Keezer Collar sealant

[weathejx]

I've made my collar out of 2x8s. Other than sealing the seems with silicone, is there a point to sealing the collar with a varnish/sealant? Is there really that much cold air escaping through the wood?

John

 

[nebben]

I just sealed it to make it look nice. On the inside, if I didn't have foam panels lining the wood, I probably would have varnished it too since there is some humidity and condensation present.

 

[user 21663]

I sealed mine because of the moisture inside the kegerator.

 

[Catt22]

I've made my collar out of 2x8s. Other than sealing the seems with silicone, is there a point to sealing the collar with a varnish/sealant? Is there really that much cold air escaping through the wood?

John

Wood has a relatively low insulating R value. Some heat will be conducted through the wood and a sealant will not prevent this from happening. Mostly, you want to seal the wood to provide a moisture barrier. It is, however, very important to seal any gaps in the collar whether they be in the corner joints, the wood/freezer interface, or in the wood itself. Even a tiny air leak will cause condensation problems. Adding insulation to the inside of the collar is worth the trouble IMO.