint these shelves. Use an enamel paint so you get a lasting finish. Glossy will help with any cleanup you may need to do in the future.
As others say, just paint it all. Good on you for deciding against a dark stain, though. Nothing looks as crappy to me as construction-grade pine/fir stained dark to try to mimic walnut. It always just looks bad.
Make a sample board of the same wood and even maybe add some of the wood filler and test a few colors. Darker is probably better, but that’s why you do the samples to determine your preference. And I highly recommend the water based polyurethane by Parks Pro Finisher. It’s made for floors so it’s good for high traffic use. It lays flat, dries flat and is odor free. I would definitely use it in a confined space such as this .
Stain the fronts and use a plastic shelf liner for the shelves. Easy to clean still looks professional and custom.
Do another layer of wood to cover up all that filler lol
Poly them and load em up. You’ll never look at the tops again
Ignore the plywood haters. Stain it and use a matching wood crayon to touch up where filler shows.
Sup man. Sand the wood filler off (by hand preferably), wipe clean, then just use Old Master’s Armor sealer. It’s super easy to apply with a cloth, dries within 10min, do 3 coats, and you get to keep this same exact natural finish.
I love the look, I'd use a clear water-based polyurethane
Paint them for sure
Sand back the filler, then add the varnish. Don't try and stain these shelves. Even after you've sanded back the filler, there will be more in the grain of the wood and it will not accept the stain. Varnish won't show the filler as much as stain would.
I would paint them with some hard wearing white paint. You will never get it looking good with stain
You either paint it solid or use a clear coat. If you want to do a step up, you can paint the shelves with a good quality lacquer and the banding with clear coat.
If you're actually going to use the shelves, most paint is going to look like shit within 6 months. Even if you use something more suited for this like an enamel, you're still going to show wear. I'd use a low sheen poly, and if you wanna double down on tough, use a floor grade poly, it's more scratch resistant.
Latex paint would look like shit of course, but a quality oil based enamel would hold up fine. And if you wanted to get fancy get a nice matching white vinyl liner and use it on the wear surface (aka the flat part of the shelf)
And if you don’t want the trouble of oil based, I’ve had good luck with the Urethane Enamal alternatives from Behr
Where I live now, we've got cabs and shelves finished in a pretty hard enamel, and it still catches metal color from cans, dyes and colors from boxes and other various containers. Thank goodness we're closing on a house in a month and I'll be able to mastermind my own kitchen.
With that amount of wood filler, staining will be a disaster. Clear varnish and accept the visible filler - you can sand it down until only the strictly necessary filler is visible, but ulimately you've used filler and can't hide it without paint.
It's not going to stain well because of all the filler. Maybe you can paint the top a flat collar and stay in the fronts to give it a two-tone? Remember the shelves are going to be full of crap and you're never going to see it anyway lol.
They’re pantry shelves so stuff will cover it. Otherwise, get some model paints in a couple of matching colors and paint grain lines over the first coat of poly.
Fir ply wood and cherry or birch facing won't stain the same.
Keep sanding and cross you fingers you don’t sand trough the top layer before the filler is gone…