I hear you on the linoleum—tried that under my old sink and it just looked sad after a year. I’ve actually stuck with marine plywood for a couple projects, but I’m not convinced it’s the holy grail either. The HDPE panels are interesting, but I always wonder about how they hold up if you ever need to screw something in or make adjustments down the line. Anyone else find them a pain to work with, or is it just me being stubborn about old-school materials?
HDPE’s tough, but I’ve had mixed feelings. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
- Screwing into it can be a hassle—threads strip out way easier than with plywood, especially if you’re moving stuff around later.
- It’s waterproof, sure, but if you ever need to patch or modify, it’s not as forgiving.
- Marine ply’s not perfect either, but at least you can sand, fill, or reinforce it without much fuss.
Anyone tried those composite boards? Curious if they’re any better for under-sink abuse or just another headache.
JUST PUT IN A NEW KITCHEN SINK AND WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE STRUGGLED THIS MUCH
I’ve been down the composite board rabbit hole—mostly because I’m cheap and hate replacing stuff twice. Used one of those recycled plastic/wood blends under my last sink. Honestly, it held up better than I expected to leaks and drips, but screwing into it was still a pain. Threads would bite, but after a couple of removals, things started to wobble. At least it didn’t swell up like MDF, though... so I guess that’s something? Still not sure if it’s worth the price over marine ply unless you catch a sale.
MARINE PLY VS COMPOSITE—WORTH THE HASSLE?
I’ve had similar headaches with composite boards under sinks. They’re tough, but like you said, once you mess with the screws a couple times, things get loose. I keep wondering if marine ply is actually better long-term or if it’s just nostalgia talking. Anyone tried sealing marine ply with epoxy or something to get the best of both worlds? I’m always torn between paying more upfront or risking having to redo it in a few years...
JUST PUT IN A NEW KITCHEN SINK AND WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE STRUGGLED THIS MUCH
- Totally get what you mean about composite boards getting loose.
- I went with marine ply under my sink, mostly because I was paranoid about leaks.
- Used a couple coats of epoxy—super messy, but it feels solid so far.
- Not sure if it’s overkill, but I’d rather deal with the mess once than have to swap out mushy boards later.
- Still, the cost made me wince... but I guess peace of mind is worth something?
