Hardwood door need treating 1st?

duncan32

Hello,

I have just bought a solid hardwood door from Wickes and my handy brother is going to fit it in the morning for me. However, looking at the sheet stuck to the packaging it says that it must 1st be cut to size and then sealed and finished with 3 coats of Wickes paint or high performance woodstain prior to being put on the frame.

Is this essential? I was anticipating getting the door hung tomorrow and just varnishing it in the afternoon.

Will the door go all funny if I don't do exactly what it says on the sheet?

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?

Thanks!

Duncan

misgrace

I have stained and varnished many a front door when hung in situ, I think that companies say this to get more money from you, ie seal the door with wickes paint etc.

if you are going to stain it, you can either buy a wood stain/varnish, or you can buy a wood dye, then varnish on top.

Even if you go down the stain/varnish route, I would still give it an extra coat of varnish.

You might consider using 'sikkens' stain, its dutch, and made for weather conditions, if you have a south facing front door, or it gets exposed to to the harsh elements then 'sikkens' is a good product.
Infact I even use it for the inside wooden frames, its good stuff, you can buy it from a decorating shop.

Not too sure if staining it in the afternoon is a good idea, as the best time to paint or varnish doors is very early in the morning, you have to leave your door open as long as possible.

duncan32

Thanks so much for such a quick reply. Just what I wanted to hear, too!

So, are you saying it is ok to hang the door as it is, and then maybe even stain / varnish it the next morning even? I sort of thought that when they were saying seal and varnish, sealing meant protection from the rain that would mean it would be damaged badly if it got wet before that was put on?

Thanks again.

Duncan

misgrace

Hi duncan, your more than welcome, admittidly if its hung and its untreated and it rains I cant guarentee what damage it will cause, but I am sure loads of doors are hung and rain gets to it before the painter

The only time it will warp or go wrong is if the manufactures has sent it out like that, or you have had the door standing upright prior to hanging, doors should be lying down, but if everthing is okay with the door prior to hanging, you will have no comebacks from staining the door in situ, trust me, I do decorating for a living.

What I will say though is if you want a really smooth classy finish, then get some fine wet and dry sandpaper, dip it in just a smidgeon of soapy water (fairy liquid), and gently sand the wood following the grain, leave to dry, then do your staining etc, then if you want to another coat of varnish, but make sure you very lightly sand down, and dust/brush door prior to varnishing.

Hope this helps.:)

plumb1_2

duncan32 wrote:

Thanks so much for such a quick reply. Just what I wanted to hear, too!

So, are you saying it is ok to hang the door as it is, and then maybe even stain / varnish it the next morning even? I sort of thought that when they were saying seal and varnish, sealing meant protection from the rain that would mean it would be damaged badly if it got wet before that was put on?

Thanks again.

Duncan

You realy need to seal the door asap, with these cheap Hardwood doors they have a large grain and will draw-in a moisture in the air, and it will open any joints(as they do not have mortice and tenon joints)just glued.

I would seal the all the door(top/bottom/front/back) first , before it is hung, after it has been hung seal again, as it will have been planned to fit the door caseing, get plenty of sealer on the top/bottom.

As the above poster has mentioned Sikkens is one of the best, they make a base coat and top coat TBH and TBA(if i remember) imo worth paying the extra.

duncan32

Ok.

Couple of things. When I bought it, it was standing upright (as are ALL the doors at WICKES). I have laid it down flat in my living room now that you have said that (reading the sheet it says the same).

Can you just confirm that sealing is that same as varnishing, please? I keep hearing / reading sealing and varnishing, and have got it in my head that they are different processes.

Thanks!

Duncan

plumb1_2

duncan32 wrote:

Ok.

Couple of things. When I bought it, it was standing upright (as are ALL the doors at WICKES). I have laid it down flat in my living room now that you have said that (reading the sheet it says the same).

Can you just confirm that sealing is that same as varnishing, please? I keep hearing / reading sealing and varnishing, and have got it in my head that they are different processes.

Thanks!

Duncan

Sealing varnishing, Sikkens do a base coat and a top coat, just like undercoat and gloss.

djohn2002uk

Do what plumb1 says and get it done asap. If you don't and it rains after hanging it will swell and you wont get it open, or closed.